Programmer's border interrogation spikes interest in Cryptocat chat service

A programmer who developed an encrypted chat service was detained and interrogated at the United States-Canada border last Wednesday —but his ordeal served to bolster interest in his creation.

 

Nadim Kobeissi of Montreal, who developed the Cryptocat service, tweeted that he was detained at the US-Canada border on Wednesday, computer security firm Sophos reported.

 

"Cryptocat usage has sizably gone up in the past 24 hours," Kobeissi said in an email exchange with Sophos' Lisa Vaas.

 

Citing Kobeissi's relevant tweets as posted by PrivacySOS, Sophos said Kobeissi was interrogated about Cryptocat, and his passport was confiscated.

 

Kobeissi said his interrogator, who claimed 22 years of computer experience, asked him which algorithms Cryptocat used and about its "censorship resistance."

 

"The project's aim is to provide encrypted communications that are easily accessible and free from the governmental or corporate interception that shadow other chat services, such as those from Facebook, Google or Yahoo," Vaas wrote.

 

"If and when the application reaches its potential, it will provide a safe way for people to communicate when such communications could put their lives at risk. Examples include communications between those who participated in the uprisings of the Arab Spring," she added.

 

But she also pointed out a spectrum of online users, from government resisters to cyber criminals and terrorists, would be interested in such an encrypted, untraceable chat service.

 

On the other hand, Kobeissi stressed his creation has several limitations. These include:

 

— TJD, GMA News