CyanogenMod begins release of WhisperPush in 10.2 nightlies, provides encrypted SMS

With today’s security craze, phones are our weakest points. Everything that we do on these phones goes through carrier servers, meaning they know everything. Now whether that bothers you or not is a different story, but if it does, CyanogenMod is bringing a more secure texting experience.

Starting tonight, CyanogenMod 10.2 nightlies will contain WhisperPush, a service built into CyanogenMod that uses TextSecure to encrypt your messages. Of course, the other person has to have a texting app that supports TextSecure, but if they do, encrypted messaging will be enabled. If you text someone without it, it’ll just send regular messages.

The great thing about CyanogenMod’s implementation is that it will work with any SMS app. This service is built into the OS itself, so it acts as a middle man much like with its Google Voice integration. CyanogenMod users will be able to text each other securely with no fear of being spied on. And the best part is that this service extends beyond CyanogenMod, so it’s not exclusive.

While this service will get a lot more use with CyanogenMod’s backing, it still won’t be extremely popular without OEM support. I can’t imagine any OEM supporting such a service. Still, it’s great to see it expanding. If the initial rollout goes well, it’ll be integrated into CyanogenMod 11 builds as well. If you want to give it a try, update your build of CM10.2 and tell us how it goes!