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Welcome! This guide will help you use CommChat Messenger with the highest level of privacy and security. Follow these steps to ensure your communications remain confidential and protected.

Installation and setup

  1. Download from Official Sources:

    • Install CommChat on your device from the official CommChat website (www.commchat.com) or from the app store or play store, to avoid tampered versions.

  2. Use a Secondary Device:

    • For added security, consider using a separate device dedicated solely to CommChat for sensitive communications.

  3. Anonymous Registration:

    • Register with a secondary phone number, such as a VoIP number, to avoid linking your primary number.

    • Use a VPN to hide your IP address during registration.

Device and App Security

  1. Enable Screen Lock:

    • Set a strong screen lock (PIN, password, or biometric) on your device.

  2. Turn off Message Previews:

    • Disable message previews to keep messages hidden without unlocking the app: Settings > Notifications > Disable message previews.

Advanced Privacy Measures

  1. Regular Updates:

    • Keep CommChat and your operating system up to date to benefit from the latest security patches.

  2. Limit Third-Party App Access:

    • Minimize the number of apps installed on your CommChat device to reduce the risk of data leakage or compromise.

Communication Hygiene

  1. Minimal Sharing of Personal Information:

    • Avoid sharing unnecessary personal information, even within CommChat.

  2. Contacts Permission and Alternatives:

    • If you give Contacts permission to CommChat, the phone numbers in your Android/iOS phonebook will be used to automatically connect you to your other contacts using CommChat. Note that CommChat does not store the contact names from your phonebook.

    • To maintain the privacy of the phone numbers in your contact list, avoid giving CommChat access to your phonebook Contacts.

    • When you join groups, you will be able to send direct messages (1:1 messages) to the group participants even outside the group.

    • Share group invite URLs to allow people to join the group. Disable the invite link when not needed and intentionally add participants to the group directly. Re-enable the invite link to invalidate the previous invite URL and get a new one.

  3. Secure Backup Practices:

    • Avoid turning on cloud backup (iCloud or Google Drive) as it can be a point of vulnerability.

    • If backup was turned on, turn it off from Settings > Backup, and delete the backup from iCloud or Google Drive.

  4. Device Hygiene:

    • Regularly check for malware or signs of compromise on your device.

  5. Send Messages with End-to-End Encryption:

    • All 1:1 chats are end-to-end encrypted on all devices (mobile and desktop apps) using the reputed Signal Protocol.

    • When creating groups, ensure that “Unlimited Participants” is not selected so that you can chat with all participants in the group using end-to-end encryption.

    • After joining a group created by others, ensure that Group Info show “Chat with limited participants using end-to-end encryption” in the participant list.

  6. Use Chat Delete Features:

    • Manually delete messages when necessary to ensure sensitive information is not retained longer than needed. Long press on a message or chat > Tap on the "Delete for Everyone" feature to remove messages from all participants' devices.

    • To delete an entire conversation, on iOS swipe left on the chat in the conversation list, then tap the more icon, then tap the Delete menu item to delete the entire chat history. On Android, long press on the chat in the conversation list, then tap the trash icon to delete the entire chat history. Do this on all your devices and tell the person you are chatting with to do the same.

* Taken from App Store privacy declarations

Maximizing Privacy and Security on CommChat Messenger

Data Tracked
CommChat
Signal
Telegram
WhatsApp
Discord
Viber
Messenger
Contact Info
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Contacts
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Location
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Identifiers
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User Content
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Usage Data
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Diagnostics
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Search History
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Browsing History
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Sensitive Info
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Other Data
✔️

Network Security

  1. Use VPN:

    • Use a reputable VPN for additional privacy when sending messages.

  2. Avoid Untrusted Wi-Fi Networks:

    • Use trusted networks or mobile data to reduce the risk of network-based attacks.

Emergency Practices

  1. Preparedness for Compromise:

    • Have a plan for quickly wiping your device if you suspect it has been compromised. Alternatively, you may just uninstall the CommChat app.

    • If you get a notification that a login was done on another device with your credentials and it wasn’t you, immediately logout from all CommChat devices. Open Settings > Logout > All Devices.

  2. Remove Your Google Drive Backups:

    • Go to drive.google.com

    • Open Settings ( Fig. A )

    • Go to manage apps from left side panel ( Fig. B )

    • Find CommChat and open “Options” ( Fig. C )

    • To delete existing backup, select “Delete hidden app data”

    • To prevent future backups, select “Disconnect from Drive”

  3. Remove Your iCloud Backups:

    • Open Settings > iCloud > Apps using iCloud ( Fig. D )

Educate Contacts

  1. Security Awareness:

    • Educate your contacts about these security practices to ensure both ends of the communication are secure.

Data Tracking Comparison

To better understand the privacy practices of CommChat compared to other messaging apps, here is a table showing the types of data tracked by various messaging platforms:

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