Discord Introduces DAVE Protocol for End-to-End Encryption in Audio and Video Calls

26 Sept

Discord, the popular social messaging platform, has introduced a new end-to-end encryption (E2EE) protocol for securing audio and video communications. The protocol, called DAVE (Discord's Audio and Video End-to-End Encryption), is set to be rolled out across voice and video calls, including DMs, Group DMs, voice channels, and Go Live streams.

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While Discord’s audio and video communications will benefit from this enhanced privacy feature, it is important to note that text messages on the platform will remain unencrypted. Discord emphasizes that content moderation will continue to be enforced for text-based communication, striking a balance between privacy and user safety.

“Messages will still be subject to our content moderation approach, allowing us to continue offering additional safety protections,” Discord stated, reinforcing their decision to focus E2EE solely on audio and video calls.

DAVE Protocol and Its Key Features

The DAVE protocol has been designed with security and transparency in mind. It has undergone an external audit by Trail of Bits, ensuring that it is publicly auditable and meets rigorous security standards. DAVE uses WebRTC encoded transforms for encryption and employs Message Layer Security (MLS) for group key exchange (GKE).

Discord’s approach ensures that all media frames (outside codec metadata) are encrypted after encoding and decrypted before decoding by the intended recipient. This means that only participants in the session can access the media, with Discord itself being unable to decrypt it.

"Each frame is encrypted or decrypted with a per-sender symmetric key," Discord explained, highlighting the importance of session exclusivity. The inclusion of MLS ensures that new participants in a call cannot decrypt previous media, and former participants lose access to future media, adding a robust layer of security to group communications.

Additionally, Discord maintains its existing transport encryption for audio and video transmissions, further ensuring that only authenticated participants can engage in communication.

Broader Industry Implications

The move by Discord aligns with growing trends across the communications industry toward increased user privacy. Just days before the DAVE protocol announcement, the GSM Association (GSMA) revealed its plans to implement E2EE for Rich Communication Services (RCS) across Android and iOS ecosystems. As privacy concerns continue to grow, more platforms are expected to adopt similar security protocols.

Discord's introduction of DAVE is a step toward securing real-time communication, providing peace of mind for its millions of users who rely on the platform for both personal and professional interactions. However, the decision to leave text messaging unencrypted may spark continued debate.

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