TorChat was a groundbreaking, open-source, peer-to-peer (P2P) instant messaging application. Its defining feature was that it was built entirely on top of the Tor network's "hidden services" (now known as onion services), rather than relying on a central server. The core idea was simple: Every user runs a Tor hidden service (a website or other service that can only be accessed via Tor) on their own computer. Users find each other by sharing their randomly generated IDs and communicating directly through the Tor network.
In April 2014, Bernd KreuΓ abruptly removed TorChat from his website, citing:
[User A's Client] ---> [Tor Network (Onion Routing)] ---> [User B's Hidden Service (ie7h37c4qmu5ccza)]
is a peer-to-peer (P2P) instant messenger designed for extreme anonymity, utilizing the Tor network's onion services to facilitate private communication. The specific identifier ie7h37c4qmu5ccza serves as a unique 16-character alphanumeric ID, which functions as both a user's address and the underlying .onion address for their individual client. The Core Technology of TorChat
The specific string you providedβ ie7h37c4qmu5ccza βhas been historically linked to the distribution of unauthorized software or "cracks" (e.g., Windows 7 activators) and has appeared in various online forums and automated spam lists. Because TorChat is decentralized, there is no central authority to "report" a specific user ID to for removal. How to Handle or Report This Address Torchat ie7h37c4qmu5ccza 14
Note: Newer versions of Tor hidden services (v3) use 56-character addresses, providing stronger security. A 16-character address suggests usage of legacy Tor protocols or older software versions.
Because Tor onion services can receive incoming connections from within the Tor network, TorChat does not require complicated router configurations. It bypasses Network Address Translation (NAT) and firewalls natively, meaning users do not need to configure port forwarding to host a chat session. 3. Traffic Encryption
. In the context of the links found, it is often paired with the number "14" and appears in lists alongside other "new" software downloads or cracked applications.
Depending on why you are seeking a "proper report," here are the appropriate steps: Users find each other by sharing their randomly
If a contact gave you this string recently, they may be using a broken or spoofed system. Politely ask them to migrate to or Cwtch .
i e 7 h 3 7 c 4 q m u 5 c c z a βββββ¬ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ βββ 16-Character Base32 Public Key Hash (Tor v2 Format) How a TorChat ID Works
For the uninitiated, stumbling upon a string like ie7h37c4qmu5ccza 14 looks like random keyboard mashing. But for a brief period in the early 2010s, that string represented a digital hideout: an instant messaging ID that required no email, no phone number, and no central server. Today, that specific address is a relic, a tombstone marking the end of an era.
He recommended (still in alpha then) or XMPP over Tor . No official successor was released. The Core Technology of TorChat The specific string
TorChat circumvented the fundamental problem of anonymity: metadata.
prof7bit/TorChat: Decentralized anonymous instant ... - GitHub
TorChat prevents external observers from learning your physical location, your IP address, or even the fact that a conversation is taking place. Decoding the TorChat ID: "ie7h37c4qmu5ccza"