Text messaging is the most widely used communication channel today. Standard SMS and even popular messaging apps expose your private conversations to major security and privacy risks. Looking ahead, new technologies are emerging to make text messaging more protected than ever before. Quantum computing has the potential to break current encryption techniques. But quantum mechanics also enable unhackable encryption through quantum key distribution. It uses the quantum properties of particles to generate an encryption key between two points. Attempting to observe or copy the quantum particle key would alter its state irreversibly. This would notify the communicating parties of the intercept. Though still in the early stages, quantum encryption promises perfectly secure text and data transmission resistance even to future quantum computing.
Multiparty computation
Most encrypted messaging today relies on users trusting the app’s provider not to access privatemessage data. Multiparty computation systems remove this need for trust by using advanced cryptography and blockchain-like techniques to facilitate direct secure communication between end users. Messages get split into components with useless individual data. Reconstructing messages requires the participation of all parties. It prevents providers or attackers from covertly accessing private communications. Multiparty computation places control entirely in users’ hands.
Perfect forward secrecy
An emerging encryption method called perfect forward secrecy adds yet another layer of security. With typical messaging encryption, compromised keys grant access to all previous messages encrypted under those keys. Perfect forward secrecy uses per-message keys to isolate and limit damage from any single key compromise. Past communications remain protected even if current keys are breached. Offline encryption device collaboration may strengthen real-time perfect forward secrecy implementation.
Light based networks
Highly secured networks called Dark Fibre and Lambda allow the transmission of data via light through dedicated fiber optic infrastructure. It grants exclusive access, eliminating the potential for electronic eavesdropping or interference. Beaming data through encapsulated light tunnels enables city-wide networks with virtually impenetrable messaging and data transfer. Costs are still prohibitive for personal use but continue dropping. Light networks are coming.
Some messaging apps like Confide currently allow sending encrypted image or audio messages that self-destruct after a single view or listen. Expanding this to video, 3D models, or augmented reality content could enable truly ephemeral “burner” media messages. Send engaging encrypted content that vanishes into thin air after consumption. Next-gen applications will make disposable messaging seamless across all media formats.
Decentralized networks
Blockchain-like decentralized network infrastructure removes central intermediaries who could compromise security. Users connect directly via peer-to-peer mesh networks. Messages route dynamically via community nodes using consensus mechanisms to detect tampering. It eliminates centralized weak points prone to attack. Decentralized networks will be self-healing and virtually impossible to shut down, increasing messaging resiliency.
Open source systems
Mix networks and onion routing allow anonymous communication by encrypting and then rerouting messages through multilayered nodes to disguise identifying metadata like senders and recipients. Future anonymous texting networks will blend encryption, blockchain, mesh systems, and mix routing to enable untraceable peer-to-peer messaging resistant to surveillance. Proprietary closed-source apps uniquely position developers to insert undetectable backdoors into messaging security. Open source encrypted messaging code enables independent auditing to confirm systems are built on security and user rights – not profit-seeking. Future platforms will adopt radically transparent development models with publicly verifiable functionality and security.
