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Element X, Call and Server Suite are production ready (element.io)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

129 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Element is launching the world’s first communications platform based on the upcoming Matrix 2.0 release. The result is blazing performance which outperforms the mainstream alternatives - across a decentralised system that enables self-hosting and end-to-end encryption - as well as open standard interoperability to revolutionise real time communication between large organisations.

Built on Matrix 2.0, Element X now rivals the performance of centralised consumer messaging apps, empowering organisations to address the shadow IT issues caused by consumer-grade messaging apps in the workplace.

The new Element communications solution consists:

Element X, our next-gen app with an array of new features

Element Call fully integrated into Element X, for native Matrix-encrypted voice and video

Element Server Suite, our backend hosting solution for powerful admin control and Matrix 2.0 performance

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Is everything encrypted yet? Or do they still allow users to send unencrypted messages?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Unencrypted messages are useful for very large rooms, where encryption doesn't provide meaningful more privacy since public rooms have to be considered public space anyway. Encryption does have overhead, so it makes sense to disable it.

Private rooms are E2EE by default and can't be created unencrypted (at least in the Element X mobile UI). This is a good way to handle it IMO.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Encryption is, what, a 10% hit? I (and most companies) would gladly take that tax to ensure that it wasn't possible for me or anyone in my org to accidentally send an unencrypted message.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

10% of what? keys are regularly rotated, per-member, and it would soon cost a lot of storage to store historical keys for very large rooms (by their member count)

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 month ago (3 children)

Sounds like a design flaw. How does this work with other messengers that don't allow users to send unencrypted messages, like Wire, Signal, and WhatsApp?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Groups have an encryption key that I guess you receive from other members upon joining.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

(part 2) it doesn't seem that signal has such a limit. maybe they're just fine with using relatively a large part of their data for key storage

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

probably the same way, and probably with an upper limit on group chat member count

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

They still allow it