Torspeak is an ephemeral, end-to-end encrypted chat tool designed for private communication. It routes all traffic through the Tor network to protect your location (IP address) and leverages AES-256-GCM encryption, ensuring that not even Tor exit nodes can read your messages.

Important:
When a session ends, encryption keys are securely wiped. Each generated onion address is one-time use—once destroyed, it cannot be reused.

• No Location Leak: Communication is routed via Tor, hiding your IP address.
• Ephemeral Sessions: Each chat session uses a unique Tor onion address.
• End-to-End Encryption: Messages are encrypted using AES-256-GCM.
• Key Destruction: Keys are wiped at session end for maximum privacy.

To initiate a conversation:

1. Open your terminal.
2. Start Torspeak as host:

   ./torspeak host

3. Wait ~10–30 seconds for the Tor circuit to bootstrap.
4. When ready, you'll see:

   SECURE LINE READY
   Onion Address: v2c3...d4.onion
   

5. Share your onion address with your friend securely (e.g., via Signal, encrypted email, or PGP).
6. Wait for your friend to connect.

If you have received an onion address:

1. Open your terminal.
2. Connect to the host with:

   ./torspeak connect v2c3...d4.onion

3. Wait. A connection to the hidden service may take a few moments.

Do not chat immediately!

Both participants will see a safety fingerprint displayed in RED:

--------------------------------------------------
 ENCRYPTED SESSION ESTABLISHED (AES-256-GCM)
 SAFETY FINGERPRINT: 8f4b2e19a0c3d4...
 (Verify this matches your peer!)
--------------------------------------------------

Action:

• Before chatting, confirm the fingerprint matches your partner’s. Read several characters aloud over a different channel or compare them securely.
• If fingerprints match: Your connection is secure!
• If fingerprints do NOT match: Disconnect—this may indicate a "Man-in-the-Middle" attack.

• You: Messages appear in Cyan.
• Peer: Messages appear in Green.
• Timestamps: All messages are labeled with your local time.

• To close the chat, press Ctrl+C.
• You will see:
  [!] Wiping session data and keys...
• The onion address is permanently destroyed. To chat again, restart the program as host to generate a new address.

• "Address already in use":
  Another instance of Torspeak is running. Make sure previous sessions are closed.

• Slow Connection:
  The Tor network prioritizes privacy over speed; expect 1–3 seconds per message.

• Stuck on "Starting Tor":
  First run downloads the Tor binary. On a slow internet connection, allow up to a minute.

• Always verify the safety fingerprint before chatting.
• Never use the same onion address for multiple sessions.
• Keys and session data are never persisted after disconnecting.