SimpLite - freeware IM encryption

Actually this program concerns many of us users running instant messaging programs on our desktops. Let's just take an example: MSN, sorry Windows Live Messenger. Are you aware that your conversations are transmitted in clear through Microsoft servers? It is not a secret: the guys at Microsoft recognize that. I read it a year ago in a comparative test between MSN messenger and Windows Messenger. It sounds like I'm going to advertise a product, but I'm not. I'll speak here about it just because I like it. This product, in it's freeware version, is called SimpLite (developed by SecWay). This freeware version actually includes several programs, depending on the protocol that you want to use in instant messaging:

- SimpLite for ICQ/AIM
- SimpLite for Jabber (Google Talk protocol)
- SimpLite for MSN (works with Windows Live Messenger 8)
- SimpLite for Yahoo

All you have to do is install the version that meets your needs, launch it, create a key that will authenticate you on the network, and you're done. To achieve that, SimpLite puts a socks proxy server between your computer and Microsoft Messenger service. Now see what happens when a friend of yours has done the same and get in touch with him; really cool. Just privacy OK?

Now you can always go for the commercial version, called SimpPro, that has all protocols in one program, and stronger encryption, plus the ability to also encrypt file transfers. OK Skype does that already for free in his chat interface. But Skype does not allow authentification, and its chat interface doesn't match MSN. So I'd rather go for an IM solution that includes MSN + SimpPro.

One last thing, Secway is french, and that's good news !