With the ongoing concerns over privacy, messaging has become a point of contention for some. Even services that don’t keep messages on their servers, like Snapchat, are prone to requests for data. Though the transparency is improving, the underlying concerns still exist. A solution may be coming, from BitTorrent, no less.
BitTorrent Chat is decentralized, meaning there is no avenue for hosting a message on a database. By using a peer-to-peer chat system, users don’t have a third party intermediary to run their messages through. The system will work via public encryption, wherein messages are encrypted and decrypted using keys. The team behind the system is also working on temporary keys so that those conversations started with a contact have keys used for that singular conversation.
Other contacts are found via a table to locate IP addresses, so a server is never used. The Chat program is currently in alpha testing, with the team selectively asking for testers as they go along. For as much as we rely on messaging, this is probably as secure a method as we’ve found — in theory.
BitTorrent Chat currently has no timetable for release, but you can sign-up for the alpha testing program via the blog post, linked above. Though a fix is said to be coming to the NSA’s various programs, it may be best not to rely on those measures. If secure messaging concerns you, BitTorrent Chat may be one you’ll want to check out.
VIA: Ubergizmo
Haven’t tried using one of these torrent chat clients yet but hoping to find good news..