When comparing Signal vs File Camouflage, the Slant community recommends Signal for most people. In the question“What are the best ways to transmit sensitive information over the Internet?” Signal is ranked 4th while File Camouflage is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Signal is:
Signal uses an advanced end to end encryption protocol that provides privacy for every message every time.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Provides security and privacy
Signal uses an advanced end to end encryption protocol that provides privacy for every message every time.
Pro Free and open source
Signal is free and open source software, enabling anyone to verify its security by auditing the code. It's the only private messenger that uses open source, peer-reviewed cryptographic protocols to keep your messages safe.
Pro Supports encrypted group chats
Pro Has a desktop app
Signal Desktop can be used on multiple devices and has most features of the Android version, although it still requires you to register with your phone.
Pro Supports sharing of various different media types
Signal supports: emoji, pictures, videos, audio, contacts, any location and GIF.
Pro Note to Self feature
Allows you to "send: messages to yourself and sync to desktop so you can use Signal as a kind of encrypted Pushbullet alternative
Pro You can easily view all media exchanged
You can easily view all media shared in the chat without scrolling back to when it was shared.
Pro Annonymous Sender (Encrypted)
The sender credentials can be encrypted with the rest of the message, leaving only the recipient address readable by the Signal server. Even if Signal wanted they couldn't see who is talking with who by this mean.
Pro Works everywhere in every country
Unlike most messenger apps, Signal works reliably in all countries by securely circumventing internet censorship.
Pro Recommended by Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden uses this messenger and recommends it to everyone who is concerned about his privacy.
Pro Hides file in JPEG image
File Camouflage allows you to encrypt your sensitive information and then after hide it in the JPEG image of your choice. With this program an innocent family photo or photo of your pet can be used to disguise your most sensitive encrypted information.
Pro Effective second level of protection
File Camouflage is an effective second level of protection. After encrypting and password protecting your sensitive information with AES, File Camouflage makes sure only your intended recipient knows there is even a file to decrypt by hiding it in a JPEG.
Pro Easy to use
Hiding your sensitive information with File Camouflage is extremely easy. The whole process is explained very well even for an inexperienced user.
Pro Free
Pro Ability to send an EXE file via email
Many email providers are not able to send EXE files but File Camouflage not only protects it but allows the file to be sent.
Cons
Con Needs access to your phone number and contacts to work
Con Single device
Signal can only be registered to one mobile device at a time. But you can link Signal to Signal Desktop.
Con Servers hosted in the US
A security risk due to National Security letters, which require giving up data to the US state, and making it illegal to disclose that.
Con Unreliable notifications
Sometimes messages won't be received if the Signal app has been closed for a long time or hasn't been opened after booting the device.
Con Encourages improper use of steganography
To hide a file in an image you need two things:
One, that the attacker cannot find the source image i.e. it has to be an image made by the user (preferably a photograph of a visually complex scene) and never put on the internet (using the pac_tron image would render the use of steganography moot, as the attacker can merely subtract a suspect image from a copy of the source image) and
two, that the file to be hidden is smaller than the cover image. With the best techniques today you can embed a file about 10% of the size of the cover image. The example in the doc hides a file 21,500% of the size of the cover image.
If you use steganography improperly you get no security, esp. as governments believe senior terrorists use steganography and thus search for it very, very, carefully.
Con Frequently prompts you to donate
File Camouflage is free although the developer does proclaim it "donationware." As a result the program frequently and annoyingly begs that you donate.
Con Requires both sender and recipient to use File Camouflage
In order for the recipient to receive the intended information they have to download and use File Camouflage.
