Briar

Short description: Mesh-networking and messaging app

BriarInitial release| 9 May 2018; 8 years ago (2018-05-09)[1]

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Repository| code.briarproject.org/briar/briar
Written in| Java, Kotlin[2]
Operating system| Android, Windows, macOS, desktop Linux; support for Linux mobile operating systems in beta
Type| Mesh networking, instant messaging
License| GPL-3.0-or-later
Website| briarproject.org

Briar is an open-source software communication technology, intended to provide secure and resilient peer-to-peer communications with no centralized servers and minimal reliance on external infrastructure. Messages can be transmitted through Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, over the internet via Tor or removable storage, such as USB sticks. All communication is end-to-end encrypted. Relevant content is stored in encrypted form on participating devices. Long-term plans for the project include support for distributed applications such as crisis mapping and collaborative document editing.

The initial target audience for Briar includes "activists, journalists and civil society" with plans to make the system "simple enough to help anyone keep their data safe."[3] As the ability to function in the absence of internet infrastructure may also make the project valuable to disaster response and aid organizations, the developers are working with the Open Humanitarian Initiative and Taarifa.[4] Ultimately, the developers aim to create a system which is "as simple to use as WhatsApp, as secure as PGP, and that keeps working if somebody breaks the Internet."[4] It is possible for an Android device to download Briar from another Android device which already has Briar installed.[5]

Briar's source code is published as free software and the Android app is distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL-3.0-or-later license, while the desktop version is released under the Affero General Public License.[6] Briar Desktop runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Briar Desktop will also run on true Linux (non-Android) mobile phones, running operating systems like Manjaro, PureOS and postmarketOS,[7] once it has been adapted to mobile form-factors.[8]

Briar was audited by Cure53 and spoken highly of in a report delivered 20 March 2017, and was recommended to be given a second audit after development completes.[9][10] As of 2018 the project received $361,100 of funding from the Open Technology Fund.[11]

Briar uses the Bramble protocol suite (Bramble Handshake Protocol, Bramble QR Code Protocol, Bramble Rendezvous Protocol, Bramble Synchronisation Protocol, Bramble Transport Protocol) that is specifically designed for delay-tolerant networks.[12] As of January 2023, these protocols are not implemented by other messengers; Briar can only talk to Briar.

## See also

* Mesh networking
* Smartphone ad hoc network
* Specific projects/protocols
* B.A.T.M.A.N.
* Jami
* Serval Project
* Tox (protocol)
* Bridgefy

## References

1. ↑ "Secure P2P Messenger Releases First Version, Receives New Funding". Briar. 9 May 2018. https://briarproject.org/news/2018-1.0-released-new-funding.html.
2. ↑ "briar / briar · GitLab". Briar. https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar.
3. ↑ Finley, Klint (May 2014). "Briar". Wired. https://www.wired.com/2014/05/briar/.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Knight News Challenge". https://www.newschallenge.org/challenge/2014/evaluation/secure-messaging-anywhere.
5. ↑ "The 2022 review of Messaging Service Providers: Briar". 23 March 2022. https://dt.gl/the-2022-review-of-messaging-service-providers-briar/.
6. ↑ "GitLab project repository". https://code.briarproject.org/akwizgran/briar.
7. ↑ "NLnet; Briar Desktop". https://nlnet.nl/project/Briar-beyond-Android/.
8. ↑ "Briar app for mobile linux devices (#1344) · Issues · briar / briar · GitLab" (in en). 15 July 2018. https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar/-/issues/1344.
9. ↑ "Pentest-Report Briar Project App & Protocol 03.2017". https://briarproject.org/raw/BRP-01-report.pdf.
10. ↑ "Darknet Messenger Releases Beta, Passes Security Audit". https://briarproject.org/news/2017-beta-released-security-audit.html.
11. ↑ Open Technology Fund. "Projects we support - Briar". U.S. Agency for Global Media. https://www.opentech.fund/results/supported-projects/briar/.
12. ↑ "A Quick Overview of the Protocol Stack". 30 September 2019. https://code.briarproject.org/briar/briar/-/wikis/A-Quick-Overview-of-the-Protocol-Stack.

## External links

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Instant messaging

Protocols
(comparison)|

| Open|

* IMPP
* IRC
* Matrix
* MTProto
* RetroShare
* Signal Protocol
* SIP
* MSRP
* SIMPLE
* Tox
* XMPP
* Jingle
* WFP
* Zephyr
* DDP

|

Closed|

* MSNP
* OSCAR
* TOC
* Skype

Services|

* Band
* BBM
* Discord
* Facebook Messenger
* FireChat
* GroupMe
* Hike Messenger
* HipChat
* ICQ
* iGap
* iMessage
* IRC Networks
* Jongla
* KakaoTalk
* Kik
* Libon
* Line
* Marco Polo
* Palringo
* Signal
* Skype
* Slack
* Snapchat
* SNOW
* Tango
* Telegram
* QQ
* Textfree/Pinger
* The Palace
* Threema
* Tox
* Trillian
* Upptalk
* Viber
* Virtual Places Chat
* WeChat
* WhatsApp
* Wickr
* Windows Messenger service
* Yahoo Together
* Zulip

Clients
(comparison)|

| Single protocol|

* Allo
* Baidu Hi
* BBM
* CSipSimple
* Facebook Messenger
* FaceTime
* Fetion
* Gadu-Gadu
* GroupMe
* IBM Sametime
* ICQ
* IMVU
* Jami
* Jongla
* Linphone
* Palringo
* RetroShare
* Ricochet
* Riot.im
* Signal
* Skype
* Telegram
* Tencent QQ
* Tox
* WeChat
* WhatsApp
* Wickr
* Wire

|

Multi-protocol|

* Adium
* Ayttm
* BitlBee
* Centericq
* eBuddy
* Empathy
* Fire
* Instantbird
* Jitsi
* Kopete
* Messages/iChat
* Miranda IM
* Nimbuzz
* Pidgin
* QIP 2010
* Skype for Business
* Trillian
* Telepathy
* Upptalk

XMPP (Jabber)|

* Bombus
* ChatSecure
* Conversations
* Gajim
* Psi
* Tkabber
* Spark

MSNP|

* aMSN
* Skype

Defunct|

* List of defunct instant messaging platforms

See also|

* Backchannel
* Chat log
* Chatbot
* Contact list
* Emoticon
* File sharing
* Instant message service center
* LAN messenger
* Messaging apps
* Presence information
* Shoutbox
* SMS language
* Status message
* Videotelephony
* Voice over IP
* Webcam
* U-Report
* Web chat
* Circuit
* FirstClass
* Flock
* Fuze Box
* Glip
* Hall.com
* Yammer

* v
* t
* e

Cryptographic software

Email clients|

* Apple Mail
* Autocrypt
* Claws Mail
* Enigmail
* GPG (Gpg4win)
* Kontact
* Outlook
* p≡p
* PGP
* Sylpheed
* Thunderbird

Secure
communication|

| OTR|

* Adium
* BitlBee
* Centericq
* ChatSecure
* climm
* Jitsi
* Kopete
* MCabber
* Profanity

|

SSH|

* Dropbear
* lsh
* OpenSSH
* PuTTY
* SecureCRT
* WinSCP
* wolfSSH

TLS & SSL|

* Bouncy Castle
* BoringSSL
* Botan
* cryptlib
* GnuTLS
* JSSE
* LibreSSL
* MatrixSSL
* NSS
* OpenSSL
* mbed TLS
* RSA BSAFE
* SChannel
* SSLeay
* stunnel
* wolfSSL

VPN|

* Check Point VPN-1
* Hamachi
* Openswan
* OpenVPN
* SoftEther VPN
* strongSwan
* Tinc
* WireGuard

ZRTP|

* CSipSimple
* Jitsi
* Linphone
* Jami
* Zfone

P2P|

* Bitmessage
* RetroShare
* Tox

DRA|

* Matrix
* OMEMO
* Conversations
* Cryptocat
* ChatSecure
* Proteus
* Signal Protocol
* Google Allo
* Facebook Messenger
* Signal
* TextSecure
* WhatsApp

Disk encryption
(Comparison)|

* BestCrypt
* BitLocker
* CrossCrypt
* Cryptoloop
* DiskCryptor
* dm-crypt
* DriveSentry
* E4M
* eCryptfs
* FileVault
* FreeOTFE
* GBDE
* geli
* LUKS
* PGPDisk
* Private Disk
* Scramdisk
* Sentry 2020
* TrueCrypt
* History
* VeraCrypt

Anonymity|

* GNUnet
* I2P
* Java Anon Proxy
* Tor
* Vidalia
* RetroShare
* Ricochet
* Wickr

File systems (List)|

* EncFS
* EFS
* eCryptfs
* LUKS
* PEFS
* Rubberhose
* StegFS
* Tahoe-LAFS

Service providers|

* Freenet
* Tresorit
* Wuala

Educational|

* CrypTool

Related topics|

* Outline of cryptography
* Timeline of cryptography
* Hash functions
* Cryptographic hash function
* List of hash functions
* S/MIME

* Category
* Commons

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