[ANN]CONNECT-An open source P2P encrypted messaging & onchain bitcoin wallet APP

[Connect.im]

My name is Rob. Product Manager of Connect.im. Today,I have the honour to introduce a new product that developed by our team. Named Connect.IM

https://i.imgur.com/eftTyzx.png

What is CONNECT ?

Connect is an open source point-to-point encrypted instant messaging APP.

You can use CONNECT to send texts, voices, pictures, videos and even Bitcoin.
In both one-on-one chat and group chat, all the messages including text, picture, voices, video, etc. are sent via the shared key encryption negotiated by both sides of the chat.
 
Any third party other than the both sides including the server can't decrypt the messages.

https://i.imgur.com/8jHDqQX.gif

What make Connect secure?

As known as bitcoin, if there is no private key, then no one can steal your bitcoins.
Similarly, user’s ID of Connect are generated based on BTC algorithm, if there is no private key, then no one can not steal the messages of the chat.

Connect uses advanced and open-source symmetric encryption algorithms to secure both parties' information and the communication between the client and the server, and anyone can authenticate.
 
The end-to-end encrypted communication between both sides of the session as well as the encrypted communication between client-side and server uses the key negotiation method to make double layer encryption, with the steps as below:


 
1. Session initiator_A use the agreed ECC (elliptic curve cryptography) locally to generate a pair of key(Public_key_A,Private_key_A) and a 512-bit random number salt, and send the random number “saltA” and “Public_key_A” to receiver_B after AES256-GCM encrypted
 
2  The receiver_B receives “PublicKey_A” and “saltA” after decrypt. then use the same ECC (elliptic curve cryptography) generate a pair of key(Public_Key_B,Private_Key_b) and a 512-bit random number salt, and send the random number “saltB” and “Public_key_B” to initiator_A after AES256-GCM encrypted.

3 Initiator_A get “saltB” and “Public_key_B”. Then both initiator_A and receiver_B get ECDH_Key

ECDH_Key = ECDH(PrivateKey_A, PublicKey_B) = ECDH(PrivateKey_B, PublicKey_A)

4 Then the PBKDF2key expansion algorithm to obtain the negotiated key "K" by ECDH_KEY and random number salts of both sides.

  Shared_key = PBKDF2(HMAC-SHA512, ecdhKey, saltA^saltB, pow(2, n), 256) ，（n=12)

5 The key agreement is completed, and both sides of the AB erase their session key pairs from their respective memory. (ECDH_Key,PublicKey_A,PublicKey_B)

6 Sessions following, both sides of the AB encrypt and decrypt messages using 256bit Shared_key and AES-256-GCM algorithm.

7. The negotiated key is updated when a new session is created each time.

 
The encrypted communication channel established by the above process ensures that communication contents are not leaked under the condition that the network flow is completely monitored. Even if the private key of server-side is mastered by the monitor, the monitor can't decrypt the actual communication contents () according to the private key of server and all network flows, and even can't know the person who is logged in or the side to whom the messages are sent. So this solution has the nature of forward secrecy because the session key pair will be erased by both sides from their respective memories after completion of negotiation.

https://i.imgur.com/qjUUXdK.jpg

Why do we need CONNECT?

Different from other instant messaging tools provided by other Internet giants, Connect offers a higher level of security and privacy  protection.

It protects your chatting contents from being eavesdropped by any third party such as employers and government.
 
It protects your personal data such as telephone numbers and friends from being utilized by any third party such as marketing personnel and advertisers.  
 
Considering "PRISM" scandal as well as multiple network fraud cases caused by information leakage, each of us should defending "freedom of speech" and "personal privacy”.
 
So Connect is suitable for everyone.

https://i.imgur.com/oGuLMIb.gif
Netflix TV <Narcos>

Why Connect APP contain bitcoin wallet?

First, user’s ID of Connect are generated based on BTC algorithm, and the user system is established based on decentralized BTC blockchain network.
 
So, Connect APP itself can be used as Bitcoin Wallet.
 
As a decentralized financial network which do not rely on any institution or government, Bitcoin is highly consistent with the product philosophy of "Connect". Connect doesn't wish users' data to be monitored by any institution.
 
It is greatly convenient for BTC users to use the interactive mode based on social network and chat session to realize BTC transfers.You don’t have to remember the bitcoin address of your friends.Instead that transferring the bitcoins is as simple as sending a message.

It is onchain or offchain bitcoin wallet? It is security?

Because the private key of user is stored in the device locally, and each BTC transaction should be made by the private key signature of the user, this is a onchain wallet.The server does not store the user's private key, ensuring that the user can fully control their own funds.

But in many cases, users are easy to lose their private key. We provide a compromise, users can bind their mobile phone, after verified, set a password for encrypted private key and backup on server, server does not store user’s password. Even if the phone is lost, user can use password decrypt and recovery the private key after new phone verified.

If the user has doubts, can also choose “Generate a local account”, keeping private key by oneself com fully.

https://i.imgur.com/Q3yCjkS.gif

Transfer bitcoin as simple as sending a message

Transfer bitcoin as simple as sending a message. You don’t have to ask your friend’s bitcoin address in other way. Send bitcoin or payment request in the chat window just like sending a message.

You can sent bitcoin link via other IM APP such as "Whatsapp" "Messabfer" "Wechat". your friend who got this link would got bitcoin ofter install Connect APP.

What is Lucky Packet?

Lucky packet is a kind of function sending BTC to your friends as a gift.
 
Your friends won't know the BTC quantity they have obtained untill after opening the red envelope. In the group chat, the BTC quantity in each lucky packet is randomly generated.
 
You can send lucky packet in chat or send a lucky packet link via other IM APP such as "Whatsapp" "Messanger" “Wechat".

Get bitcoin lucky packet free!

All new user in march- Dec 2017 and bind phone will get a random lucky packet (0.001-0.01)

All user write a review and rated on Apple App Store or Google Play, Post screenshot form “Connect-Setting-Help-Feeback”，will get one bitcoin lucky packet (0.001 BTC)

Send 50 bitcoin lucky packets and update link  everyday on this topic and facebook
 

Group Sponsor Program

We welcome the community developers, entrepreneurs and project operators to build your own group via Connect, and we are going to sponsor 1-2BTC to each group depends on the group activity level.  Apply for the group BTC sponsor, please add me as a friend firstly and invite me join your group.

Connect me: 18187F2AvfMRe9SrWL52z3PRqGzoEa75EF

we plan to hire more developer after open source. Hiring iOS Android engineer and Marketing Manager. Post your CV to info@connect.im

How to install?

Website: https://www.connect.im/

iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/app/connect-p2p-encrypted-instant/id1181365735

Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=connect.im

Connect Product Discuss Group

========================================Update Info====================================================

3-20-2017
0.1.1 for iOS  0.0.7 for Android

Private Key generated by record sound replace take photo

Fix known bugs.

Click here get bitcoin lucky packets!!

[1714584186]

1714584186

[Emerge]

Interesting. How do you sustain yourself as a business if you do all of this for free?

[Connect.im]

Interesting. How do you sustain yourself as a business if you do all of this for free?

Thank you Emerge. Our objective is become a safer "telegram". about "business". Connect include bitcoin wallet. it has a lot development space in future.

[aincuy123]

My name is Rob. Product Manager of Connect.im. Today,I have the honour to introduce a new product that developed by our team. Named Connect.IM



What is CONNECT ?

Connect is an open source point-to-point encrypted instant messaging APP.

You can use CONNECT to send texts, voices, pictures, videos and even Bitcoin.
In both one-on-one chat and group chat, all the messages including text, picture, voices, video, etc. are sent via the shared key encryption negotiated by both sides of the chat.
 
Any third party other than the both sides including the server can't decrypt the messages.



What make Connect secure?

As known as bitcoin, if there is no private key, then no one can steal your bitcoins.
Similarly, user’s ID of Connect are generated based on BTC algorithm, if there is no private key, then no one can not steal the messages of the chat.

Connect uses advanced and open-source symmetric encryption algorithms to secure both parties' information and the communication between the client and the server, and anyone can authenticate.
 
The end-to-end encrypted communication between both sides of the session as well as the encrypted communication between client-side and server uses the key negotiation method to make double layer encryption, with the steps as below:


 
1. Session initiator_A use the agreed ECC (elliptic curve cryptography) locally to generate a pair of key(Public_key_A,Private_key_A) and a 512-bit random number salt, and send the random number “saltA” and “Public_key_A” to receiver_B after AES256-GCM encrypted
 
2  The receiver_B receives “PublicKey_A” and “saltA” after decrypt. then use the same ECC (elliptic curve cryptography) generate a pair of key(Public_Key_B,Private_Key_b) and a 512-bit random number salt, and send the random number “saltB” and “Public_key_B” to initiator_A after AES256-GCM encrypted.

3 Initiator_A get “saltB” and “Public_key_B”. Then both initiator_A and receiver_B get ECDH_Key

ECDH_Key = ECDH(PrivateKey_A, PublicKey_B) = ECDH(PrivateKey_B, PublicKey_A)

4 Then the PBKDF2key expansion algorithm to obtain the negotiated key "K" by ECDH_KEY and random number salts of both sides.

  Shared_key = PBKDF2(HMAC-SHA512, ecdhKey, saltA^saltB, pow(2, n), 256) ，（n=12)

5 The key agreement is completed, and both sides of the AB erase their session key pairs from their respective memory. (ECDH_Key,PublicKey_A,PublicKey_B)

6 Sessions following, both sides of the AB encrypt and decrypt messages using 256bit Shared_key and AES-256-GCM algorithm.

7. The negotiated key is updated when a new session is created each time.

 
The encrypted communication channel established by the above process ensures that communication contents are not leaked under the condition that the network flow is completely monitored. Even if the private key of server-side is mastered by the monitor, the monitor can't decrypt the actual communication contents () according to the private key of server and all network flows, and even can't know the person who is logged in or the side to whom the messages are sent. So this solution has the nature of forward secrecy because the session key pair will be erased by both sides from their respective memories after completion of negotiation.



Why do we need CONNECT?

Different from other instant messaging tools provided by other Internet giants, Connect offers a higher level of security and privacy  protection.

It protects your chatting contents from being eavesdropped by any third party such as employers and government.
 
It protects your personal data such as telephone numbers and friends from being utilized by any third party such as marketing personnel and advertisers.  
 
Considering "PRISM" scandal as well as multiple network fraud cases caused by information leakage, each of us should defending "freedom of speech" and "personal privacy”.
 
So Connect is suitable for everyone.


Netflix TV <Narcos>

Why Connect APP contain bitcoin wallet?

First, user’s ID of Connect are generated based on BTC algorithm, and the user system is established based on decentralized BTC blockchain network.
 
So, Connect APP itself can be used as Bitcoin Wallet.
 
As a decentralized financial network which do not rely on any institution or government, Bitcoin is highly consistent with the product philosophy of "Connect". Connect doesn't wish users' data to be monitored by any institution.
 
It is greatly convenient for BTC users to use the interactive mode based on social network and chat session to realize BTC transfers.You don’t have to remember the bitcoin address of your friends.Instead that transferring the bitcoins is as simple as sending a message.

It is onchain or offchain bitcoin wallet? It is security?

Because the private key of user is stored in the device locally, and each BTC transaction should be made by the private key signature of the user, this is a onchain wallet.The server does not store the user's private key, ensuring that the user can fully control their own funds.

But in many cases, users are easy to lose their private key. We provide a compromise, users can bind their mobile phone, after verified, set a password for encrypted private key and backup on server, server does not store user’s password. Even if the phone is lost, user can use password decrypt and recovery the private key after new phone verified.

If the user has doubts, can also choose “Generate a local account”, keeping private key by oneself com fully.



Transfer bitcoin as simple as sending a message

Transfer bitcoin as simple as sending a message. You don’t have to ask your friend’s bitcoin address in other way. Send bitcoin or payment request in the chat window just like sending a message.

You can sent bitcoin link via other IM APP such as "Whatsapp" "Messabfer" "Wechat". your friend who got this link would got bitcoin ofter install Connect APP.

What is Lucky Packet?

Lucky packet is a kind of function sending BTC to your friends as a gift.
 
Your friends won't know the BTC quantity they have obtained untill after opening the red envelope. In the group chat, the BTC quantity in each lucky packet is randomly generated.
 
You can send lucky packet in chat or send a lucky packet link via other IM APP such as "Whatsapp" "Messanger" “Wechat".

Get bitcoin lucky packet free!

All new user in march- Dec 2017 and bind phone will get a random lucky packet (0.001-0.01)

All user write a review and rated on Apple App Store or Google Play, Post screenshot form “Connect-Setting-Help-Feeback”，will get one bitcoin lucky packet (0.001 BTC)

Send 50 bitcoin lucky packets and update link  everyday on this topic and facebook

Click here get bitcoin lucky packets!!

Group Sponsor Program

We welcome the community developers, entrepreneurs and project operators to build your own group via Connect, and we are going to sponsor 1-2BTC to each group depends on the group activity level.  Apply for the group BTC sponsor, please add me as a friend firstly and invite me join your group.

Connect me: 18187F2AvfMRe9SrWL52z3PRqGzoEa75EF

How to install?

Website: https://www.connect.im/

iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/app/connect-p2p-encrypted-instant/id1181365735

Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=connect.im

Full Version 

[Connect.im]

@ aincuy123 thank you very much
because i am a "newbie". Pic can not display.  Please Connect me and pm your connect ID  I will give you a big bitcoin lucky packet 

[nemgun]

I was awaiting such a project since a long time, congratulations !

Please, could you tell me if you worked on website integration ? i would be happy to test/work on it, if you have any repository.
I aleready had a quick fetch in the API, i will need more time to read it, but i am too impatient to know more about.

[bitcoinissatan]

This looks quite attractive when many people want to chat with bitcoin wallet feature seems very attractive

[topesis]

Good work by Connect team, I've been seen your advert and I will try out your app. But my concern is this, I read that more than 90% of the apps on Android platfrom are vulbnerable do you think your apps is totally save on this plaform.

What I was expecting is a message that will save destroy it self after some time and will be difficult to find the history of the message

[nemgun]

Good work by Connect team, I've been seen your advert and I will try out your app. But my concern is this, I read that more than 90% of the apps on Android platfrom are vulbnerable do you think your apps is totally save on this plaform.

What I was expecting is a message that will save destroy it self after some time and will be difficult to find the history of the message

Read their API :  https://www.connect.im/developer

They have implement a "burn after reading" method, i suppose it has something to do with "message destruction".

Sadly i think this project is not made for web interfaces as i can't find JS or PHP methods.

[Connect.im]

I was awaiting such a project since a long time, congratulations !

Please, could you tell me if you worked on website integration ? i would be happy to test/work on it, if you have any repository.
I aleready had a quick fetch in the API, i will need more time to read it, but i am too impatient to know more about.

Thank you. we  plan to be a open development platform. Developer can make bitcoin program base on CONNECT. Yeah, a lot work waitting for us.

[nemgun]

I was awaiting such a project since a long time, congratulations !

Please, could you tell me if you worked on website integration ? i would be happy to test/work on it, if you have any repository.
I aleready had a quick fetch in the API, i will need more time to read it, but i am too impatient to know more about.

Thank you. we  plan to be a open development platform. Developer can make bitcoin program base on CONNECT. Yeah, a lot work waitting for us.

When can i expect to use it in web environment ?

[Mr.Pro]

How about posting in the services it might get some attention.

[vlom]

this looks interesting.

as my first action i i scanned the code on the website.
https://luckypacket.connect.im

now it only shows receiving. how long will this take?

and now i cant test test other features of the app while "receiving". the app is stuck.

EDIT:
after  a restart of the app and loging out and in it just says "not connected". i am using the OSX version with a iPod-Touch.

[cryptoproject]

@op

Very good project, i have few questions:

1 - how connect.im is different then circle.com ?
2 - where you hosting user's wallets? do you have dedicated servers?
3 - what % you charge when connect.im user's send or receive bitcoin ?
4-  do you allow user's to send btc out of connect.im wallets ?

regards

[Joel_Jantsen]

Interesting Project.Don't understand why you have already started advertising the app when you could have gotten equal interests by just people who check this thread regularly.
Now,what's your business model ?
How are you planning to make money ?
Hiring any more developers ? I'm certainly interested in documenting the stuff.

[Connect.im]

@ vlom. Lcukt packet use a  transit address on server. It will transfer to your wallet after all packets are opened or 48 hours deadline. for example. you send 50 packets. only 20 packets opened. then server will send 20 packets's bitcoin to receiver.remaining bitcoin will return to your wallet.

Connect requires iOS 8.0 or later. we will test on ipod soon. thank you.

@cryptoproject

1 how connect.im is different then circle.com ?

  As i known circle is a offchain wallet, Connect is onchain. and circle messges is not encrypted.

2 where you hosting user's wallets? do you have dedicated servers?
   wallet 's private key stored in the device locally. yes we have distributed servers.


3 what % you charge when connect.im user's send or receive bitcoin ?
   "We do not charge fees. the fees when transfer is bitcoin network's fee."


4-  do you allow user's to send btc out of connect.im wallets ?  
  "Yes, of course. The server does not store the user's private key, ensuring that the user can fully control their own funds."

@ Joel_Jantsen

Yes ,we plan to hire more developer after open source. Hiring iOS Android engineer and Marketing Manager. Post your CV to info@connect.im

[0xfff]

Interesting project. I saw an ad right here on bitcointalk for it. Good luck 

[remcoswienink2]

Seems nice, but the Google app is in Chinese (?) for me?
http://imgur.com/a/bfILz

[Connect.im]

Seems nice, but the Google app is in Chinese (?) for me?
http://imgur.com/a/bfILz

I will check it. What's your phone language. And android version?

[remcoswienink2]

Seems nice, but the Google app is in Chinese (?) for me?
http://imgur.com/a/bfILz

I will check it. What's your phone language. And android version?

Dutch phone language, LG-F400K with android 6.0.
Same problem on another phone, Jiayu S3, android 5.1.1.