Komms
Updated 21 October 2026
How encryption works
What end-to-end encryption protects in Komms, where post-quantum protection applies, and what encryption can't hide.
Private conversations in Komms are end-to-end encrypted on your device. Messages and files are locked before they leave, and only the members of the conversation hold the keys to open them.
What's encrypted#
| Conversation | Encryption |
|---|---|
| Direct messages | End to end, with hybrid post-quantum key exchange |
| Group chats | End to end |
| Private channels | End to end |
| Public channels | None: readable by anyone, by design |
| Files in private conversations | Encrypted on your device before upload |
How it works#
Komms uses MLS (Messaging Layer Security, the open standard RFC 9420) for private conversations. Each conversation has its own keys, shared only between members' devices.
- When someone joins, they can read new messages from that point on.
- When someone leaves or is removed, the keys change, so they can't read anything sent afterwards.
- Old keys are destroyed after a short, set time, which limits what a stolen device could reveal about the past.
Every message is also signed with your identity's key, so recipients can check it really came from you and wasn't changed.
Post-quantum protection, precisely#
Direct messages use X-Wing, a hybrid key exchange that combines ML-KEM-768 (a post-quantum algorithm) with X25519. This protects them against "harvest now, decrypt later": someone recording encrypted traffic today and hoping to break it with a quantum computer later.
Signatures are not post-quantum. That covers Kaspa transactions, message signatures and the credentials inside MLS. So it would be wrong to say "Komms is post-quantum". The accurate claim is that direct-message confidentiality has hybrid post-quantum protection.
What encryption can't hide#
Encryption protects what you say. It doesn't hide everything about the fact that you're talking:
- Operators who relay messages can see that an account sent something to a conversation, and when.
- The Kaspa network shows how many messages each person anchored, and when, but not their content or recipients.
- Anyone in a conversation can copy, save or screenshot what they receive.
See What others can see for the full list.
Backups and your recovery kit#
Your history backup is encrypted with a key that comes from your recovery kit. That lets you restore your history on a new device. It also means that anyone who steals your recovery kit can open your backed-up history, even though messages in transit stay protected. See Your recovery kit.