Background

Keeping electronic communication private has become increasingly important and difficult when mobile messaging is now commonplace. While hiding the contents of a conversation is easy with encryption, hiding the associated metadata (who is communicating with who) remains a challenge, especially if one cannot trust ISPs or proxy servers. The researcher at City, University of London has conceptualised a private and anonymous communication system called CofDrop to address the rising concern over privacy.

Technology Overview

CofDrop is a mobile and desktop application to send messages, or any file, privately and anonymously. CofDrop breaks up the route of messages, and takes advantage of public key cryptography, in order to thwart eavesdroppers. CofDrop does not put metadata or personal information at risk of compromise because of the way it works, which is like an invisible postbox.

Benefits

CofDrop enables anyone to share confidential information with journalists, police, social services, and other organisations, without fear of surveillance or tracking.

Applications

CofDrop would provide a channel for private and anonymous communication between end users (general public) and stakeholders (law enforcement agency; mass media organisation; human rights activist; intelligence agencies; government watchdog).

For enterprises, CofDrop offers a method for communications with a high level of security and minimal risk of metadata exposure.

Opportunity

The development for the prototype is underway. City, University of London are looking to collaborate with companies interested in this technology and take it to the market.

CofDrop: Secure, Anonymous Message and File Transfer

Patents

IP Status

Seeking