SAMVAD – A Secure Unified Communication Solution for Collaborative Working around the Globe

Samvad supports both Call & Chat for sharing of text, image, audio, and video files

The lockdown and the post-Covid era, have brought an ever-increasing demand for solutions to ensure secure communications between employees (who work from home) and their offices while ensuring a seamless exchange of confidential corporate data.

•             Location of chat server outside the organization

•             No security of the messages transmitted

This exchange of data has to be facilitated over a user’s device through open public internet services. The available applications in this regard, had some major security concerns, such as:

•             Data can be stolen by a malware attack

In order to mitigate this concern, C-DOT started work on developed an easy-to-use application in the form of ‘SAMVAD’, an Android and iOS App which provides a secure environment for a healthy collaborative workspace distributed across the globe.

In order to facilitate the collaborative working and seamless connectivity of employees for smooth data exchange, Samvad supports both Call & Chat for sharing of text, image, audio, and video files. The basic underlying theme for Samvad revolves around four verticals:

•             Security Features

•             Organizational Features

•             Unique Chat Features

•             Generic Ease-Of-Use Features

The entire ecosystem focuses on “Securing the communications made through VoIP Calls, Chat Messages and File Sharing, both On User’s Device (Data At Rest) and Over TSP / ISP Network (Data In Transit)”.

User Data can be seamlessly migrated between Android and iOS devices, without any need for a Third-Party Tool. Users can take back up of their data at regular intervals and can restore it on new devices later.

This motive is served through the following methods:

•             TLS v1.3 / TLS v1.2 based End2End encryption

•             Built-in Keystore and Certificates (SSL Pinning)

•             Login/ Password and AppLock-based App access

•             Encrypted On Device Storage of Data and Messages

•             Data storage in a Private Directory

•             Message Tracking & Traceability

•             Simultaneous Information/ NEWS dissemination

The other key enablers towards the successful mitigation of the above objective are:

• In App File Viewers: All the Files, Images, Videos, and other Data shared through Samvad are visible only within Samvad and are inaccessible to other apps in the device. The In-App File Viewers support Images, Videos, Audio, PDF (including Password Protected), Text, Doc, etc.

• Tagged Messaging: Messages and Files can be tagged as “Confidential” or “Non-Forwardable” to sensitize the receiver and regulate the further spread of the information shared with him/ her. “Forwarded” Tag helps in Traceability & Trackability.

• A Sender can tag a message or file as “Confidential” to mark the information as sensitive and the Receiver will always see this tag associated with the message and can judiciously share the information further.

• A Sender can tag a message or file as “Non-Forwardable” to restrict the further dissemination of the information shared in the message or file and the Receiver will not be able to forward these to others.

• When a message or file is forwarded by any user, the Receiver will see that message with a “Forwarded” tag. This can be used by the Receiver to report the message to the System Administrator and the communication can then be “Traced” and “Tracked”.

• Off The Record (OTR): Samvad enables a user to ensure an additional End-to-End Session-based encryption of messages between Peers and verify the other Peer through a Shared Secret before initiating any communication. For this mode to be active, both the Peers need to be online. This channel gets disrupted if either of the Peers goes offline or is disconnected during the communication.

• Cross-Compatibility between Android & iOS: User Data can be seamlessly migrated between Android and iOS devices, without any need for a Third-Party Tool. Users can take a backup of their data at regular intervals and can restore it on new devices later.

• The Chat-Backup is cross-compatible between Android and iOS, i.e. a backup taken on the Android version of Samvad App can be seamlessly restored on the iOS version of Samvad App. All the Backed-Up User Data is stored securely on the Samvad Server in the User’s Private Storage and is encrypted by User-specific random keys.

• Vapor Messaging: To ensure the highest level of Data Security and Integrity, Samvad supports the functionality of Self-Destructive Messages. Under this, the messages get deleted from both the devices (sender and receiver) after being read.

In addition to ensuring secured Peer to Peer communication, Samvad also enables its users to set up Team Meetings using the C-DOT Video Conferencing Solution. Users can set up a live conference and add other team members or they can schedule a conference for a later time and invite the other team members to join same. This feature of the solution enables the participants to exploit the possibilities of Screen Sharing, Presentation Views, Multi-User whiteboards, Break-out Rooms, Live recoding for Minutes of meetings, Room Recordings, etc.

All the Files, Images, Videos, and other Data shared through Samvad are visible only within Samvad and are inaccessible to other apps in the device.

Samvad – use case / practical deployment

C-DOT Samvad solution has been successfully deployed in various departments of the Government of India including the Defence establishments and Strategic agencies.

One of the strengths of the solution is centered on the high degree of customizations that it offers to cater to the diverse deployment scenarios and specific requirements. The solution has significantly evolved and matured because of the active feedback from the customers. As a result of active engagement in the field, Samvad has translated into a rich bouquet of wide-ranging features and services.

Security has become paramount in the view of

the spate of cyber-attacks having far-reaching implications for data protection and integrity. C-DOT Samvad has been exclusively ruggedized with premium security features to meet the requirements of strategic communication.

By Anvaya Rai, COELI Group, CDOT

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