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Secure IRC?
priikone writes: "IRC has had a lot of problems related to security and network scalability in the past, and
recently as well. However, there is an alternative -- secure alternative to IRC; the Secure Internet Live Conferencing (SILC), which has all the same features IRC has, with addition of superior security, and hopefully more scalable and powerful network topology. It is for all those who cares who's listening. It works, and is of course all Open Source." We posted an article about another secure IRC system last year.
This is not a reason you need more security. Let me give you an
example: I hang on IRC to chat with friends. I usually sit there in
passive mode and if somebody wants to talk to me, they could. Kind of
instant messaging, but using more popular and accessible
media. Sometimes my colleagues from across the ocean stop by and want
to discuss some business related issues. Main problem is our
conversation (if it is not DCC, which in most case does not work
because of firewalls) could be observed by any IRC server
operator. There are dozen servers on network, some administrated by more
than one person. You could not assure integrity of all these people.
Proposed system will solve this problem, since all communication will
be encrypted using public keys of participants and channel keys. So
several people can chat on channel in confidence that nobody is
snooping their discussion.
1. add an authenticate system like slashdot, but does not release any info - I.E. bubbles is your nick? well then you are bubbles and that is all that is released.
2. BLOCK ip address discovery. The Irc servers you are connected to dont have to tell everyone that you are at 192.168.1.1 and if you dont release what IP you are at then the script kiddies and other tripe cant attack.
IRC was a great idea, when people on the net had a maturity level higher than that of an 8 year old. Today we have to give up those niceiteies of yesteryear to give a nice big thump on the head of the idiots and morons.... but the coolest thing is that the above ideas would bring back registered nicks.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Sounds just like just about every ignorant Internet critic, RIAA or MPAA member, government official when trying to justify DMCA or some other piece of legislature/censorship. Get a clue, troll. Just like every other area of the Internet, IRC does have its "hackers, pirates, and kiddieporn scum", but it also has a great array of technical resources and general chat areas. I don't know of many other places where I can drop in and get real-time support from peers when trying to chase down a network or OS problem. Hate to burst your bubble, but many people might think of IRC and Usenet to be the bottom of the Internet barrel, I find them to be two of the most useful technical resources I have at my disposal.
The big-sell factor for IRC at the moment is its age. It's been around forever, and there's enough knowledge of it and how it works / software / literature / networks etc etc out there to form a user base.
It'd be far too hard to implement this system attractively wide scale, simply due to the fact that IRC has been losing usefulness (in it's intended form) for quite a while now.
There's no real demand for such a system. If people care who's listening they use encrypted email / private messaging software - they may themselves not be totally secure but you've got a better chance if you talk to 1 person than a room of 78.
Current IRC users don't give a shit who listens. Just the way it is.
Okay, so let's go down a checklist: 1) No file transfer yet, and when it comes, we don't know what the protocol will be. You know, IRC is really more than just a chat network, Files are also important. When you want to find a hard-to-find mp3, where do you turn? IRC. If you want the latest Southpark episode because you forgot to tape it, where do you turn? IRC. If you want to fine fansubbed anime, or test out a series before you spend money on a DVD, where are there tons of fservers dedicated to anime? IRC. If you're looking for almost any type of file, where to turn? IRC. SILC, even if it does get a protocol (which allows fserves) couldn't get the sheer volume of stuff that IRC has. SILC will never replace IRC, for that reason alone.
2) Wow, it's more secure, but they aren't really sure how secure it is. It might as well be the latest security feature out of Microsoft, for all that they can tell us. They mention stuff, but they don't actually answer the question.
Well, these two, for me, are enough to persuade me that I'm not uninstalling mIRC, and not going to be d/ling SILC any time soon. Besides, IRC is great because of the variety with the people, does SILC have that? Nah. I'm sticking with my beloved IRC, thankyouverymuch.
Erik
"You," Bite me.
"Each and every one of you." Bite me.