24 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
24 lines
1.1 KiB
Markdown
---
|
|
sidebar_position: 1
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
# An Introduction to Cwtch P2P Chat
|
|
|
|
Cwtch uses Tor v3 Onion Services to establish anonymous, peer-to-peer connections between Profiles.
|
|
|
|
## How P2P Chat Works Under the Hood
|
|
|
|
In order to chat with your friends in a peer-to-peer conversation both must be online.
|
|
|
|
After a successful connection both parties engage in an **authentication protocol** which:
|
|
|
|
* Asserts that each party has access to the private key associated with their public identity.
|
|
* Generates an ephemeral session key used to encrypt all further communication during the session.
|
|
|
|
This exchange (documented in further detail in [authentication protocol](https://docs.openprivacy.ca/cwtch-security-handbook/authentication_protocol.html)) is *offline deniable*
|
|
i.e. it is possible for any party to forge transcripts of this protocol exchange after the fact, and as such - after the
|
|
fact - it is impossible to definitely prove that the exchange happened at all.
|
|
|
|
Once the authentication process is successful then both you and your friend can communicate away assured that no one else
|
|
can learn anything about the contents or the metadata of your conversation.
|