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Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 6:31 am
by domob
virtual_master wrote:
domob wrote:
virtual_master wrote:I update the original post with a link to the Tor IM project site:
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/to ... nsorO/TIMB
It seems that the development will go very fast. After their road-map it should be ready this month without OTR:
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/to ... oadmapTIMB
I have not looked at the details, but as I understand it, they are using Instantbird, which is based on libpurple. Not sure how OTR is implemented by them, but we could try to contact them about OTR verification using Namecoin. There exists already a proof-of-concept fork of the Pidgin OTR plugin which works well for me so far. What do you think?
Yes. They will use Instantbird with libpurple but they intend to remove libpurple dependencies.
Instantbird doesn't have OTR support. OTR will be added later.
Ok, then it is basically uninteresting for us so far, right? Without the need to exchange keys, I don't really see a point in Namecoin (even though Namecoin is awesome :D). Except if they merged chatting with the TorChat idea: Every user runs their own XMPP node for just their account as a Tor hidden service ... then Namecoin could be used to connect them, and OTR wouldn't even be necessary (plus metadata analysis is impossible). But I don't think they want to do that, right? (Would be an interesting approach, though!)

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 8:19 am
by virtual_master
There is a third one also.
Torsion
It is a cross platform, Open Source Instant Messenger based on Tor and QT.
https://github.com/special/torsion/releases
Torsion is a peer-to-peer instant messaging system based on Tor hidden services. Your login is your hidden service address, and contacts connect to you (not an intermediate server) through Tor. The rendezvous system makes it extremely hard for anyone to learn your identity from your address.

Torsion is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Tor Project.
Each user identity is represented by a hidden service as its connection point. The identity is shared as a contact ID in the form torsion:qjj5g7bxwcvs3d7i, which is unique and sufficient to connect to the service.

When online, the user publishes a hidden service corresponding with the onion hostname in the contact ID, and accepts bidirectionally anonymous connections, which are authenticated as known contacts or used to receive contact requests.

Known contacts use a customized protocol over these connections for basic instant messaging features.
IM connection IDs are Tor addresses like in TorChat.

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:16 am
by domob
Interesting! Do you want to contact them about potentially supporting Namecoin to resolve identities? I'll work on a patch if they like the idea.

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 9:50 am
by virtual_master
domob wrote:Interesting! Do you want to contact them about potentially supporting Namecoin to resolve identities? I'll work on a patch if they like the idea.
I think it is better if you write them because you have a better English than me and you know also more technical details related to Namecoin identity implementations. :) But if you don't want I could also contact them.

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:10 am
by domob
virtual_master wrote:
domob wrote:Interesting! Do you want to contact them about potentially supporting Namecoin to resolve identities? I'll work on a patch if they like the idea.
I think it is better if you write them because you have a better English than me and you know also more technical details related to Namecoin identity implementations. :) But if you don't want I could also contact them.
Ok, I'll do it. :)

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 2:08 pm
by virtual_master
domob wrote: Ok, I'll do it. :)
Something new ?
-----------
Another interresting OpenSource project.
TOX - torrent-style DHT based communication protocoll, like Skype(text, voice, video)
Connections based on TOX-ID. Maybe Namecoin ID support could be used also.
https://github.com/irungentoo/ProjectTox-Core

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:05 am
by domob
virtual_master wrote:
domob wrote: Ok, I'll do it. :)
Something new ?
Yes, they are interested, although not "very much" (optional support is fine, though). Their argument is that Torsion is aimed at novice users and ease-of-use, so Namecoin could/would confuse them; also, the intentionally try to "hide" identity exchange as much as possible (so users can forget about the actual identities once they are securely exchanged), so that Namecoin may not be of much use. But I'll keep this project in mind for when I feel motivated to do some Qt hacking. ;)

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:58 am
by virtual_master
Update:
The last activity by TorChat seems to be in the middle of 2012.
In 2014 the developers switched from TorChat(based on Python) to TorChat2(based on Lazarus and Free Pascal).

jTorChat:
This is a Java fork of TorChat created at the end of 2012 until beginning 2013. Since that seems to be nothing new.
https://github.com/jtorchat/jtorchat

The Torsion fork of TorChat seems to be the most active, in 2014 is also some development going on.

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:41 am
by virtual_master
GoldBug - another P2P OpenSource IM with chat over Tor and forward secrecy
It seems to be more than an IM, more something similar to Retroshare because supports fileshare, has integrated BitMail and supports public IRC channels with encryption.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/goldbug/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/goldbug/
Chat over Tor is advertised but reading more carefully you find out that is not integrated, it is just possible to run over a Tor proxy.
But they could also use connections with Namecoin ID.

Re: TorIM and TorChat

Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 9:40 am
by biolizard89
virtual_master wrote:GoldBug - another P2P OpenSource IM with chat over Tor and forward secrecy
It seems to be more than an IM, more something similar to Retroshare because supports fileshare, has integrated BitMail and supports public IRC channels with encryption.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/goldbug/
http://sourceforge.net/projects/goldbug/
Chat over Tor is advertised but reading more carefully you find out that is not integrated, it is just possible to run over a Tor proxy.
But they could also use connections with Namecoin ID.
I vaguely recall that GoldBug is considered sketchy by the Tor people due to complete lack of peer review, security documentation, or engagement with Tor devs. I think it's also promoted by a guy who also promotes a fake Tor Browser. Maybe I'm misremembering though.