As any CryptoParty attendee will attest, you can only ensure a reasonably private communication by using “strong, end-to-end encryption,” “strong” here meaning nearly impossible to break, even with supercomputers, and “end-to-end” referring to only the intended parties being able to interpret the communications. Because the users store the keys on their devices, no one in the middle can unlock the messages. Almost all the following tools are free to download and use.
Passwords
Web browsing
A cinch: For encrypted text messaging on iPhone, just download Signal from the app store. On Android, download TextSecure. (The two apps use the same encryption scheme.) After short, software-guided setups, they both encrypt automatically with anyone else who uses them. For best results, set them as your phone’s default messaging app.
Texting
Phone calls
Instant messaging
Resting data
Read our related story