Discord’s DAVE Protocol: Unbreakable Encryption for Your Calls
Discord has introduced a new encryption protocol, DAVE, designed to ensure complete security for audio and video calls on the platform. Users will now be able to communicate via Discord with full data encryption, eliminating the possibility of third-party access, including by the platform itself.
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) will now be applied to voice and video calls in private messages, group chats, voice channels, and Go Live streams. Participants in calls will be able to verify encryption and identify other participants, adding a layer of real-time security.
To develop and test the protocol, Discord collaborated with the independent cybersecurity firm Trail of Bits, which conducted an audit of the system’s code and design. The company emphasized the importance of transparency throughout the process, offering open access to the DAVE libraries and technical documentation.
The primary goal of the DAVE protocol is to ensure the privacy of conversations. No one, aside from the participants of the call, has access to the encryption keys, which change with each new participant’s connection or disconnection. This guarantees that no one can access the transmitted data unless they were present in the call at that specific moment.
Additionally, Discord has developed an open, auditable system, allowing any interested user to examine how it operates. The protocol supports participant verification through additional authentication mechanisms, enhancing trust in the security of calls.
Despite these innovations, users will not notice any changes to the familiar interface or the quality of calls. All updates occur in the background, with the transition to the new protocol happening automatically. Discord is committed to making the process as simple and seamless as possible for everyone.
The new encryption will be available on all supported devices, including both mobile and desktop clients. Browser versions may face limitations due to the workings of the WebRTC API, but developers are actively working to address these issues.
The DAVE protocol ensures high performance even with a large number of participants. The company states that end-to-end encryption will be applied to calls of any scale without compromising security levels.
Encryption is powered by the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) key exchange protocol, which ensures key updates every time the composition of call participants changes. This prevents access to previously transmitted data for those who have left the call or new participants.
Discord continues to enhance the security and user experience of the platform, with plans to introduce new features in the future that will further strengthen the protection of user data.
