Status - P2P Messaging | Crypto Academy / S5W5 | Homework Post for @wahyunahrul
Introduction.
Image designed by me on Snappa
It's another crypto week and I am excited to be a part of professor @wahyunahrul's class on Status - P2P messaging. This involves a decentralized way of sending messages and crypto to people with a high level of privacy.
I would now like to present my work to the task given.
Give your opinion on the existence of Status on the current messaging app?
The Status app is a decentralized social media app that serves 3 purposes; to be a messaging app, a web3 browser and a crypto wallet. The app uses a peer - to - peer system for its functions and hence does not involve third parties.
Status app was introduced in 2017 by developers Carl Bennet and Jarrad Hope. Because of the problems or limitations of the centralized messaging apps like watsapp, instagram, facebook and twittter, crypto enthusiasts decided that privacy is very important and since centralized apps are not willing or cannot provide users their required privacy, these developers and other crypto enthusiasts decided to create messaging apps that take care of this problem.
Carl and Jarrad decided to create or develop the Status app that will primarily be used as a messaging app but will give complete and total privacy to its users. For this to be realistic, Status app needed a system different from the centralized ones and hence it uses a blockchain system.
We are aware that cryptocurrencies run on blockchains and because of this are decentralized, transparent and very secure. And so since decentralized blockchains have been tried, tested and proven, the developers decided that Status will run on the Ethereum blockchain system.
With the Status App, users can chat anonymously or not anonymously directly with their friends or other people on the platform. Users can engage in group chats of various topics like topics of crypto, defi, etc that the chat feature of Status provides. Users can engage in this chats by using the links or hashtags that have been provided in the chat feature of the platform.
The Status app is very secure to use because it runs on the Ethereum blockchain. The keys of the app are given to the user and so the user is in complete control of the account. It's very easy to register or create an account because you do not even need your mobile number or email. All you need is to have the keys generated and stored safely.
One very remarkable feature of the Status app is that it has a crypto wallet where you can store your crypto assets and tokens. You can manage your assets directly form the app and as well buy assets using the Status app.
The Status app also bridges the gap with the defi or dapps world. Since a lot of the dapps are Ethereum based, the Status app has a web3 browser that allows users to have direct access to the dapps of Ethereum. You can directly perform transactions by connecting the web3 browser to your Status account wallet.
Another thing is that users can directly have their say as to how they want the projects of the platform to go or the developments of the platform. Users can take part in this governance by acquiring the platform's native token; SNT. It's an ERC-20 token and so allows users to vote on matters of the Status platform.
Status App completes transactions directly between users by the use of smart contracts and so there is no need for third parties and this gets rid of the need for a central authority.
Because of all these stated above and so much more, my opinion on the Status App is that it is a very good initiative I think will be the one for the future. The only thing is that it needs more publicization and more education.
What Is The Message Delivery Mechanism Used In Status? Give a complete explanation along with illustrations with pictures.
The message delivery system used by Status is peer - to - peer and end to end message encryption. Status uses the private key mechanism to protect an deliver messages.
Status App uses a blockchain like already stated and end to end message encryption. This means that when user A sends a message to user B, the message is immediately encrypted and converted into machine language by user A's public key.
When the encrypted message gets to user B, user B uses his or her private keys to decrypt the encrypted message into readable format. Private keys are unique to every user and so only the user that the message has been sent to can use his or her private key to decrypt the message. Because of this, no one else can read the message intended for user B.
Status uses blockchains and every confirmed message or transaction has its unique hash and is stored on the blockchain. Blockchains consists of several blocks that are connected on millions of servers making it difficult to edit stored information.
Because status uses blockchains to store their data, it is nearly impossible for hackers or users to delete or make changes to messages and so it makes Status transparent and very very secure.
Let's consider the image below;
In the image above, the sender sends a plain text to the receiver but that plain text is encrypted with the sender's public key. The receiver receives the encrypted message but uses his or her private key to decrypt the message back into plain text.
This shows the message delivery system of the Status App.
What Distinguishes The Key Cards Offered By Status With Hardwallet In General? What's Unique About It?
The Status Key card is similar to hardware wallets like trezor. The status key card is purchased for about $25and it allows us to store our private keys offline.
What differentiates keycard from status with other hardware wallets like trezor is the underlying technology they are based on or they work on. Status keycard uses the technology known as Near Filled Communication (NFC).
This NFC technology ensures wireless and contactless means of key storage and access and doesn't require anything special to transfer the private keys to the user's gadget.
All you need to do to access the private keys is to bring the status key card close to your smartphone while performing a transaction and the Status App will automatically detect the card and sign the transactions by entering the private keys.
One very important and fascinating thing about the Status key cards is that it is believed that even when your card is stolen, no one can still access your keys. This is as a result of Common Criteria EAL5+.
To prevent people from making transactions with your device and account, the Status keycard has a 2FA or 2 factor security login system where users can set pins to lock the key card.
How To Create An Account On Status App.
Before we can create an account on the status app, we have have to download on our desktop or mobile device. For this task, I will download and create an account on status app using the mobile version.
Downloading The Status App.
- Launch the App store or visit Status.im
Search for Status Crypto App and click on enter.
Click on "Get" from the first result.
- Confirm the download.
- Wait for the app to download.
- The Status App is downloaded and installed.
Creating An Account On Status App.
- Launch the installed status app.
- The homepage of status app is launched.
- Tick "I accept Status terms of Use" and click on "Get Started".
- Click on "Generate Keys".
- From the 5 chat names displayed, select one of them and click on next.
- Select how to store the keys and click on next. I select this device.
- Enter new password and confirm it. Click on Next.
- Account on Status App is created. Click on" Let's go" to get started.
Steps For Backing Up Recovery Phrases For A Complete Status Account
- Login to Status App and click on the profile icon at the right bottom corner.
- Click on "Privacy and security.
- Click on "Back up seed phrases".
- Click on "Okay, continue" to reveal the seed phrase.
- Write down the seed phrase and save it somewhere safe preferably offline. Click on "Next".
- Enter the seed phrase you are required to enter. I was required to enter seed phrase number #8. Click on "Next".
- Enter another seed phrase. I was required to enter seed phrase number #2. Click on "Done".
- Click on "yes" to confirm that you will not be able to see the seed phrase again.
- Click on "Okay, got it" to confirm the back up of your seed phrase.
Explore all the features in the Status application
- Chat.
The chat feature of Status App is used to chat. With this feature there are public and private chats. Users can get into public chats by selecting any of the hashtags like #crypto, # status, #markets, #defi, etc. Users use these hashtags to enter into topics of interest to engage in conversations with people.
Users can tap the + button to start chats.
- Websites or Web3 browser.
Websites feature is used by the users to search for websites.
- Dapps.
The dapps feature of the Status Apps allows users discover various decentralized applications (Dapps) since the Status App supports Dapps.
- Crypto Wallet.
The crypto wallet feature is used by users to store their crypto assets. Users use this wallet to directly store the crypto assets of the Ethereum blockchain in Status App. This feature can also be used to directly buy crypto and to directly manage the crypto assets like sending them to different accounts.
- Status.
The Status App is a social media app where users can send messages to each other and like WhatsApp that has a Status feature and Snapchat and Instagram that has a story feature, the Status crypto app allows users to upload "status" like what is done on WhatsApp.
- Keycard.
The keycard feature of Status entails a hardware device that users who want to have access to it must purchase it for about $25. This keycard is used to store the private keys offline and used to sign transactions
- Profile or Settings.
The settings feature allows users to do a lot of changes. Things you can do in settings include; enter a name that is considered as "universal" and can be used as identification. You can also change notification settings and appearance here. It is also here in advanced settings that we can back up our seed phrase, change the network among others.
Users can also sign out from the App using the settings feature.
Show how to connect the Crypto Wallet in your Status account with a DApp using Web3 Browser
- Login to the Status App and click on the browser icon; the second icon on the homepage.
- Click on "discover dapps".
- At the bottom of the page, click on the 3 dots.
- Click on "connect wallet" from the displayed options.
- Click on "Allow".
- Status account wallet is connected to the Web3 browser.
Create a new Crypto Wallet account in the Status app
- Login to your Status App and click on the crypto wallet icon or button; the third icon.
- Click on "Add an account".
- Click on "Generate an account".
- Enter password, account name and account color.
- Click on "Add an account"
- New crypto wallet account is created with the name "Chenty 1".
Show How To Connect A Separate Crypto Wallet To The Status App.
I would like to show how to connect my trust wallet to the status app.
- Login to the Status app and click on the wallet icon.
- Click on the Status app wallet at the top to display (Ethereum account) .
- Click on the 3 dots at the top of the screen.
- Click on "account settings".
- Copy the wallet address.
- Login to the intended crypto wallet (trust wallet) you want to connect the status app to and click on "settings".
- Click on "wallets".
- Click on "+" at the top right hand corner.
- Click on "I already have a wallet".
- Click on "Ethereum.
- Select the import type. Since I'm using my wallet address, I selected address. I pasted the wallet address and clicked on import.
- Wallet is imported. My Status App account is connected to trust wallet.
Conclusion.
I am very grateful to professor @wahyunahrul for this very informative class on the Status app.
Status is a decentralized social media app that allows crypto enthusiasts to chat or interact, store their assets and have endless access to decentralized applications, dapps.
Status app is available on the app store and playstore. Users who hold the platform's native token, SNT can take part in governance and vote to decide on the future of the platform's future.
Status runs on the Ethereum blockchain and bridges the gap between dapps. It's users have direct access to the dapps of the blockchain and can perform transactions directly.
The features of Status are; keycard, account generation, chat, web3 browser, etc.
With more education and publicization, the Status app will be used by more people as I believe it is the future.
Thank you.
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