Photo: Cult of the Dead Cow
“Cult of the Dead Cow unveils Veilid at DEF CON, marking its official launch.”
Hacking group Cult of the Dead Cow (cDc) has launched an open-source tool called Veilid at the DEF CON conference. Veilid aims to empower developers to build secure applications and combat the commercialization of the internet. The tool offers features such as allowing users to opt out of data collection and online tracking.
cDc leader Katelyn “medus4” Bowden expressed concerns about the internet becoming more focused on monetization rather than knowledge sharing. Bowden stated, “Our vision for the internet is to restore its open landscape, free from the monetization of our personal data.”
Similar to other privacy products like Tor, cDc emphasized that Veilid was created without a profit motive, focusing instead on promoting ideals. The group took a dig at the competing conference Black Hat, suggesting that those seeking financial gain would be attending that event instead.
During the DEF CON conference, cDc hacker Christien “DilDog” Rioux described Veilid as a combination of Tor and IPFS. Tor is a privacy-focused web browser associated with the “dark web,” while IPFS is an open-source protocol for decentralized data sharing.
Rioux explained that the security of Veilid would strengthen as more people use the network. The concept is based on the mutual aid principle, where the network benefits from the popularity of individual apps, as they contribute to the routing nodes that make up the network.
VLD0 is the cryptographic framework behind Veilid, incorporating existing cryptography frameworks like Ed25519 and xChaCha20-Poly1305. The group plans to support updates to the cryptographic system to ensure ongoing security.
Bowden stated that Veilid aims to create a more user-friendly internet with enhanced privacy and reduced advertising. The first app to be built on the framework is Veilid Chat, a messaging app similar to Signal. Bowden highlighted that users can sign up without providing a phone number to minimize personal identifiers.
cDc is in the process of establishing a community and foundation to support the Veilid project. Bowden expressed that some individuals struggle to comprehend the group’s non-profit motive and its focus on privacy.
cDc, known as the “original hacking supergroup,” has a history of hacktivism and has contributed to the development of Tor. Notable members include former US representative Beto O’Rourke.