Modern smartphones are pretty secure and come with a whole bunch of security features (both hardware and software-based) such as fingerprint sensors, iris scanners, encryption and more. But even though these are more than enough for majority of the users. There are some users who require nothing but the best when it comes to data security and privacy. So it can be a very important issue to find and buy the most secure phones.
What are the Most Secure Phones?
The methods of hacking and data theft have also become more complex than ever before. So, some people need specialized phones with additional layers of privacy and security to keep their data and communications secure. Especially when smartphones have become an integral part of our lives.
There’s no such thing as a perfectly secure and truly private smartphone. But in the information age, you practically need a smartphone just to get by in society. So the question then becomes: Which phone manages to be the lesser of all the evils? Let’s take a look at the most secure smartphones in the world.
1. Google Pixel 3
The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are the latest and greatest smartphones from Google. Also they are the most secure phones. They have some of the world’s best smartphone cameras and a powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset. What makes Pixel 3 one of the most secure phones is that it runs the stock version of Android Pie. If a security vulnerability is spotted in the Android software, Pixel phones are among the first to receive security patches. Google rolls out timely security patches to keep you protected against any known exploits.
2. BlackBerry DTEK60
When BlackBerry launched the DTEK60, the company claimed it was the “most secure Android smartphone” in the world. The DTEK has a decent camera, fingerprint sensor, and built-in BlackBerry Security. It has a Password Keeper to securely store all your passwords. It encrypts your data to protect against malware, hacking, and any attempts to tamper with your phone. The phone uses an extremely secure boot sequence process.
3. BlackBerry Key2
Yet another BlackBerry device with real-time threat monitoring to provide you proactive security. If you want a secure phone but also like capturing good photos, this one has got a dual camera setup on the back. It runs a customized version of Android Oreo and features an integrated fingerprint sensor. You also get the world-class keyboard experience of BlackBerry. The company may have failed in the consumer market, but it continues to build some of the world’s most secure phones.
4. iPhone XS and XS Max
Apple’s newest and most expensive iPhones are the most powerful smartphones available to consumers, even though they have just 4GB RAM. The A12 Bionic chip used in the iPhone XS has built-in security features to prevent attacks. The iOS 12 has also stepped up the security game. The fact that Apple controls both software and hardware of iPhones allows it to roll out software updates quickly. Apple has always supported user privacy, even when it was dragged to court by the FBI.
5. K iPhone
If you want even better secure phones than the iPhone XS, you can opt for the modified K iPhone. A company named KryptAll has designed a special version of the iPhone exclusively for security. It has changed the firmware and added its own VoIP applications to ensure that all phone calls are fully encrypted. Even KryptAll and law enforcement agencies can’t decrypt your conversations. However, this device is particularly expensive at $4,500.
6. Boeing Blak
Boeing Black is the result of a collaboration between aerospace and defence giant Boeing and smartphone maker BlackBerry. Capable of encrypting calls, this Android-based smartphone is aimed at government agencies and other types of businesses where data security is crucial.
The smartphone comes with a self-destruct feature. This ensures that any attempt to break open the casing of the device triggers the auto-deletion of the data and software on it, thus rendering it inoperable. As for specifications, Boeing Black comes with a 5.2-inch display, a dual-core 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor and a 1,590mAh battery.
7. Turing Phone
Made out of Liquidmorphium, an amorphous alloy of zirconium, copper, aluminium, nickel and silver, the Turing Phone is ‘unbreakable’ according to its manufacturer. It runs Android 5.1 Lollipop with Turing’s own security-focused UI on top for end-to-end encryption. In terms of the specifications, the Turing Phone sports a 5.5-inch display and is powered by a 2.5GHz Krait processor. A 3,000mAh battery is also included in the spec sheet.
8. Sirin Solarin
With a price tag of $13,500, the Sirin Solarin is not for everyone. The device comes with a Security Shield mode which creates an isolated zone for encrypted calls and messages. For emails, it has got ProtonMail. The phone was made by Israel-based Sirin Labs with the help of Leonardo DiCaprio. Sirin Labs claims it offers “the most advanced privacy technology, currently unavailable outside the agency world.” The phone runs Snapdragon 810 processor and offers 256-bit AES encryption.
9. Katim Phone
Launched in March this year by DarkMatter, Katim phone is the world’s most secure smartphone. It runs a heavily customized version of Android. At every boot instance, the device checks the complete software stack to detect modifications. It aborts the boot up if the validation fails. It constantly monitors the phone and data. If it detects a malware or security attack trying to bypass its security mechanisms, it cleans up the entire phone.
The Katim phone also gets Shield Mode for better security. DarkMatter has added the Katim Email app to its Secure Communications Application Suite that allows 256-bit end-to-end encryption. DarkMatter claims Katim allows you to communicate with confidence that your data and voice calls are “uncompromised.”
Most of these handsets run Android or a modified version of it. The media and experts might have given Android a bad reputation when it comes to security, but it powers some of the world’s most secure smartphones.
10. Blackphone 2
Launched by Silent Circle, the highlight of the Blackphone 2 is the company’s Silent OS. Even though Silent is based on Android, it comes with enhanced features to address mobile privacy concerns. The OS offers an ‘Enterprise Spaces’ feature that creates multiple, separate virtual devices on one device. The company claims to have the “world’s fastest vulnerability management,” which raises critical vulnerabilities within 72 hours of their detection or reporting.
The updates and patches come directly from Silent Circle, with no carrier delays or waiting periods.Major specifications of the Blackphone 2 include a 5.5-inch Full HD display with Gorilla Glass protection. It’s powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and has a 13 MP BSI sensor camera.
11. Galaxy Note 9
A few years back, Samsung decided it wanted to become the phone of choice for enterprise customers. With their phones already in the hands of millions of Android consumers, the logical course of action was enterprise. However, for businesses to trust their devices, they need to guarantee security beyond what was provided with Android at the time. Thus, Samsung Knox was formed, and it has been equipped on nearly every Samsung Galaxy device ever since. Samsung Knox is a security platform which provides deep-level protection using a combination of hardware and software solutions. Knox’s goal is to separate your work environment from your personal environment and provide the necessary protection to isolate each area effectively.
The Galaxy Note 9 also has a Secure Boot key, which is used to validate each component during bootup to ensure nothing was manipulated. These keys are used to conduct Secure Boot, a mechanism that looks to prevent users from changing the bootloader or operating system of the device. Making these changes to your device severely impacts the integrity of the security. However, unlike the KEY2, Knox devices have been rooted.
Samsung Knox also protects the sensitive data processed by specific Samsung apps. Samsung Pay, Samsung Health, Secure Folder, and Samsung Pass are all protected by Knox.
While the Knox platform is extensive (with many more features that aren’t relevant to this article), its inability to prevent rooting does show an attack surface not found on the KEY2. Also, unlike the other smartphones on this list, much of the Knox platform is behind a paywall.
Bottom Line
The Google Pixel 3 delivers a great smartphone experience that ticks all the boxes for reviewers and average buyers alike. With no modifications, your personal data is very safe. A team of security professionals and engineers are dedicated to keeping it that way. Any of the phones on our list will do a great job when it comes to security, but the overall experience of using the phone over and above the security aspect makes the Google Pixel 3 the best choice. So it would be one of the most secure phones you can us.
If you have an Android phone apart from the phones we have mentioned above, you can improve the security of your phone taking some easy steps. Hope this article provides useful information for you and helps you to choose one of the the most secure phones for having more security.
