5/23/22, 12:38 AM
What is Bridgefy? Offline Texting App Hit Among Myanmar Protesters
Users can share images, videos and live location as well. There is also a broadcast
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feature that allows you to communicate with nearby users even if they are not in your
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Where is Bridgefy useful?
Ideally, Bridgefy can be used in scenarios where several users are gathered in one
location. For instance, at concerts, sports events, or during natural disasters.
Mostly offline apps are used in a protest where internet services are disrupted.
However, Bridgefy becomes completely pointless if you have no other Bridegefy user
within Bluetooth range.
Is Bridgefy a secure app?
Bridgefy has assured users that it uses end-to-end encryption and other security
improvements to ensure safe communication. But, many researchers have uncovered
flaws and weaknesses that show that just about every claim of anonymity, privacy, and
reliability is outright false.
According to researchers at The University of London, the Bridgefy app can be easily
attacked by any moderate-skill level hackers. Some of the attacks can be decrypting
and reading direct messages of the users and impersonating users to anyone else on
the network.
What are the alternatives to Bridgefy?
A similar app, Firechat, uses wireless mesh networking to enable smartphones to
connect via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi without an internet connection by connecting peer to peer.
It has been used in protests in Iran and Iraq.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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