Discord has announced the introduction of a new custom end-to-end encryption (E2EE) protocol for securing audio and video calls on its platform. The protocol, called DAVE (short for Discord's Audio and Video E2EE), aims to enhance privacy for users' voice and video communications.
As part of the rollout, voice and video calls in DMs, Group DMs, voice channels, and Go Live streams will transition to DAVE for added security. However, text messages on Discord will remain unencrypted and subject to the platform’s content moderation policies.
Discord emphasized its balance between privacy and safety:
"When we consider adding new privacy features like E2EE A/V, we do not do so in isolation from safety," the company explained. "That is why safety is integrated across our product and policies, and why messages on Discord are unencrypted."
How DAVE Works
DAVE has been designed to be publicly auditable and has undergone independent review by Trail of Bits. The protocol relies on WebRTC encoded transforms for encryption and Message Layer Security (MLS) for group key exchange (GKE), ensuring secure communication between participants in calls.
Here’s a breakdown of how DAVE secures communication:
- Media Encryption: Audio and video frames are encrypted using a per-sender symmetric key. This key is shared with participants of the call but remains unknown to outsiders, including Discord.
- MLS for Group Sessions: By using MLS, Discord ensures that new participants joining a session cannot decrypt media sent before their arrival. Likewise, participants who leave cannot decrypt media sent after they’ve left.
- Selective Forwarding Unit (SFU): Discord continues to use transport encryption between the client and its SFU, but with DAVE, audio and video data inside each packet is end-to-end encrypted. Even though the SFU handles all call packets, it cannot decrypt the content.
The end-to-end encryption of media is a significant step in bolstering privacy, allowing users to enjoy secure audio and video communications on Discord. While text messages remain unencrypted, Discord retains the ability to moderate content for safety purposes.
Expanding Encryption Efforts in Tech
Discord’s announcement comes shortly after the GSM Association (GSMA), the body responsible for Rich Communications Services (RCS), revealed plans to implement E2EE for messages sent between Android and iOS devices. This growing trend highlights the increasing demand for secure communications across platforms.
