What is IRCv3? What are the differences between IRCv3 and IRC? reddit / irc ---------------------------------------------------------------------- prawnsalad · 2019-09-14 23:13 IRCv3 is simply extending IRC. ​ IRC is the protocol that allows IRC servers and clients to communicate and that lets you send messages back and forth. IRCv3 adds extra functionality on top of this that allows clients and servers to talk in a more standard way and introduce new features, such as typing notifications as improved login functionality (SASL) as examples. If you don't use IRCv3 features in your IRC client or server then you will simply use IRC as normal. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2019-09-14 23:21 Is the security much better in IRCv3? I am working in a small team of devs and we were originally looking at IRC for communication, but we decided to not after we heard how vulnerable to attack it was. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- prawnsalad · 2019-09-14 23:28 IRC and IRCv3 are no more vulnerable to attack than each other. IRC is also no more vulnerable to attack than many other protocols... IRC just has a bad stigma from many many a year ago from viruses using IRC to communicate, but then they could have used MSN/Yahoo/ICQ/Email/whatever else was around at that time to do the same thing. IRC was was just the easiest for them to use. As long as you setup things correctly as with anything out there, you're all good. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [deleted] · 2019-09-14 23:54 Well, I meant with encryption. I heard IRC with E2EE is heck to set up property. And it is practically impossible to set up metadata encryption. That is what I've heard. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- trekkie1701c · 2019-09-15 12:43 Most servers offer a SSL connection which you can use for encryption between yourself and a server and its usually just as simple as checking a box and changing a port number as an end user. Server operators simply have to obtain a security certificate for it to work which is fairly easy to do (I have to do similar for a ZNC that I run and it took about five minutes? And it automatically gets renewed and tossed in the appropriate directory so that I don't have to touch it.) Most servers also mask or otherwise hide your ip address from other users, and other various bits of data (like client versions) can be lied about with setup for that depending on the client, so realistically most users will only have your nickname and any information you volunteer in chat. Server operators would be able to see your ip address and idle time. You could always use a VPN to hide your IP (though, this may get you banned if the network has had a problem with that VPN's users before; Tor is fairly often banned, for example), or you could rent a server online and run a ZNC and have that connect to IRC for you (which means that IRCOps would only have the ip address of the ZNC). There's also ways to mask your idle time, so realistically the only data someone can get about you is your nickname. Which, you're using one on Reddit so we all have that already. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- erlendse · 2021-10-23 13:07 There is no official E2EE with irc. You could send encrypted messages with some client addon but it's NOT part of irc, and would need ahead of time planning to make sure the particiants have it. The server connection can be done encrypted by adding TLS, and secures data from you to the server. It's rather common for irc servers and networks to support it. Servers CAN intercept messages going via it. So unless you trust the server admin, sending stuff via irc isn't the way. Servers in defualt configration doesn't offer it tho. The IP hiding stuff: do you really need it? Some servers allow hiding where you connect from. You trade some problems with different problems. IRCv3 is a bit more secure, since there is a mechanism to log into a account by doing various crypto-tricks instead of sending a plain password. But it is a bit more involved to set up, like client certificate, key file e.t.c. Also accounts do allow easier user verification vs. the old nickname & hostname way of doing it. Also you are totally free to set up your own servers if you want.