Coder's Guild Mailing List

Re: cripted chat

Posted by Alex Toone on 2000-08-12

> Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2000 16:11:35 +0200
> From: "Reto F. Bachmann" <bachmann@xxxxxxxx.xx>
> Subject: crypted chat
>
> hi!
>
> i'd like to implement something like chat / video conference
> but would like to crypt it so that a company / user group
> can be quite shure that only authorized members of the
> company / group can decode it.
> question 1: should i use normal tcp/udp and crypt only the
> data or should i use something like SSL to transfer data?
> question2: is there any source available which addresses this
> idea (i dont like to re-invent the wheel...)
>
> any pointers apprechiated
> thanks and have a nice day
>
> reti

Reti,
I don't know much about the implmentation of the encription part, but for a
live video stream you should use UDP as its faster than TCP, and its not
important for all the data to reach the target. Mebey you could add a chat
window below the video that runs TCP/IP so if the video gets slow, you can
still get a message through.
I'd go with something like DES or blowfish (DES has been cracked, as far as
I know), to encript the data actually transported.
Well, there are my thoughts, but as I said I don't know how you would
implemnet the encripted stuff, but you sound like you know what your
doing... keep us posted on progess

Alex