BWI, responsible for the IT of the German army, releases the beta version of the secure messenger application 'BundesMessenger' using open source Element
BWI - IT für Deutschland - BundesMessenger
https://messenger.bwi.de/bundesmessenger
BundesMessenger shows Germany's embrace of open standard messaging
https://element.io/blog/bundesmessenger-is-a-milestone-in-germanys-ground-breaking-vision/
Developed by BWI, BundessMessenger is a government-improved version of Element, a chat app that uses the decentralized and open-source messaging protocol Matrix . It is jointly developed and maintained by BWI and Element.
A secure chat application 'Element' that allows video conferencing, voice calls, file sharing without free & no advertisement & time limit - GIGAZINE
Messenger apps such as Slack and Microsoft Teams exchange messages within the tool, so you cannot exchange messages with another messenger app.
On the other hand, Matrix-based BundesMessenger is more like an email client, allowing you to securely send messages to anyone regardless of their client, like Gmail or Outlook . communication is possible.
Interoperability is essential for establishing secure communications between governments. As an example, French government agencies have adopted the Matrix-based platform 'Tchap', which enables secure message exchange between government agencies. In order to adopt such a policy in Germany, BWI continues to develop BundesMessenger. In addition, BundesMessenger developed in Germany will be able to easily link with Tchap in France.
Also, since BundesMessenger data is never stored in the cloud, it is stored locally, so users are always in control.
BundesMessenger not only offers persistent end-to-end encryption like Element did, but it also comes with a virus scanner that automatically checks incoming attachments for added security. In addition, since the BundesMessenger system is operated by each government agency, there is no risk of unauthorized viewing of the data sent and received by the service provider.
In addition, BundesMessenger is open source, and since all the source code is open to the public, BundesMessenger is highly transparent, and as a result, it is not possible to read or track secret data by the developer of the software. .
BWI will be responsible for system maintenance and further development of the app, and BundesMessenger will be updated monthly for free.
BWI states that the goal of BundesMessenger is 'to create a modern and secure collaboration platform with Element based on open source that can adapt to the needs of the German government'.
In addition, the German administration is in the process of building a nationwide real-time communications infrastructure, which will 'enable easy connectivity between organizations', 'build a robust and resilient decentralized communications network', and ' Protected by end-to-end encryption” is the goal, and BundesMessenger is also a specification that complies with these.
BundesMessenger can be used on all common smartphones, tablets and computers and can be downloaded for free from app stores such as Apple and Android, but it was not possible to download from Japan at the time of writing.
BundesMessenger - App Store
BundesMessenger - Apps on Google Play
After beta testing, BundesMessenger will provide a demo environment in the first quarter of 2023 where you can easily try all the features of the app, and the production version will be released in the third quarter of 2023. .
Related Posts:
