Exploring Encryption Strength in FB Chats

You’re having a private conversation with someone and you trust them to keep the details of your chat private. But somehow, the information you shared in the conversation comes out in the open. Your private conversation wasn’t so private after all.

That’s the concern many people have when using the secret conversations feature on Facebook Messenger. It doesn’t help that the social media giant had come under fire in the past for invading users’ privacy.

So what are secret conversations on Facebook Messenger? Do secret conversations show up in Messenger? And how can you protect your private communications?

What Are Secret Conversations on Messenger?

Facebook is about creating meaningful connections in the virtual space. People from different places around the world meet on the biggest social network, relating to one another on mutual grounds.

Publicly commenting on posts is common practice on Facebook. But sometimes, there is a need to have one-on-one conversations. And Facebook caters to that need with its popular Messenger service.

Messages sent on Messenger appear to be private since they are between the sender and the receiver.

Other users on the app may not have access to such messages but Facebook employees, government agencies, and cybercriminals can easily access the messages because they aren’t encrypted .

Having a conversation on a medium that isn’t encrypted may not be a big deal when you are having general conversations. But it’s a different ball game when you are sharing confidential information. You want to be sure that you and the receiver are the only ones reading your messages.

Resonating with the need for its users to have private conversations that aren’t accessible by third parties, Facebook introduced secret conversations to Messenger in 2016. One would expect to see much fanfare about the feature as with most of its new products but that wasn’t the case: the secret conversations tool was launched quietly.

Available to both iOS and Android users, messages sent on the medium are encrypted. When you open Messenger, the system automatically creates an end-to-end channel between you and the other user.

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What Does “Secret Conversation” Mean on Messenger?

On the general Facebook Messenger, you can start a conversation on one device and continue the conversation on another device. But that’s not the case with secret conversations on Messenger. Your chat is restricted to the device you initiated it on. You can’t access messages sent, on a different device.

The general Messenger stores your messages for a long time, allowing you to access your chat history. Considering the discreet nature of secret conversations, you aren’t encouraged to leave your messages for a long time on your device.

You have the liberty to activate a self-destructing timer on all messages you send, allowing them to be visible between five seconds and 24 hours. There will be no trace of your messages afterward, even if a third party gains access to your device.

This feature is similar to the vanish mode on Messenger that deletes messages in chats .

Besides texts, you can also send images and voice messages in a secret conversation. As a security measure, the system does not support payments.

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How Many People Can You Add in Secret Conversations on Messenger?

The secret conversations in Messenger is defined as a conversation solely between only two people. As a result of this, you can’t have a group conversation on the platform. This makes a lot of sense because the fewer the people in the conversation, the lower the chances of the information getting out.

Is Facebook Secret Conversation Really Safe?

It’s obvious that Facebook has put measures in place to ensure that communications had on the secret conversation Messenger are private between both parties involved. But there are still concerns over the privacy of such conversations, especially regarding third parties.

As mentioned earlier, chats on the platform have end-to-end encryption, powered by the Signal Encryption System, the same technology used to ensure privacy on WhatsApp.

Technically, no one else besides you and the person you are chatting with has the means to decrypt your messages, not even Facebook employees. But certain actions out of Facebook’s control may expose your data.

For instance, the person you are chatting with may choose to take a screenshot of your conversation. They may not have a malicious intention, but merely having the screenshot on their phone could expose your conversation if their phone gets into someone else’s hands.

A malware attack is another element that could bring your secret conversation into the open. Your device can be bugged to automatically take screenshots of your phone screen and send them to the attacker.

Cyberattackers can also infect your device with a keylogger to transmit your messages to them without your permission.

How to Protect Secret Conversations on Facebook

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At this point, we can agree that the secret conversations on Messenger keep conversations private from Facebook. But with cyberattackers in the picture, privacy can hardly be guaranteed.

It’s your responsibility to take extra measures to secure your conversations even when you are on a channel specifically designed for private conversations like this.

You can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to further enhance the security of your device. In addition to the end-to-end encryption that Facebook offers with the Signal Encryption System, a VPN prevents your messages from being read.

You are better ofF using a provider that has a no-log policy in place and enforces it.

And if you’re worried about someone screenshotting conversations, how about switching to a platform that alerts you when that happens—Snapchat is perfect for this , for instance.

Are you still worried that your chats on the Secret Conversation Messenger aren’t completely protected? You should consider using the channel with caution.

Before initiating a private conversation with someone on the Secret Conversation Messanger, weigh the consequences of having your conversation exposed to third parties. Will it be damaging to you or the parties involved? If the answer is yes, consider putting off the conversation and finding other more secure ways of communicating.

Keeping Your Data for Your Safety

Cyberattackers are always looking for opportunities to ambush you, and social networks make a good target. With tons of people exchanging messages, they are sure to find sensitive data if they carry out an attack. Unfortunately, users with sensitive information become victims.

The damage may have already been done before you even find out that your Facebook account has been hacked .

Social networks are meant for socializing and interacting with people; they aren’t the perfect place for having secret conversations. If you focus on using Facebook to socialize with friends and family without sharing sensitive information, you will have little to worry about in the face of a security breach.