encrypted messaging

[elytron]

Anyone here know anything about cryptography? I am interested in encrypting instant messages and email. Could also be an interesting topic to discuss, and learn about.

 

[C-Man]

There's always something to be said for a good old-fashioned dead letter drop.

 

[cutekittycat]

instantmessage like SMS? or chat?
i heard something like SMS encryption . i have not tried it but am quite interested.
the thing is that you have to allow the program to 'read' your message to encrypt it, so, there has to be some trust to the company program...

i used to have a program that encrypt texts into pictures and you need the program and password to decode it. not sure how secure that can be.


that is as much as i know about encrypting texts.

is there like a https thing for email clients?
also, IIRC, some IM and email clients offer encryption options.. not sure if that is what you want tho.

There's always something to be said for a good old-fashioned dead letter drop.

what is it?

 

[awitch]

Anyone here know anything about cryptography? I am interested in encrypting instant messages and email. Could also be an interesting topic to discuss, and learn about.

I'm only familiar with email encryption in a corporate environment which involves some set up on the mail server.

As far as instant messaging, check out TorChat

 

[elytron]

Looks like my current chat software has an Off-The-Record Messaging feature. That provides encryption.
http://pidgin.im/

 

[EphesiaNZ]

I'm only familiar with email encryption in a corporate environment which involves some set up on the mail server.

As far as instant messaging, check out TorChat

For email you could use PGP or simply encode/decode in something like ROT13 which while not being a very secure way, would fox a lot of normal users.

 

[elytron]

Thanks for the suggestions. Have some reading to do now, hopefully some learning also.

 

[paul1149]

s there like a https thing for email clients?

https will take you to your own mail server, but the message will have been routed to any number of third party servers beforehand, all in clear text. You need encryption of the mail at the sender end to provide privacy for all the intermediate stages of transport.

And even that doesn't, and can't, encrypt the envelope. To hide the whole thing you would have to establish a VPN and work in that.

 

[elytron]

Cryptocat provides encrypted online chatting, looks interesting.

 

[cyberlizard]

For email you could use PGP or simply encode/decode in something like ROT13 which while not being a very secure way, would fox a lot of normal users.

I used to use PGP. Gettting an up to date version ooutside of the USA is difficult now due to restrictions on the sale of 'strong' encrryption.

public key encryption is the best way for now, until quantum entanglement becomes commonplace.


Steve

 

[EphesiaNZ]

I used to use PGP. Gettting an up to date version ooutside of the USA is difficult now due to restrictions on the sale of 'strong' encrryption.

Have you tried GnuPG?

Available for Windows, Mac and of course, Linux. Just checked the Windows release and this was updated about a month ago.