{"id":105,"date":"2023-01-27T18:03:20","date_gmt":"2023-01-28T01:03:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/jacobson-cpsc\/?p=105"},"modified":"2023-01-29T14:37:06","modified_gmt":"2023-01-29T21:37:06","slug":"instant-messaging-applications-cryptography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpsites.ucalgary.ca\/jacobson-cpsc\/2023\/01\/27\/instant-messaging-applications-cryptography\/","title":{"rendered":"Instant Messaging Applications & Cryptography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cCommunication is the essence of human life\u201d<\/p>\n~Janice Light[1]<\/sup><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Instant messaging is a set of technologies that facilitate real-time communication. Also known as I.M., social messengers, messaging apps or chat apps, it is a quick, accessible, and convenient mode of communication. Instant messaging pre-dates the modern internet and has existed since the early 1990s. However, the way we know instant messaging today became famous after 2005 with the introduction of Blackberry Messenger and WhatsApp mobile applications. Eventually, increased internet penetration, improved smartphones and added convenience led to the widespread adoption of these messaging applications resulting in trillions of messages flowing through these platforms annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In 2021, there were 3.8 billion active users on different instant messaging apps, according to Statista [2]<\/sup>. Gradually, other platforms like Telegram, Signal, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage also emerged and created their own niches. Nowadays more communication takes place on IM platforms than in-person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security & Privacy in IMs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The rapid popularity gains of IM platforms led to all forms of information flowing through them. Given the volume of valuable and confidential data transmitted through the IM platforms, they became suitable channels for threat actors and intruders to gain access to information like never before. Thus, instant messaging platforms are vulnerable to security and privacy risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Although most present-day applications use some form of authentication to control data access on the platform, data confidentiality and integrity during transmission are equally necessary for security and privacy. A combination of cryptographic algorithms solves this riddle of secure message transmission in a real-time environment. However, different sets of cipher offer variable strengths and weaknesses, acting as a key differentiator in the security posture of popular messaging platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classification of Communications over IMs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Despite all security concerns and issues, instant messaging platforms continue to be used for all forms of communication by users. Particularly, communications over IMs can be classified as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n