Briar (software)
Briar is an open-source software communication technology, intended to provide secure and resilient peer-to-peer communications with no centralized servers and minimal reliance on external infrastructure. Messages can be transmitted through Bluetooth, WiFi, over the internet via Tor or removable storage, such as USB sticks. All communication is end-to-end encrypted. Relevant content is stored in encrypted form on participating devices. Long-term plans for the project include "blogging, crisis mapping and collaborative document editing."
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Initial release | 9 May 2018[1] |
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Stable release(s) | |
Preview release(s) | |
Repository | code |
Written in | Java, Kotlin[7] |
Operating system | Android |
Type | Mesh networking, Instant Messaging |
License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
Website | briarproject |
The initial target audience for Briar includes "activists, journalists and civil society" with plans to make the system "simple enough to help anyone keep their data safe."[8] As the ability to function in the absence of internet infrastructure may also make the project valuable to disaster response and aid organizations, the developers are working with the Open Humanitarian Initiative and Taarifa.[9] Ultimately, the developers aim to create a system which is "as simple to use as WhatsApp, as secure as PGP, and that keeps working if somebody breaks the Internet."[9]
Briar's source code is published as free software and the mobile app is distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL-3.0-or-later license, while the desktop version is released under the Affero General Public License.[10] It was audited by Cure53 and spoken highly of in a report delivered 20 March 2017, and was recommended to be given a second audit after development completes.[11][12]
As of 2018 the project received $361,100 of funding from the Open Technology Fund.[13]
See also
- mesh networking
- smartphone ad hoc network
- specific projects/protocols
References
- "Secure P2P Messenger Releases First Version, Receives New Funding". Briar. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- https://github.com/briar/briar/releases/tag/release-1.4.6.
- https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar/-/tags/release-1.4.6.
- https://github.com/briar/briar/releases/tag/beta-1.4.6.
- https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar-desktop/-/tags/0.2.0-beta.
- https://github.com/briar/briar-desktop/releases/tag/0.2.0-beta.
- "briar / briar · GitLab". Briar. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
- "Wired".
- "Knight News Challenge". Archived from the original on 2016-11-08. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
- "GitLab project repository". Archived from the original on 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
- "Pentest-Report Briar Project App & Protocol 03.2017" (PDF).
- "Darknet Messenger Releases Beta, Passes Security Audit".
- Open Technology Fund. "Projects we support - Briar". Open Technology Fund Website. U.S. Agency for Global Media. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
External links
- Official website
- Torsten Grote on YouTube
- Grote, Torsten. "Building Briar Reproducible And Why It Matters". Torsten's Thoughtcrimes.
- "About - Team". Free Software Foundation Europe.
- Briar - Resilient P2P Messaging for Everyone – Video recording of Chaos Communications Congress 2017 (34C3) talk 30 December 2017
- Briar for Android - TWiT Tech Podcast Network on YouTube
- Briar and the Crypto Messenger Evolution on YouTube – (46:50) Video recording of FISL17 talk 16 July 2016
- Singh, Angad (22 July 2017). "Briar Darknet Messenger Has Been Released ( Tor Project)". OFFICIAL HACKER. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- "Darknet Messenger Releases Beta, Passes Security Audit". BriarProject.org.