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Evgeny @ SimpleX Chat
d00513ed27
* docs: user guide for the 7.1 apps * docs, website: guide order, badge benefits, message expiry; soft line breaks on the site * docs: guide videos for the first profile, invitations, joining and the address * docs: guide screens with the iPhone status bar * docs: guide shows full and cut screens only * docs: guide pages corrected in place, keeping master's structure * docs: group chat and SimpleX address pictures in the iPhone frame * docs: plainer wording in the guide * docs: guide checked against how SimpleX explains its features * docs: guide answers on profiles, channel privacy, SOCKS and names * docs: android guide picture from the emulator in the pixel 7 frame
105 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
105 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: Privacy & security
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---
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# Privacy and Security
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SimpleX Chat default configuration aims to balance privacy, security and convenience. You may want to change the default options.
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This page lists the main features and options that affect privacy and security.
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## Privacy and Security settings
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These settings are available in [Your
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privacy](./app-settings.md#privacy-and-security) settings.
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## End-to-end encryption
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Direct chats and groups are protected by end-to-end encryption. When a
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conversation starts, the app shows: "Messages, files and calls are protected by
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**end-to-end encryption** with perfect forward secrecy, repudiation and break-in
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recovery." In a direct chat with quantum resistant encryption, it shows
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**quantum resistant e2e encryption** instead.
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Messages in channels are not end-to-end encrypted: "Chat relays can see these
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messages." See [How channels work](./channels.md#how-channels-work).
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## Security code verification
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<img src="./images/privacy-security-verify-code.png" alt="Security code on iOS" width="288">
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SimpleX Chat always establishes connection via link passed via an independent
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channel, so servers cannot substitute the encryption keys. In some scenarios,
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the invitation links can be substituted in transit (MITM attack). To protect
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against such attacks, you should verify the security code with your contacts:
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- open the conversation with the contact
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- tap the contact name in the chat toolbar
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- tap "Verify security code"
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- ask your contact to do the same
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- the connection is secure if you and your contact have the same security code
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This can be validated by one of the following:
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- one of you can scan the security code from their device (iOS and Android), if
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the codes match the contact will be marked as verified on the device that
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scanned the code.
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- simply tap mark verified if you trust the confirmation from your contact that the code is verified.
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- you can also read the code over the voice call.
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You can verify the security code of a group member in the same way, in the
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member's info.
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Read more in [this post](../../blog/20230103-simplex-chat-v4.4-disappearing-messages.md#connection-security-verification)
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## Database passphrase
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When installed, the app generates a random passphrase for the chat database and
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stores it securely in Keychain (iOS) or using Keystore (Android, secure hardware
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is used when available). The desktop app offers to set your own passphrase when
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you create your first profile and, if you skip it, stores the random passphrase
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in the app settings as plaintext. You can set your own passphrase and also
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remove it from the device, in which case you will need to enter it every time
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you start the app, and notifications may be limited, in the [Database
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passphrase & export](./managing-data.md#database-passphrase) settings.
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## Incognito mode
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This feature generates a random profile name for a new contact or group, when
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you choose it for the connection. Read more in [Incognito
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mode](./app-settings.md#incognito).
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## Hidden profiles
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This feature allows to hide some of your chat profiles with the password. Read more in [Hiding and muting chat profiles](./chat-profiles.md#hiding-and-muting-chat-profiles).
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## Network settings
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[Transport isolation (BETA)](./app-settings.md#transport-isolation-beta) allows
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to isolate the traffic of each chat profile (by default) or your traffic with
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each contact in a different TCP connection (and Tor circuit, on Android and
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desktop).
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[Private message routing](./app-settings.md#advanced-network-settings) is used
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by default: "To protect your IP address, private routing uses your SMP servers
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to deliver messages."
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**Protect IP address**, in **Your privacy** > **More privacy**, makes the app
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ask you to confirm downloads of files from unknown file servers, unless you use
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a SOCKS proxy or the .onion address of the server. It is on by default.
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## Using Tor
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To connect to SMP relays (messaging servers) via Tor you need to install Orbot
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app or another app that provides a SOCKS proxy to Tor network.
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Android: use Orbot app as SOCKS proxy on port 9050 (default) and enable [Use SOCKS proxy](./app-settings.md#use-socks-proxy).
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Desktop: use a SOCKS proxy to Tor network in the same way.
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iOS: use Orbot app as VPN provider and enable VPN, or set a SOCKS proxy to Tor
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in [Advanced network settings](./app-settings.md#advanced-network-settings).
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You can also change which server addresses are used with [Use .onion hosts option](./app-settings.md#use-onion-hosts).
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Calls connect without the SOCKS proxy.
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