

During my initial testing, viewing this information caused the app to crash, but this problem was swiftly fixed in an update. If it's someone carrying out a man-in-the-middle type attack, the key will be different than the one on your screen. The app advises you to call users over the phone, or by some other means, and ask them to tell you their key. You can use the private Fingerprint to confirm that the person on the other end of your Cryptocat conversation is who he or she claim to be. You can view users' group and private Fingerprints by tapping their names. Private conversations work just like group chats they were mostly non-functional in an earlier version of the app but seem to be working now.Īll users have unique number and letter strings assigned to them, along with the conversations they're participating in. You can toggle back and forth using the Conversation link. Tapping on a name starts a private chat, distinct from the main conversation. Tapping Buddies in the upper left shows other users in the conversation. Compare this with Whatsapp or Hangouts, which are always on. It will also give you a one-minute warning when your session is about to expire-about three and a half minutes after you leave Cryptocat. If leave Cryptocat without logging out, the app will send you push notifications for activity in your conversation or private chat. You'll quickly discover that Cryptocat is a text-only affair, like the screen-shot defeating messaging service Confide. Users already in the chat room appear at the top of the screen, but their message history does not. There are no emojis, but the app automatically converts some smileys into cat faces. Messages appear promptly after sending, and you can see when other users are typing. It's easy to use, but it may take you some time to get used to it since it's so different from mainstream chat services.Ĭryptochatting Each conversation is represented by retro-style angular chat bubbles on a blue background. No accounts mean that there are no accounts to hack, and open chatrooms mean an infinite number of places to hide your conversation. It took me a while to get the hang of Cryptocat, but I can see the security advantages. The nickname from your previous session will be filled in automatically, but it might not be available the next time you try to use it. If you enter "pcmagbro" in the conversation "brotalk77" and I'm already using that nickname, Cryptocat won't let you join. The only limitation: the names other users in a particular conversation have already taken.

With no accounts for users, you simply pick any nickname you like. For example, enter the conversation name "lobby" and you'll be dumped into a massive group chat of strangers. Anyone can join any conversation simply by typing in its exact name. You can share this chat room name with your friends through other means-over the phone or, ideally, in person.

Here's the gist of it: Entering the name of a conversation creates a new chat room.
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As in Editors' Choice Wickr, there's no account creation, just two blank fields for a user nickname and "conversation name." The browser version is much richer, with mouse-over popups explaining how to use the service. The first time you use Cryptocat, you might also find it confusing, which is odd, given that its goal is to be fast and easy to use, as well as disposable. Setup Cryptocat is very different from most other chatting services and might not seem very secure at first blush. Think of it like a disposable "burner" cell phone for instant messaging. I can't imagine using it every day, but it's quite good for quickly and easily sharing secrets. It lacks media attachments, buddylists, and profiles instead it focuses on a totally secure and deniable model. But Cryptocat is not like other messaging services, and it's not trying to be a secure replacement for SMS.
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Plus, it's cross compatible with OS X and browser clients, and the developer says an Android version is coming soon. Cryptocat (free, App Store) is a very simple app that will secure your conversations with your pals. In this post-Snowden world, people are worried about who might be listening to their communications.
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