[pkg-otr-team] Bug#766936: Bug#766936: Bug#766936: [libotr5] Extended description: "Deniability" is not a feature per se

[intrigeri]

Hi,

Ximin Luo wrote (28 Oct 2014 01:11:27 GMT) :
> Both of you are right in some degree. Deniability is indeed a secondary property of
> the underlying authentication system (note: *not* encryption system as Harlan said).
> It makes no sense without authentication. However, I'm neutral as to merging the
> two points.

With OTR, users get deniability, which is an important feature for
them. It seems to me that most users don't care at all that
deniability is a secondary property of the underlying authentication
system. If we have to make a choice, I'd rather focus on what is
important from the user PoV. It may be that we don't have to make
a choice, see below.

> A related point is that "forward secrecy" is a secondary property of the underlying
> encryption system. It makes no sense without encryption (i.e. confidentiality).

> Personally, I like to introduce these concepts as "forward-secure
> confidentiality" and "deniable authentication".

I suspect that with all this info in hand, someone who cares strongly
about this could come up with a phrasing that:

* structurally, focuses on users' needs, and features they can see
* manages to sneak in the correct terminology that Ximin is proposing,
  somehow

Any taker?

Cheers,
-- 
intrigeri