By hacking into Signaling System No. 7 (SS7), a system that connects mobile phone networks, cybercriminals may be able to see your locations, read your SMS messages and listen to your phone calls. If you’re planning on sharing highly private information, think about sending it through an encrypted chat app like Telegram or iMessage, so […]

Famously, on iOS devices iMessage messages are blue while SMS texts are green. But the actual differences are more extensive. In addition to allowing for longer message lengths and richer content sharing, iMessages are also encrypted, whereas SMS texts are not. Don’t send sensitive info over SMS.

SMS texts (e.g., the green messages on iPhones, and most messages sent from the stock Chat app on Android devices) are not encrypted, which sets them apart from most internet-based messaging services like iMessage or WhatsApp. Accordingly, it’s best not to include sensitive data like a bank account number within them.

On an iOS device with iMessage enabled, it’s possible to filter out any iMessages from senders who aren’t in your Contacts. Simply go to Settings -> Messages and enable “Filter Unknown Senders.” This can reduce the risk of phishing and harassment.

Internet-based chat apps are generally safer than plain SMS (text) messages, but they’re not necessarily bulletproof. An exploit in WhatsApp, allowing malware injection, showed that even apps touting “end-to-end encryption” sometimes have vulnerabilities. To stay safe, apply any updates as soon as possible or – for particularly sensitive conversations – take them offline or use […]

Do you use Gmail? If so, it’s probably a good idea to set up two-factor authentication to ensure that even a stolen password isn’t enough for someone to break in. You can use SMS (text message) or, preferably, more secure methods like the Gmail mobile app to confirm each new login attempt.