computer science

Olvid

Olvid is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Olvid rather than just read about it. In short: Olvid is a French-developed encrypted instant messenger app (IM) that is free and open-source. It does not store or collect any person-related data, like phone numbers.

Key takeaways

Olvid belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Olvid to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Olvid from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Olvid is a French-developed encrypted instant messenger app (IM) that is free and open-source. It does not store or collect any person-related data, like phone numbers. The instant messaging function includes sending text, voice notes, images, videos, and other files. Communication may be one-to-one between users or may involve group messaging. It is similar in function to WhatsApp, Signal app and Telegram app. The decentralized database model of Olvid differentiates it from other IMs which use a central directory to establish secure channels. Olvid collects no personal data such as phone number, name, or email. The risk of a significant hack of the database is reduced because of its decentralization. Founder Cédric Sylvestre claimed in 2020 that Olvid's cybersecurity model was "much more reliable than external storage via servers." The architecture eliminates the risk of backdoor access.

History Olvid was developed by Thomas Baignères and Matthieu Finiasz in June 2019. In January 2020 Olvid won the Prix de la Startup at the annual International Cybersecurity Forum. Olvid was selected from a field of 50 candidates for this competition. In April 2020 Olvid transitioned into a public bug bounty programme. A verification of the cryptography was provided by the CNRS' Michel Abdalla prior to that date. At the end of 2020 the desktop version of Olvid was released. In 2021, the French government's information security authority ANSSI, said that the app passed its First-Level Security Certification (CSPN, fr:Certification de sécurité de premier niveau), something that no messaging app has received before. RAID, a special unit of the Police Nationale selected Olvid for its secure internal communications in 2021. In July 2022 the team of French digital services minister Jean-Noel Barrot began using Olvid. In November 2023, a circular issued by Elisabeth Borne the Prime Minister of France called government members and government officers to replace WhatsApp and similar messengers by Olvid. The change was mandated to occur in December 2023. It was noted in December 2023 that Olvid made use of Amazon Web Services and the app was thus exposed to American laws, such as the 2018 Cloud Act which can force US companies to disclose all electronic data of a user to the US government. As of December 2023 Olvid had 100,000 registered users.

Security Olvid's website states that it is the first messenger with a guarantee that a compromised server does not impact the security of any message. The users are authenticated, but yet remain anonymous to Olvid. Though all messages transit a server, message data and metadata are encrypted on the sender's phone and only decrypted on the receiver's phone. The only data not to be encrypted is the receiver's public key, as it is required to send the message to the correct destination. The server receives the sender's IP address, but Olvid still works with any VPN service or the Tor network.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Olvid

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Olvid claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Olvid before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Olvid ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Olvid

In research: Olvid appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Olvid in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Olvid is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2019 software, Communication software, Cross-platform software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Olvid outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Olvid in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Olvid means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Olvid out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Olvid in simple terms?

Olvid is a French-developed encrypted instant messenger app (IM) that is free and open-source. It does not store or collect any person-related data, like phone numbers.

Why does Olvid matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Olvid?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Olvid.