'Off-the-Record' Instant Messaging Tutorial (encryption, authentication, deniability, ..)

[M1scV1d]

What about Skype+Tor? Or is it better to use Pidgin+Tor+OTR to share private info? I need more info about Q&A system.. if there is no way to meet that person, but we have to authenticate each other, we need to share Q&A info.. where to do it?

[mickstarify]

@M1scV1d No!!!! Using TOR with skype is less secure than just using skype. Tor only makes it anonymous, but if your using skype it has your skype IM with the data anyway so it defeats the purpose of anonymity because you sending your identity anyway. Also skype is encrypted P2P by default. However its protocol is closed so im sceptical about its security, thats why we need plugins like OTR to secure the message just in case someones listening in on your chat. Also skype keeps logs

[M1scV1d]

@mickstarify

Too late to tell that, since Microsoft bought Skype, they made an intercepting tool, that will log everything, while it's still unencrypted, so, bye bye echhi calls..

[mickstarify]

@M1scV1d Yeah you can still use skype, just use OTR on it.I can't find a better alternative for voice/video chat, plus all most of my friends use it. So i use OTR for my sensitive text chats to keep it secure

[atphalix]

another alternative is to use chat using I2P darknet project, which offer both anonymity and encryption

[MaMuSlol]

Really well done video!

[L1661N6]

Man, i have to think you for playing this music, and providing a link to their whole album, and its all on a website that promotes royalty free music. Man im so happy, never knew i could get great music like this for free, thats whats up!

[dromedaryspotter]

OTP offers: [deniability] - after a conversation it is v. hard to prove that it was you who were doing the chatting (because the encryption does not use a key unique to you, but uses a throw away key instead) [perfect forward secrecy] - after the chat the key gets thrown away, so if someone gets control of your computer they cannot find the key and use it to decrypt a 'recording' of the recorded chat

[L1661N6]

Wait, whats the reason behind all this, are you suggesting that we do all this in this video, in order to instant message anonymously, because these im programs originally allow our conversations to be read by anybody wanting to "wiretap" our conversations?

[SpykerSpeed]

I like your taste in music, Nielsio. Not to mention your political views!

[Nielsio]

@KrugmanTheCharlatan MSN doesn't use encryption. But Pidgin+OTR works with MSN.

Skype (now owned by Microsoft) uses encryption, but they're not open source, so verifying what they claim can be difficult. Furthermore, it doesn't use authentication and the messages are also not deniable. (follow the vforvoluntary link in the description for a technical explanation)

Jitsi (dot org) is an up and coming cross-platform open-source secure audio/video chat client, but it's still in beta.

[WorBlux]

@Nielsio Also, Microsoft has taken a patent out on legal intercept tech, so it well be added into skype sooner or later.

[egokick]

Great tutorial, love the music too : D

[AnarchoCapitalistTV]

this interwebness stuff doesn't quit.