Secret agents have a reputation in films of being stealthy, quick thinking and resourceful. Who says civilians can’t acquire these descriptors too?

Most never get a glimpse of what it is like to be a secret agent for the government, but
thanks to technology you can certainly feel like one.

Armed with quick access to information, courtesy of smartphones, you can feel as adept as James Bond with the click of an icon.

1.     Wickr (Free for iPhone)

Ever wanted to send a self-destructing message? Well now you can. Wickr lets users send “military-grade” encrypted message to recipients you authorize.

Wickr protects sensitive data about messages you send by deleting the metadata captured from pictures, video and audio files including device information and your location.

Wickr’s slogan is “The Internet is forever. Your private communication don’t need to be” and assure users maximum anonymity in sending messages using the app. They do know your username and do not even ask for an email address for a Wickr account.

The app does not contain message tracking information either, offering maximum discretion, but users are still warned to only send messages to trusted recipients.

Makers of the app also promise an Android app coming soon.

2. Cipher Tool  ($0.99 for iPhone)

Have a secret message you want to send? For top-secret status or just to mess around with friends, use Cipher Tool to draft cryptic messages.

With several encryption methods to choose from and an interface that looks classified, you will have plenty of variety for sending a hidden message that can only be decrypted by the person with the passphrase or the key for the cipher.

One encryption type the application lets you use is a Vigenere cipher, which uses the method of a polyalphabetic substitution to encode a message. So the hidden message would be a combination of the numeric values of the letters of the passphrase and the encrypted message.

How cool is that? = Ipxdppmjtuibu is one way of writing a Vigenere cipher, but I’m not telling the passphrase.

3. Spy Cams (Free for iPhone and Android phones)

In case you want to stake out the scene of location before arriving, use Spy Cams, which streams a live feed of locations from cameras around the world.

Currently the locations are limited, but the app makers boast of adding over 2,000 cameras last March.

You can also add your favorite locations like the beach or a popular tourist spot.