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Since December there's a new cross-platform server based backup: https://threema.ch/en/blog/posts/threema-safe-en https://threema.ch/en/blog/posts/threema-safe-

by dbrgn 8y ago

Since December there's a new cross-platform server based backup: https://threema.ch/en/blog/posts/threema-safe-en https://threema.ch/en/blog/posts/threema-safe-en The design is documented in the crypto whitepaper: https://threema.ch/press-files/2_documentation/cryptography_whitepaper.pdf https://threema.ch/press-files/2_documentation/cryptography_... Because the backup must be automatic, in the background and reliable, it is limited to a small size, which means that chat contents aren't backed up. But everything else (contacts, groups, key verification levels, privacy settings etc) are. You can host your own backup server. The protocol is WebDAV compatible, alternatively you can use projects like this Rust based backup server that I wrote: https://github.com/dbrgn/sekursranko/ https://github.com/dbrgn/sekursranko/

rawfan 8y ago
Not available for iOS, though.
- dbrgn 8y ago
  Already in beta, will probably be released in the coming days.
newscracker 8y ago
> Because the backup must be automatic, in the background and reliable, it is limited to a small size, which means that chat contents aren't backed up. But everything else (contacts, groups, key verification levels, privacy settings etc) are. Chat contents not being backed up is practically useless for me, and I'd guess for many other common users. While security is important, convenience is more important. Allowing backup of chat content to iCloud or iTunes or the Google account would make this more attractive. I also don't think normal non-techie users would really (want to understand) what's a Threema ID backup, Threema Safe, and all the other variations of managing data and keeping it alive over time. I'd suggest that your team focus on simplifying is part.
- dbrgn 8y ago
  If convenience is more important than privacy, then by all means, use WhatsApp! It backs up your data unencrypted to the Google cloud. Or use Telegram. It backs up your conversations to Telegram servers, where Telegram can read them. Convenient, yes. Threema values convenience, but only if it's not in violation of your privacy. As an example of this, the Threema Safe backups are anonymous. We don't know which backup file belongs to which user. This has some usability downsides, but the obvious huge upside that we don't know which backup file belongs to which user. Another example: Your avatar is not stored on any server. Instead it's sent along with your messages if it changes. This has the usability downside that people won't immediately see your changed avatar if you don't exchange any messages. However, it has the advantage that we don't know how all our users look like (in case they use a picture of themselves as avatar). As a service provider, user data becomes a liability. The less you have, the better :) In German, there's a word called "Datensparsamkeit" (data frugality) that describes this concept well.

by dbrgn 8y ago

rawfan 8y ago

Not available for iOS, though.

dbrgn 8y ago
Already in beta, will probably be released in the coming days.

newscracker 8y ago

> Because the backup must be automatic, in the background and reliable, it is limited to a small size, which means that chat contents aren't backed up. But everything else (contacts, groups, key verification levels, privacy settings etc) are. Chat contents not being backed up is practically useless for me, and I'd guess for many other common users. While security is important, convenience is more important. Allowing backup of chat content to iCloud or iTunes or the Google account would make this more attractive. I also don't think normal non-techie users would really (want to understand) what's a Threema ID backup, Threema Safe, and all the other variations of managing data and keeping it alive over time. I'd suggest that your team focus on simplifying is part.

dbrgn 8y ago
If convenience is more important than privacy, then by all means, use WhatsApp! It backs up your data unencrypted to the Google cloud. Or use Telegram. It backs up your conversations to Telegram servers, where Telegram can read them. Convenient, yes. Threema values convenience, but only if it's not in violation of your privacy. As an example of this, the Threema Safe backups are anonymous. We don't know which backup file belongs to which user. This has some usability downsides, but the obvious huge upside that we don't know which backup file belongs to which user. Another example: Your avatar is not stored on any server. Instead it's sent along with your messages if it changes. This has the usability downside that people won't immediately see your changed avatar if you don't exchange any messages. However, it has the advantage that we don't know how all our users look like (in case they use a picture of themselves as avatar). As a service provider, user data becomes a liability. The less you have, the better :) In German, there's a word called "Datensparsamkeit" (data frugality) that describes this concept well.