Open Whisper Systems (abbreviated OWS) was a software development group
that was founded by
Moxie Marlinspike
Moxie Marlinspike is an American entrepreneur, cryptographer, and computer security researcher. Marlinspike is the creator of Signal (messaging app), Signal, co-founder of the Signal Technology Foundation, and served as the first CEO of Signal M ...
in 2013. The group picked up the
open source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use and view the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open source model is a decentrali ...
development of
TextSecure and RedPhone, and was later responsible for starting the development of the
Signal Protocol and the
Signal
A signal is both the process and the result of transmission of data over some media accomplished by embedding some variation. Signals are important in multiple subject fields including signal processing, information theory and biology.
In ...
messaging app. In 2018, Signal Messenger was incorporated as an LLC by Moxie Marlinspike and
Brian Acton
Brian Acton (born February 17, 1972) is an American business executive and computer programmer serving as the executive chairperson of Signal Technology Foundation, which he co-founded with Moxie Marlinspike in 2018. Acton also serves as inter ...
and then rolled under the independent
501(c)(3)
A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of ...
non-profit
Signal Technology Foundation
The Signal Technology Foundation, commonly known as the Signal Foundation, is an American non-profit organization founded in 2018 by Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton. Its mission is to "protect free expression and enable secure communication, se ...
. Today, the Signal app is developed by Signal Messenger LLC, which is funded by the Signal Technology Foundation.
History
2010–2013: Background
Security researcher
Moxie Marlinspike
Moxie Marlinspike is an American entrepreneur, cryptographer, and computer security researcher. Marlinspike is the creator of Signal (messaging app), Signal, co-founder of the Signal Technology Foundation, and served as the first CEO of Signal M ...
and roboticist Stuart Anderson co-founded a startup company called
Whisper Systems in 2010.
The company produced