People trying to communicate across oppressive national firewalls could be interested in ScatterChat, a secure IM (instant messaging) application developed by an international group of hackers, human rights activists, lawyers, and security experts.
The application, available for download at http://www.scatterchat.com, is based on the open-source Gain IM client and uses the anonymous Tor network to offer secure end-to-end encryption for both chat and file transfers, the developer group Hacktivisimo said on Friday.
It's designed for "nontechnical human rights activists and political dissidents" but could also be also useful for corporate environments and other settings where privacy is important, according to the groups Web site. The software was launched at the Hackers On Planet Earth (HOPE) conference, which ended Sunday in New York City.
The anonymity and encryption provided by ScatterChat ensures that both the identities and messages of users "remain a mystery," lead developer J. Salvatore Testa said in a statement.
ScatterChat, which uses a technique called "onion routing" to hide the computers taking part in a secure conversation, is immune to replay attacks, supports Perfect Forward Secrecy, and features limited message deniability properties, according to its Web site.
The application uses 2048-bit ElGamal and 1024-bit DSA (Digital Signature Algorithm) for encryption and authentication. For each new conversation, it generates a new 256-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) message key, a 256-bit SHA-1 (HMAC) Hashed Message Authentication Codekey, a 256-bit nonce and a 256-bit AES file transfer key.
Additional information is available at: http://www.securitypunk.com/proj/docs/crypto_protocol.txt
This whitepaper explains the terminology and concepts behind Data Replication technologies and establishes some sizing rules through worked examples. Learn the new paradigm in disaster tolerance—protect data anywhere.
Download now »
Server virtualization is a popular option for dealing with mounting datacenter costs. Another equally promising approach is the use of an Application Delivery Controller. Citrix NetScaler provides a low-cost way for organizations to reduce their server count and accrue cost savings from a reduction in space, cooling, power and personnel.
Download now »
The emergence of WLANs has created a new breed of security threats to enterprise networks.
Included in HP ProCurve WLAN solutions is security technology that alleviates threats from WLANs through:
* Monitoring wireless activity inside and out of the enterprise
* Classifying WLAN transmissions into harmful and harmless
* Preventing transmissions that pose a security threat to the enterprise network
* Locating participating devices for physical remediation
Effectively address data protection challenges, implementing solutions that help store and protect business–critical data while cutting costs and improving efficiency and reliability.
Download now »
Sign up to receive InfoWorld Resource Alerts
Recommend This
