Getting started with XMPP/Jabber and PGP for federated, encrypted messaging
This is a short thread where I explain how I started using the XMPP protocol and PGP encryption for secure messaging. I am not a security expert, but I am a mathematician and I am confortable with the Linux command line. This guide is for people who want to use PGP for secure messaging easily. You will need to be okay with typing commands into the Linux command line in order to do this, but I will tell you exactly what to enter.
Part 1: XMPP
Mastodon is like email, but for social media. You sign up for an account with a server, and then you can talk with any other accounts that are signed up on other servers, as long as your servers are getting along. (No one wants emails from the sketchy spam server, and we want to be able to choose between Yahoo, Gmail, etc.) XMPP (a.k.a. Jabber) is the same thing for text messaging.
Just like signing up for an email/Mastodon account, you need to sign up for an account. You can find a list of servers at list.jabber.at/ and will probably at least need to provide an email addess when making an account.
Once you have made an account, you need a client. On Linux, I've been having a good time using Dino (dino.im/). You can then enter your account name and password to log into your XMPP account and start chatting! There are both public rooms and you can also message directly with your friends.
#security #PGP #XMPP #FOSS #Jabber #Dino #MonoclesChat
(1/4)
Dino. Communicating happiness.
A privacy-friendly messaging app for the desktop. It uses the XMPP protocol and provides a clean UI with modern features.dino.im
![Flyer. Full text follows, along with a description of accompanying images:
[The XMPP logo] Introducing xampu, the XMPP themed shampoo bar!
What if your shampoo brand forced you to hang out only with people who use the same brand of shampoo? [Two people with focus lines on their hair. A lightning bolt strikes between them]
We think such restrictions are as absurd for messaging apps as they would be for hair products. [Similarly, two speech bubbles with a lightning bolt betwixt]
XMPP is a common language (protocol) that different chat services can use to talk to each other. [Image of many connected speech bubbles]
[Green banner saying] XMPP stands for "eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol". Since both those are a mouthful, people in Brazil have taken to affectionately pronouncing it xampu—which means shampoo.
[A rabbit] This shampoo bar by Beeja Botanicals is hand made using natural ingredients. It is free from harmful products like SLS and paraben, and contains no animal-tested products.
Like making your own shampoo, running your own chat server allows you to address local ethical and technical issues—more privacy? solar powered? larger upload size? integrated login?—that matter to you.
Not everyone has the time and energy to make shampoo, or to run their own XMPP server. Proceeds from this shampoo bar will go towards funding Prav, which operates XMPP services so you don't have to. [A pigeon]
Footer saying: Hair is personal. Messaging should be, too.](https://fedi.ml/photo/preview/640/643550 "Flyer. Full text follows, along with a description of accompanying images:
[The XMPP logo] Introducing xampu, the XMPP themed shampoo bar!
What if your shampoo brand forced you to hang out only with people who use the same brand of shampoo? [Two people with focus lines on their hair. A lightning bolt strikes between them]
We think such restrictions are as absurd for messaging apps as they would be for hair products. [Similarly, two speech bubbles with a lightning bolt betwixt]
XMPP is a common language (protocol) that different chat services can use to talk to each other. [Image of many connected speech bubbles]
[Green banner saying] XMPP stands for \"eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol\". Since both those are a mouthful, people in Brazil have taken to affectionately pronouncing it xampu—which means shampoo.
[A rabbit] This shampoo bar by Beeja Botanicals is hand made using natural ingredients. It is free from harmful products like SLS and paraben, and contains no animal-tested products.
Like making your own shampoo, running your own chat server allows you to address local ethical and technical issues—more privacy? solar powered? larger upload size? integrated login?—that matter to you.
Not everyone has the time and energy to make shampoo, or to run their own XMPP server. Proceeds from this shampoo bar will go towards funding Prav, which operates XMPP services so you don't have to. [A pigeon]
Footer saying: Hair is personal. Messaging should be, too.")
