Off-the-Record Messaging is a plugin for Pidgin that facilitates encrypted and private conversations on instant messaging platforms.
Firstly, Off-the-Record Messaging ensures that no one else can read your instant messages because of its encryption feature. This means that your conversations are protected from any third-party intrusion.
Secondly, this Pidgin plugin also provides authentication, which means you can verify the identity of your correspondent. With this feature, you are assured that you are communicating with the person you intended to.
Thirdly, Off-the-Record Messaging offers deniability, which protects you from forged messages being sent in your name. Although anyone can forge messages after a conversation, during a chat, only authentic and unmodified messages are seen by correspondents.
Additionally, this plugin also comes with perfect forward secrecy, which means that even if you lose control of your private keys, your previous conversations remain confidential.
The latest release of Off-the-Record Messaging comes with several new features and improvements. The OTR button now appears in a menu, and in addition to the conversation toolbar, where it was displayed before. New icons were also added, and buddy authentication was revamped based on a user study published in SOUPS 2008. The default method of buddy authentication is now to choose a question and answer that only you and your correspondent know.
Finally, Off-the-Record Messaging supports translations in Arabic, German, Russian, and Hungarian, making it more accessible to a wider audience. With its advanced security features and user-friendly interface, this plugin is an excellent choice for anyone looking to have private conversations over instant messaging.
Version 3.2.0: N/A