Signal Veterans Want to Encrypt Slack, Google Docs, and Basically Every Other App
The world of online collaboration is about to get a whole lot more secure. A team of developers, including the co-creator of the Signal protocol and contributors from Microsoft and Harvard, is building out open-source software that can bring the hardened privacy and security of Signal's end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to a whole new set of apps. The project, called Encrypted Spaces, aims to push back against the risks associated with exposure, loss of control, and self-censorship that have grown with the increased use of highly-trusted, centralized cloud services.
A New Standard for Collaboration
Instead of creating a suite of individual apps, Encrypted Spaces is designed as infrastructure for developers to build their own encrypted apps. This approach allows for a more flexible and scalable solution, as developers can create apps tailored to specific needs and use cases. Nora Trapp, an engineer at Harvard's Applied Social Media Lab and former technical lead at the Signal Foundation, explains, 'We want to provide the technological surface area for developers to build all these apps in a privacy-preserving way. You can think of it as the Signal protocol for collaboration apps.'
The project uses zero-knowledge proofs, a technology central to privacy-focused cryptocurrency Zcash, to allow a central server to keep each end user updated on the latest version of a document or other area of collaboration without ever accessing unencrypted data. This ensures that sensitive information remains protected, even when shared across multiple users.
A Platform for Developers
One of the key advantages of Encrypted Spaces is that it's more than just a set of tools; it's a reusable platform aimed at developers. Matt Green, a Johns Hopkins Computer Science Professor, highlights the value of having a standard library that can be reviewed and improved upon by a wide range of developers. 'If you use this library, you inherit all the security for free,' he says.
A Challenge to Governments
While Encrypted Spaces offers a promising solution for secure collaboration, it's not without its challenges. The project is likely to spark debates over encryption, as governments have historically been uneasy with the democratization of strong encryption. The Crypto Wars of the 90s and the infamous Clipper Chip are testaments to this. The recent situation in the UK, where Signal threatened to leave the country over encryption compliance, underscores the ongoing tension between app developers and governments.
A Step Towards a More Secure Future
Despite the challenges, Encrypted Spaces represents a significant step towards a more secure future for online collaboration. By providing a platform for developers to build encrypted apps, the project has the potential to revolutionize how we share and collaborate online. As the team continues to develop and refine their software, we can expect to see more and more apps adopting end-to-end encryption, ensuring that our digital communications remain private and secure.
