Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Installation
• Configuration
• Getting Started
  • Server
  • Client
    • Registration
    • Main Window
    • Adding Friends
    • Navigating Chats
  • Final Overview
• Resources
• Contacts

Introduction

The Rust Unique Secure Talk (T.R.U.S.T.) is a secure chat application with a terminal user interface (TUI), developed in Rust. This project focuses on exploring secure communication principles and implementing a robust end-to-end encryption system for reliable and private messaging.
The core of the project revolves around the Extended Triple Diffie-Hellman (X3DH) protocol for secure key establishment. Once a shared secret is established, the application switches to AES-GCM for symmetric message encryption. Together, these algorithms ensure end-to-end confidentiality and integrity of all communications.

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/christiansassi/advanced-programming-of-cryptographic-methods-project

2. Depending on your operating system:

   • For Unix-like systems (e.g., Linux), use the provided bash scripts: server.sh and tui.sh.
     Before running them, make sure they are executable by running:

     chmod u+x server.sh tui.sh

   • For Windows systems, use the provided bat scripts: server.bat and tui.bat.

Warning

There were some issues building the releases for macOS. However, you can still run the project by using cargo run in the server and tui directories.

Configuration

You can modify the config.toml file located in the config directory to specify different application configurations:

• server_ip: The IP address of the server (default: 127.0.0.1).
• server_port: The port of the server (default: 3333).
• log_level: The logging level (default: info).

Warning

Do not modify private_key_server and public_key_server, as these will be automatically generated when the server is started.

Getting Started

Server

Start the server by executing the server.* script from the root directory. You should see something like:

Client

After the server is running, you can start the client by executing the tui.* script from the root directory.

The client operates in two modes:

• NORMAL: Entered by pressing the ESC key. This mode allows interaction with the TUI. For a list of available key combinations, check the bottom of the TUI for instructions relevant to the current window.

• INPUT: Entered by pressing the i key. As the name suggests, this mode allows you to input text into the application’s input fields.

Registration

Before using the client, you need to register by choosing a unique username. Usernames must be non-empty and unique—multiple users cannot share the same username simultaneously.

Main Window

After registration, you'll be taken to the main window. Initially, your chats list will be empty.

Adding Friends

To start chatting, you can add new friends at any time by pressing the a key in NORMAL mode.

Warning

The person you want to chat with must be online.

Navigating Chats

While in NORMAL mode:

• Use the left/right arrow keys to switch between the chats list and the selected chat.
• In the chats list:
  • Use the up/down arrow keys to navigate through your chats.
  • Press ENTER to select a chat and start messaging.

Final Overview

Here's an overview of the server and clients in action (with two clients for demonstration purposes):

Resources

Report

Contacts

Matteo Bordignon - [email protected]

Alessandro Perez - [email protected]

Christian Sassi - [email protected]