End-to-End Encryption and purple-facebook

[jeremyp3]

for several weeks now, facebook has been rolling out end-to-end encryption on messenger for all conversations.

when this end-to-end encryption is activated on a conversation, you can no longer interact with it from your pidgin. you no longer receive messages concerning it, and when you try to send a message, you receive an error from facebook: "Failed to send message".

when using the messenger application, there doesn't seem to be a way to disable this end-to-end encryption, or else I haven't found it...

in any case, I'm noting it here, because in my opinion, this will make the plugin obsolete if end-to-end encryption becomes even more widespread...

[Metalhead33]

We need some kind of fix. I wonder if there is a Facebook API for this.

[swinokur]

I've been having issues connecting to FB via both Pidgin and Miranda-NG for several days. I'm wondering if it has something to do with end to end encryption (or if it is perhaps just FB deciding to be weird for my account). I certainly didn't go and turn e2e on myself!

[swinokur]

(there's also an issue for e2e open at Miranda: miranda-ng/miranda-ng#4169)

[gergof]

Here's a whitepaper describing how E2E encryption works in Messenger: https://engineering.fb.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/MessengerEnd-to-EndEncryptionOverview_12-6-2023.pdf

It might be a good starting point for implementing this.

[Metalhead33]

So, no solution so far, eh?

[advcomp2019]

Just yesterday, Facebook wanted to me to enable E2E encryption, and now I kept on getting "Failed to send message" from Pidgin.

Beyond that, it seems to get the friends list tho.

[advcomp2019]

I just found out something by accident. Someone that does not have E2E encryption enable, it will still work just fine. While someone with E2E encryption enabled, this is just useless.

[jeremyp3]

Yes, I can confirm this. Conversations that don't have E2E activated work perfectly normally.

that's the problem :)

[TheBense]

subscribing

[Metalhead33]

This plugin has no maintainer though. And there are no forks under active development.

[DMJC]

I'm actively developing a fork now. I have the code building in Meson and am trying to figure out how to integrate the token scripts. Anyone who can explain the field names and data structures would be greatly appreciated.

[DMJC]

ok, the e2e is using signal and there is a working signal plugin for libpurple...

[usvi]

I'm actively developing a fork now. I have the code building in Meson and am trying to figure out how to integrate the token scripts. Anyone who can explain the field names and data structures would be greatly appreciated.

I got the token stuff automated in bitlbee-facebook. Food for thought: bitlbee/bitlbee-facebook#220

If you want to ask questions on IRC, I'm on Libera as usvi
Update: I saw your message, unfortunately I am travelling and was unable to reply. Normally will check IRC quite often during the business hours of Finland timezone.

[Malvineous]

there is a working signal plugin for libpurple...

If you mean hoehermann/purple-signald then it's just an interface to a locally running signald instance, it doesn't seem to handle the protocol itself at all.

[DMJC]

I've been trying to get the Bitlbee code integrated into the plugin, I need some assistance with the structures in libpurple purpleconnection in particular. My git repo hasn't got the integrations committed, my local copy compiles but won't link atm due to some broken functions. I'm not sure if I should start again with guidance, or just clean up what I've done so far. I might commit my current changes to their own branch if someone is interested in looking at it.