Finally, Mega has launched the public beta of its video and audio chat service MegaChat. MegaChat is Kim Dotcom’s browser-based app that features end-to-end encryption on calls.
MegaChat offers default security measures and a clear advantage over the compromised competitors such as Skype and Google Hangouts. Microsoft and its acquisition Skype has already been clearly sited with the Snowden revelations of being in bed with the NSA (National Security Administration).
Kim Doctom’s sites have been met with skepticism from experts who suggested that earlier versions of end-to-end encryption in 2013 of the Mega site’s were really about plausible deniability. But with the government pushing so hard to create back-doors and in some cases even putting secure email sites out of business it seems a better alternative.
MegaChat uses a User Controlled Encryption (UCE), which provides you with your decryption key, that you can send to people to allow them to access files. One of the very cool features of MegaChat is that you don’t have to install software to use it (unlike Skype). Chrome and Firefox extensions are also available to boost performance and security. It should be emphasized that MegaChat is still in Beta and is certainly bound to have bugs. It will no doubt be tested over the next few months by security experts and the public.
The ease of use is straight forward. Users simply go to the Mega site, create a free profile, add contacts and click to start the video calls. There is some limited functionality and the encryption claims have not been fully tested. So as with any too good to be true solution take it with a grain of salt.
Kim Dotcom, says that text chat and video conferencing will be added in the future to the service and is even offering bounties on any security flaws found by independent researchers. This is comforting and it shows earnest integrity for the MegaChat product…The message being: don’t hang up on MegaChat just yet.
