Cult of the Dead Cow Launches Encryption Protocol + ChatApp to preserve privacy.

Harry_Houdini@lemmy.dbzer0.com to Technology@lemmy.ml – 35 points –
Cult of the Dead Cow Launches Encryption Protocol to Save Your Privacy
gizmodo.com

The protocol is built from the same digital DNA as the Tor browser and the chat app Signal and will be used to create new ways for folks to communicate, share files, and generally surf the web while simultaneously protecting their privacy.

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I am always skeptical when new encryption protocols are announced. We already have quite a few properly reviewed and proven ones. Any new one has to stand all those tests first before it can be considered secure.

If it is based on Tor and Signal its not "new" and its probably a bad tech writer not understanding the details.

If a new protocol is based on Tor and Signal, it's still a new protocol. If they don't use the existing protocols unmodified, they might break crucial parts in the larger security model.

Edit: even the website states

Veilid is a new, distributed communication protocol developed by Cult of the Dead

It sounds like it's a new app using existing encryption.

That doesn't say anything. I can tell you "I am using AES256" which is a proven cipher, but I can use it totally wrong, by using an inadequate block mode or not initializing it correctly. Or by using shitty keys, inadequate pseudo-random sources, etc.

And you can leak metadata left and right, while having the actual message encrypted.

This news makes it sound like theres no encrypted messaging protocols around. I wish it was more clear what is special about this one. Is it the integration of onion routing and end to end encryption into one protocol?

Sounds great, the more options users have the better, I say!

That's a blast from the past haha. People were still using ICQ Messenger back then and MSN Messenger

I haven't heard that name in a long time.