People trying to communicate across oppressive national firewalls could be interested in ScatterChat, a secure instant-messaging (IM) application developed by an international group of hackers, human rights activists, lawyers and security experts.The application, available for download, is based on the open-source Gain IM client and uses the anonymous Tor network to offer secure end-to-end encryption for both chat and file transfers, the developer group Hacktivisimo said on Friday.It’s designed for “nontechnical human rights activists and political dissidents” but could also be also useful for corporate environments and other settings where privacy is important, according to the group’s website. The software was launched at the Hackers On Planet Earth (HOPE) conference, which ended Sunday in New York City.The anonymity and encryption provided by ScatterChat ensures that both the identities and messages of users “remain a mystery,” lead developer J. Salvatore Testa said in a statement. ScatterChat, which uses a technique called “onion routing” to hide the computers taking part in a secure conversation, is immune to replay attacks, supports Perfect Forward Secrecy, and features limited message deniability properties, according to its website. The application uses 2048-bit ElGamal and 1024-bit digital signature algorithm for encryption and authentication. For each new conversation, it generates a new 256-bit advanced encryption standard message key, a 256-bit SHA-1 hashed message authentication codekey, a 256-bit nonce and a 256-bit AES file transfer key. Additional information is available here.-John Blau, IDG News Service (Dusseldorf Bureau)Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Sponsored by SAP What goes well with Viña Concha y Toro wines? Meat, fish, poultry, and SAP Viña Concha y Toro, a wine producer that distributes to more than 140 countries worldwide, paired its operation with the SAP Business Technology Platform to enhance its operation and product. By Tom Caldecott, SAP Contributor Dec 04, 2023 4 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by Azul How to maximize ROI by choosing the right Java partner for your organization Choosing the right Java provider is a critical decision that can have a significant impact on your organization’s success. By asking the right questions and considering the total cost of ownership, you can ensure that you choose the best Java p By Scott Sellers Dec 04, 2023 5 mins Application Management brandpost Sponsored by DataStax Ask yourself: How can genAI put your content to work? Generative AI applications can readily be built against the documents, emails, meeting transcripts, and other content that knowledge workers produce as a matter of course. By Bryan Kirschner Dec 04, 2023 5 mins Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence feature The CIO’s new role: Orchestrator-in-chief CIOs have unique insight into everything that happens in a company. Some are using that insight to take on a more strategic role. By Minda Zetlin Dec 04, 2023 12 mins CIO C-Suite Business IT Alignment Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe