Silent Circle made a name for itself with the introduction of its Blackphone line of mobile handsets in the wake of the Snowden revelations pertaining to the NSA’s domestic eavesdropping. The Blackphone and the Android applications the company develops are touted for their privacy and security measures. Just recently the company has released an encrypted private messaging service, and the second generation of the encrypted Blackphone, which is being marketed as the first Android handset for the workplace. Unfortunately, the company’s devices and software are also being highly endorsed by international terrorists.
Silent Circle is one of many companies who have been listed in a compendium of services and products which the terrorist organization ISIS has recommended to its operatives. The terrorist group which has proven to be savvy and resourceful in regards to modern technology put out a document detailing encryption, and various safe communication methods. Silent Circle is listed among the likes of Twitter, Telegram, and many more. On learning the disconcerting information that Silent Circles products are being recommended to terrorist operatives, the company has made a statement that it intends to shore up measures to keep their products out of the hands of such criminals.
Mike Janke, CEO of Silent Circle says that the company intends to tighten access to the Black phone and Android apps. The hope is that restricting access will deter the terrorists and other criminal elements. Janke told the AFP (Agence-France-Presse Silent Circle is going to work with the company that operates their payment solutions “to detect stolen credit cards, fake address and other black market means of acquiring our Blackphone or software.” Why this back-end payment technology is already in place is anyone’s guess, but Janke says “Since Isis labeled us as the strongest product, we are going to implement what we feel is responsible and morally acceptable procedures to make it harder for the bad element to get our technology,” Janke has gone on to defend the existence and need for Silent Circle’s products–essentially saying that just because the evil doers have used their products, doesn’t make the products evil. Privacy and security are rights, and Silent Circle hopes to help preserve and enable those rights with the products they offer.