Concerned about who could be hacking your smartphone? Then you should check out Blackphone, a device so heavily protected that apparently not even the NSA can peek at your private data, a claim that I’m a bit skeptical about despite the project being backed by individuals such as Phil Zimmerman.
Stop the NSA from reading your texts
Both carrier and vendor-independent, Blackphone was created through the collaboration of Switzerland-based tech companies Silent Circle and Geeksphone, who focus on encryption and Firefox OS designs, respectively. The device runs on an Android build called PrivatOS, and is described by Silent Circle CEO Mike Janke as a “high-end” smartphone.
PrivatOS allows users to make or receive secure phone calls, texts, and video chats, as well as the ability to transfer or store private files. While the exact details of the phone are still being kept under wraps, advocates such as
Zimmerman—who created the PGP or Pretty Good Privacy data encryption protocol—state that it was created primarily to protect user privacy, rather than as the next big thing.
“Blackphone provides users with everything they need to ensure privacy and control of their communications, along with all the other high-end smartphone features they have come to expect,” said Zimmermann in a statement on Mashable.
While an endorsement by somebody like Zimmerman certainly adds credibility, there’s still no information on how Blackphone blocks the NSA from viewing your data—or proof that it can, even. We should see a Blackphone prototype at the Mobile World Congress this February, where it’s supposed to be unveiled in Barcelona. For the skeptics, like me, let’s hope there’s a demonstration.
Source Mashable
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