Cult of the dead cow, creators of infamous BackOrifice software, released a secure, user-friendly, free, open source instant messaging software to facilitate anonymous communication and secure file transfers.

ScatterChat is designed to facilitate secure and private real-time communication over the Internet.

It provides message encryption support over AOL, Yahoo! & MSN. Additionally it provides file encryption support over MSN network.

ScatterChat is is intended for non-technical audience. It provides end-to-end encryption over the Tor network. Its security features include resiliency against partial compromise through perfect forward secrecy, immunity from replay attacks, and limited resistance to traffic analysis, all reinforced through a pro-actively secure design.

According to lead developer J. Salvatore Testa II, “The anonymity and encryption that ScatterChat provides ensures that both the identities and messages of activists remain a mystery, even to well-funded totalitarian governments.”

ScatterChat uses 2048-bit ElGamal and 1024-bit DSA for encryption setup and authentication. For each new conversation, ScatterChat generates a new 256-bit AES message key, a 256-bit SHA-1 HMAC key, a 256-bit nonce, and a 256-bit AES file transfer key. It is immune to replay attacks, supports Perfect Forward Secrecy, and features limited message deniability properties.

Any one-to-one communications mechanism can be secured including most client/server systems and VoIP systems.

Note: Cult of the dead cow is a well-known international group of hackers and computer security experts.