As InformationWeek writes, there is a greater demand for secure messaging via our mobile devices than ever before. With more and more hospitals and other healthcare clinics looking for HIPAA compliant messaging technology to protect themselves and their patients from prying eyes, the number of people wondering “is texting secure” has gone right through the roof. Whether you’re a medical professional or you simply want to keep your private messages private, here are three ways you can increase your chances of doing so.
“Is Texting Secure?” With These Tips, It Can Be
- Don’t Talk to People You Don’t Know or Trust
- Get the Right Hardware
- Use a Secure Texting App
This may seem like common sense, but PC Mag strongly recommends you not text or email with anyone you don’t know. Why? Quite simply, unsolicited messages are one of the most popular ways for trojans and other hostile entities to make it into your devices, and that leads directly to leaked messages. Only text with those you know.
The antics of the National Security Agency as revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden over the last year have given many technology makers cause to produce phones that are ultra secure. As NBC News points out, the first of these phones, the so-called Blackphone, was released to the open market in July 2014. If you want security, one of these secure phones is likely your best bet. Just be prepared to pay for it.
If you aren’t too interested in having to shell out big bucks for a super secure phone, Lifehacker recommends you look to platform-specific apps that will answer “is texting secure” in the affirmative. Apps are a lot more susceptible to hackers, but they won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Just do your research beforehand to find the best application for your favorite platform.
Are you a data security specialist? What tips would you give healthcare professionals or everyday phone users to increase their text message security? Let us know in the comments below.
