Cryptoparty

Update August 2018: A group of sudoers recently met to discuss rebooting digital security workshops. Please join the mailing list for updates and to get involved!

Every Third Sunday of the month from 2-5pm, Sudo Room hosts an afternoon of co-learning and teaching about digital security. The driving motivation of our cryptoparties is to learn about end-user security in a fun, welcoming and inclusive environment. Popular topics include: why digital security is important; strategies for activists and journalists; encrypted email; encrypted text messaging; encrypted phone calls; encrypting your hard drive; off-the-record instant messaging; secure web browsing; mesh networks; and presentations on newer projects. All skill levels welcome - bring your phone and/or laptop!

Anony Zebra, the official Cryptoparty mascot, protecting herself from Stripe Recognition

Archive

• June 2018
• October 2014
• April 2014
• March 2014
• February 2014
• December 2013
• October 2013
• August 2013

Ways To Volunteer For Non Coders

Translation Efforts:

• https://www.transifex.com/projects/p/Cryptocat/
• https://www.torproject.org/getinvolved/translation-overview.html.en
• https://tails.boum.org/contribute/how/translate/
• https://www.transifex.com/projects/p/torproject/resources/

Art:

• https://www.torproject.org/getinvolved/volunteer.html.en
• https://tails.boum.org/contribute/how/graphics/

Writing (documentation + press releases):

• https://tails.boum.org/contribute/how/documentation/
• https://tails.boum.org/contribute/how/promote/

General Resources

• https://www.cryptoparty.in/brief
• https://securityinabox.org/en
• https://www.cryptoparty.in/documentation/handbook
• http://prxbx.com/email/
• http://tacticaltech.org
• http://prismbreak.com
• EFF's Surveillance Self-Defense
• EFF's Know Your Rights
• Liberation Tech (mailing list, twitter)
• Mozilla Security notes
• Alice and Bob in Cipherspace - Fully Homomorphic Encryption
• Which Countries Actively Suppress Internet Freedom?

Recommended Software

Warning: This table is intended as a starting point for new users. Mobile devices (iOS, Android), Web-based solutions, Pidgin, CryptoCat, and ChatSecure all have known flaws or associated risks that need to be considered.

	Android	iOS	Windows	OS X	Linux	Cross-platform or Web
Email	K9	??	Thunderbird+Enigmail	GPGSuite Thunderbird, Enigmail	Thunderbird, Enigmail	riseup webmail
Chat	GibberBot, TextSecure (sms)	TextSecure (sms)	ChatSecure	Pidgin, Adium	Pidgin	CryptoCat
Network Anonymity	Orbot, OrWeb	Tor	Tor	Onion Browser	Tor	Tor
Disk Encryption	Available in 4.0+	??	TrueCrypt	Available in 10.7+	LUKS	SecureDrop, Tahoe LAFS
Password Management	KeePassX, FreeOTP	FreeOTP, KeePassX	KeePassX	KeePassX	KeePassX	KeePassX

Videos

• Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange
• How Tor Works
• Udacity: Applied Cryptography (cs387)
• khan academy: Journey into Cryptography
• Anti-Rep workshop (1/2) - Jacob Applebaum
• Anti-Rep workshop (2/2) - Jacob Applebaum
• What Happened to the Crypto Dream?

Books

• The code breakers - david kahn
• crypto - steven levy
• the code book - simon singh
• The Cuckoo's Egg - clifford stoll (fiction)

Online Courses

• Cryptography
• Cryptography II
• Securing Digital Democracy

Hosting A Cryptoparty

• Cryptoparties are best when some planning takes place before. Hold a planning meeting 1-2 weeks before the event and ping the mailing list to recruit folks who've expressed interest in helping out.
• There are handouts linked to above that can be printed out at sudo - they generally live in a clear document holder / trapper keeper labelled 'Cryptoparty' located in a crate of other trapper keepers on the middle shelf between the workshop and the bike station in sudo.
• Try to reach out to communities that should be using crypto and are generally not connected to the sudo room social network. Activists, journalists, immigrants + expats, POC, etc; Consider hosting the cryptoparty in an entirely different location.
• At least a week before the cryptoparty, get the word out:
  • Tweet/FB posts via Sudo Room's accounts (ask Jenny for info)
  • Send an announcement to the following mailing lists:
    • sudo-discuss
    • cryptoparty
    • noisebridge-discuss
• Come half an hour to an hour earlier to set up:
  • Put the sudo room sandwich board out
  • Tape up some signage on the doors if so inclined (there are some paper signs in the clear trapper keeper)
  • Find a good spot for your expected # of attendees. Check with Public School; often we have split up into several working groups using different areas of the common space, sudo room proper, and the public school room.
• Starting the cryptoparty:
  • Take notes on the wiki - set up a separate wiki page for that month's event [eg; /wiki/Cryptoparty/YEAR/MONTHNAME
  • Allow 15-30 minutes to get to a good group size to start
  • Go around the room and ask folks to introduce themselves, their level of skill w/ crypto, what they're interested in discussing or working on that afternoon.
  • Create an agenda ad-hoc and split the group as needed (pairs work great for things like helping someone set up disk encryption)
  • Have fun! Encourage wide-ranging discussion but step in if things start to get to technical. Keep focus on those who are newer to the topic and have specific things they want to accomplish.

Flyers and Handouts

• Tools for Protecting Against Online Snooping
• Security Overview (work in progress, don't print)
• Minimum Security Requirements

Current Flyers

A flyer for hosting a cryptoparty at sudo room every "3rd Sunday":

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  (png)

• 

  (svg)

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  (pdf)

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  (plain svg)

Historic Flyers

Cryptoparty flyer.