Hacker Building Secure IM ScatterChat to Breakthrough Censorship

The IM currrently available for Windows and Linux was builded by the Cult of the Dead Cow (or CDC, once wellknown for their famous Back Orifice spyware trojan in later 1990's) for non-technical human rights activists and political dissidents operating behind oppressive national firewalls:

ScatterChat is a HACKTIVIST WEAPON designed to allow non-technical human rights activists and political dissidents to communicate securely and anonymously while operating in hostile territory. It is also useful in corporate settings, or in other situations where privacy is desired.

Let's have a look at Tectonic's introduction as to this brand new messenger

The instant messenger client is based on the Gaim IM client, but uses the anonymous Tor network and offers end-to-end encryption for both chat and file transfers. According to the site, "ScatterChat uses 2048-bit ElGamal and 1024-bit DSA for encryption setup and authentication. For each new conversation, ScatterChat generates a new 256-bit AES message key, a 256-bit SHA-1 HMAC key, a 256-bit nonce, and a 256-bit AES file transfer key. It is immune to replay attacks, supports Perfect Forward Secrecy, and features limited message deniability properties."

via digg Links 1 & 2 to Boing Boing

Tags: im cdc hacker scatterchat censorship totalitarian trojan software secure anonymity online chatting