cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/8465136
From the group chat:
Hello all!
SimpleX Chat v5.4 is released - link mobile and desktop apps via secure quantum resistant protocol, and much better groups!
Once you upgrade, join the new users’ group via this link https://simplex.chat/contact#/?v=1-4&smp=smp%3A%2F%2FPQUV2eL0t7OStZOoAsPEV2QYWt4-xilbakvGUGOItUo%3D%40smp6.simplex.im%2Fos8FftfoV8zjb2T89fUEjJtF7y64p5av%23%2F%3Fv%3D1-2%26dh%3DMCowBQYDK2VuAyEAQqMgh0fw2lPhjn3PDIEfAKA_E0-gf8Hr8zzhYnDivRs%253D%26srv%3Dbylepyau3ty4czmn77q4fglvperknl4bi2eb2fdy2bh4jxtf32kf73yd.onion&data={“type”%3A"group"%2C"groupLinkId"%3A"lBPiveK2mjfUH43SN77R0w%3D%3D"} and find other groups in SimpleX directory https://simplex.chat/contact#/?v=1-4&smp=smp%3A%2F%2Fu2dS9sG8nMNURyZwqASV4yROM28Er0luVTx5X1CsMrU%3D%40smp4.simplex.im%2FeXSPwqTkKyDO3px4fLf1wx3MvPdjdLW3%23%2F%3Fv%3D1-2%26dh%3DMCowBQYDK2VuAyEAaiv6MkMH44L2TcYrt_CsX3ZvM11WgbMEUn0hkIKTOho%253D%26srv%3Do5vmywmrnaxalvz6wi3zicyftgio6psuvyniis6gco6bp6ekl4cqj4id.onion.
Please read more in the announcement, and please upvote/share our posts to help spread the word:
Posting here since they did not.
simplex seems to check all boxes for respecting privacy. it doesnt rely on using any identity (no strong selectors like email addresses or phone number). seems very forward-thinking in its concepts.
Its biggest struggles are
- Large group message synchronization
- Identifying people across rooms, including people who aren’t using incognito profiles and want you to find them
- Reliance on the relay servers that either are official, or are the ones you choose (I think) – if you use a “compromised” relay you could perhaps pull other people’s IP addresses.
I’m not so sure about #2, and even less sure about #3. If anybody can “debunk” either, I’m interested
- was apparently fixed with latest version.
also now that i think of it:
- there is now a discovery mechanism of some sort… but otherwise it’s a feature and not a bug that you can only identify people whom you had an initial exchange with. much preferable than something that Signal that without asking (and without opting out?) will by default access all your contacts and match them through the use of a strong selector (phone number) also:
- i think with the minimal knowledge the server has of its users (and the no-identity concept) this really limits risk. Also it means that for the most tight of security models, one can use their own server (which is not feasible with most other chat protocols)
so all in all: go simplex! :)
For 3, I think you’re right, but I want to assume someone spins up a malicious server for the purposes of gathering IP addresses, creates an identity that routes through that server, and then picks a target. Would it be possible, at that point, for them to gather their target’s IP address at some point?
For 2, I mean it’s difficult to identify the same person across multiple chats. For example, let’s say your only communication with someone is through simplex. if you DM them, and then you join a group when they are present, there is nothing easily identifying them is the same person. This is the case even if they use the same public facing username in both instances.
(Upon looking, it seems you can set a nickname for a user and it will persist across rooms, and it looks like the QR code is also the same across rooms, but the first one is a bit tedious, and the second one is worse.)
been selfhosting the smtp relay and using the app for quite a while. If you use it as a private chat for sensitive content, it is PERFECT. Really looking forward to its future development in group chats.
Its pretty nice. I am using it for a couple groups. It has some screen reader accessibility issues, but the devs are responsive and fix them as i find them.
I gave it a try but I think I’ll wait until I can use the same ID from both phone and PC.
💪
Does this use SMS or is it another messaging ecosystem altogether?
It doesn’t use SMS
