Amazon acquires encrypted messaging app Wickr used by government agencies & enterprises

Amazon on June 26 announced that it has acquired the Wickr app, which facilitates end-to-end encryption communication and collaboration platform for government agencies, enterprises, and the military.  

In a statement, Amazon said that Wickr will be incorporated in its Amazon Web Services (AWS) division that offers cloud computing and other services. 

AWS will continue to offer Wickr app services

Stephen Schmidt, AWS vice president had said, "The need for this type of secure communications is accelerating".

He added, "With the move to hybrid work environments, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, enterprises and government agencies have a growing desire to protect their communications across many remote locations".

Wickr app

In 2012, Silicon Valley software company Wickr Inc. designed a messaging app by the same name to protect the corporate world from online crimes. 

Wickr app is protected by advanced cryptography with a user key verification feature. The app's servers cannot leak messages as they are built on zero trust platform design. 

The app seems very much similar to other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger or Telegram but it offers end-to-end encryption on all messages and files, including pictures and videos to ensure no third party other than the sender and receiver is able to access the data. It offers abundant security features like multi-factor authentication, account takeover protection, device encryption and more. 

Encryption is a method by which the message is converted into a secret code to hide the original information. It's used to design applications to protect sensitive information. 

Wickr app's loopholes

Though the Wickr app is created majorly for government agencies, military, and entrepreneur communication, it is freely available for any individual to download via App Store on iOS or the Google Play store on Android. Due to free access, anybody can download the application and exploit the protection purpose, resulting in cybercrimes. 

Wickr was mentioned as one of the apps used to leak information from the White House during the Trump administration. 

Also, the Wickr app is said to be used by drug dealers to hide crimes. They operate on the app as it offers secure communication. 

(Image credit: PTI)