Networking & ProtocolsOpen source
Tor Encrypted Messenger
A secure, decentralized messaging client operating exclusively over the Tor network. It utilizes C++ WebSockets for real-time, encrypted communication with an ephemeral token-based authentication system.
Tech stack
- Languages
- Frameworks & libraries
Performance & metrics
- Optimized Tor handshake routines for lower latency
- High-concurrency async handling via Boost.Asio
Why I built it
Mainstream messaging applications leak metadata and rely on centralized servers. I built this application to guarantee operational security (OpSec) by routing all traffic through the Tor anonymity network, ensuring messages are only visible to authenticated peers.
Architecture & decisions
The backend is engineered in C++ using Boost.Beast for high-throughput WebSocket streams and Boost.Asio for asynchronous networking. User state is managed via a lightweight SQLite database and nlohmann/json. Authentication is handled via expiring ephemeral tokens. The frontend is packaged via Electron for local execution, communicating directly with the Nginx reverse-proxy facing the Tor network.
Key features
- 01Tor network routing for absolute anonymity
- 02Real-time bidirectional WebSocket communication
- 03Ephemeral token-based session validation
- 04Asynchronous C++ backend architecture