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US Wants Its Own Secure and Self-Destructing Messaging App -- And It's Willing to Pay (bloomberg.com)
Long time reader schwit1 writes: The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), an agency within the Department of Defense historically known for creating the Internet itself, has published a call for companies to submit proposals to build a robust messaging platform that the military could use for secure communication of everything from intelligence to procurement contracts. "Troops on the ground in denied communications environments would have a way to securely communicate back to HQ and DoD back office executives could rest assured that their logistics system is efficient, timely and safe from hackers," according to the DARPA proposal. The request for proposals, reported earlier by the UK's Telegraph outlet, also says that the messaging platform should incorporate a customized
blockchain, the distributed ledger technology that underpins the digital currency bitcoin, for recording messages and contract information. The proposal says such a distributed ledger would allow the military to conduct its business in a more efficient and secure fashion.Motherboard's Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai reports that DARPA is willing to pay people to make this app. "This project falls under the rules of the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. During the first phase, according to the program's rules, successful applicants might be awarded no more than $150,000 for one year. The companies and researchers who are part of phase one can then be eligible for a phase two award of up to $1 million for two years. Lastly, during phase three, the company or companies can pursue commercialization, and receive no funds from the federal government."
So basically a government Kickstarter?
Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
Bug how will the NSA be able to monitor all the potential terrorists (= civilians)?
Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
FBI Wants p0wn Secure and Self-Destructing Messaging App -- And It's Willing to Pay
Talk about the left hand trying to chop off the right hand.
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
n/t
Have gnu, will travel.
Translation: free of public oversight and the threat of whistle blowers exposing corruption
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
Sure, let's create a messaging protocol that burns electricity like nobody's business and creates a gigantic file that needs downloading before anything works. Great job, kids!
So they want a messaging system and it must use a blockchain and it must allow messages to be deleted?
They're going to have a hard time.
If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
From that article, I can easily surmise the probable application of the patent. Underwater Fiber Taps. Once you have the general scope of the application, the specifics are completely unneeded. The Government doesn't want people to know, what everyone already suspects (and is vaguely confirmed) that they are tapping underwater Fiber to spy on people.
Just my opinion.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
Apps?
But it could work for within the US borders as well. All levels of government could benefit from a messaging system that was secure against against snooping investigations and other government oversight, but also to securely be deleted should those investigations progress and journalists or the public in general.
"You must make weaker encryption so law enforcement can do it's job... hey, can you make some nice strong encryption for us? The military needs that to do its job."
This signature is false.
The article spells it out but that doesn't mean that's what it is about. It also sounds fishy: why would they tell the inventor that his device passed the testing and would be used and then say "we will not pay"? It doesn't make any sense, licensing the invention would keep the use a secret.
this message will self destruct in 5 seconds
It wouldn't be as subtle as the tap used in Operation Ivy Bells and the like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
I'd say Signal is almost perfect for this task. Some other items that would be useful:
1: Forward secrecy implemented in a fairly easy to use package. /whispers, FB PMs, carrier pigeons, or any other transport method.
2: To handle self-destructing items, have a private key that needs to be gone by a certain time encrypted by a second key. Have this second key split amongst x out of y nodes, via Shamir's Secret Sharing algorithm. Each node, once the expiration date passes, destroys the second key, so even if there are some nodes that are hacked to retain it, unless the system is so compromised that most of them keep the key and not expire it, the private key will be not recoverable.
3: Maybe consider going independent of the messaging system, and modify OpenPGP, perhaps with Saltpack's extensions. This way, secure messages can be sent via E-mail, SMS, WoW
4: Use blinding factors, similar to Chaum's eCash, so that entries can be made on the blockchain, but the identity of the transaction is protected.
Depends on the attacks. Done right, with forward secrecy [1], the best an attacker could do is block communication. If an attacker gains control of an endpoint, it becomes much harder to ensure integrity.
However, protecting endpoints is a solved problem... Apple TV, and present gen consoles show that one can make a device extremely secure. Endpoint-wise, the application could be placed in the secure "world" of an ARM CPU with its keys, perhaps run on the equivalent of a "secure desktop" where no applications normally running on the OS can interfere with the messaging app or intercept the display or tapes.
I do agree, it would take more than just installing signal. At the minimum, it would take a custom ROM, ideally hardware that is vetted (and not made in a country where the chip masks get extra "features" added on that the maker didn't desire.)
A solid diamond pony and I'm going to sit here with my five dollars until someone makes me one.
Requiem for the American Dream
Back in the days before Microsoft fucked it up, Skype was a reliable, secure communications platform. Dissidents routinely used it in countries ruled by totalitarian regimes.
-jcr
The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
That would be a tacit admission that Michael Moore was right. No government would allow such a conclusion, not whilst there are still countries operating free of US meddling.
Requiem for the American Dream
Just use iPhones and other iToys. Im' sure bought in bulk they can get 'em for 50Â per unit.
They're so well encrypted the government is on a whaaaambulance about it, no?
Well, fucking put your money where your noise-hole is, and use that very same uncrackable* technology the turrrirrrists are using! **
* /. readers know there's no such thing as uncrackable
**./ readers know so far nothing super cray-cray incriminating has been found on that San Berdnadino phone. I'm sure it was helpful for parallel construction, tho.
The "Civilized World" jumped the shark ca. 1973.
He'd chuck as much apps as an appchucker could if an appchucker could chuck apps.
D'uh! Everyone knows that.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
Yeah, there's the potential (assuming it's a juicy enough target) to intercept when output hits the screen. Controlling the hardware would seem a must and controlling the OS that it runs on would be important. I'm thinking ground-up build for this to be as good as they're hoping. I'm honestly not sure there's enough in the budget for that.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."
Who would actually do this? You *may* be awarded *up to* 150k? Then, maybe, possibly up to $1M for two years. Who kind of crazy person would take that gamble? Your first year costs might barely be covered, then you might have a chance to win in the "make a modest profit" lottery!? Do these figures seem crazy to anyone else, or have I lived in San Francisco too long?
The US occupies Gitmo because both countries signed a lease agreement in 1903 which is still legal and in effect today. Thus the US base is there because of an agreement with the host country. And the US lease agreement took Cuba to the cleaners because they only pay $4,085 a year. Maybe Cuba has been unable to scrape up enough money to payoff the lease?
It sounds fishy! I see what you did there.
"That which does not kill us makes us stranger." -Trevor Goodchild