Compatibility Issue with Nym Connect on Librem 5

Hardware Librem 5
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Hello everyone,

  1. According to the official website of NYM, NYM Connect is described as: Nym Connect is a security application available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It enhances the security of applications like Telegram and Matrix by securing content, IP addresses, and communication patterns. NymConnect privacy-enhances your apps and wallets by protecting not just the content, but also your IP address and your communications patterns. This means nobody can trace who you are communicating with or de-anonymize you!
  2. The Problem: I’ve discovered a compatibility issue. Nym Connect, designed for AMD64 architecture, doesn’t seem to run on my Librem 5 device, which operates on ARM architecture. This mismatch is preventing me from using the program effectively.
  3. Seeking Assistance: Any insights on resolving this issue? Know of alternative programs compatible with Librem 5 for securing communications? Your help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    It’s disappointing that NYM Connect, a security-focused application, isn’t compatible with Librem 5. This mismatch raises concerns about missed opportunities to strengthen user privacy and security. Hopefully, solutions or alternatives can be explored to address this compatibility issue.

Thank you all, and apologies for any language or communication shortcomings on my part. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

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Maybe you can contact them via one of their community channels (Nym | The Next Generation of Privacy Infrastructure) to ask them about an eventual ARM version for Linux
Worst case scenario : They may tell you they don’t have this on their roadmap
Best case scenario : They may tell there is a way to it
In either case, you are signaling interest from the Linux community

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Ay, L5 can’t change it’s architecture but NYM could make their app compatible.

Some of what NYM is selling seems interesting and some of it does not. NYM is essentially offering what TOR does (“Nym protects internet traffic by routing it through a decentralised mixnet…”) but they’ve included some buzzword tech (“… that can be accessed anonymously using zk-nyms”) with blockchain tokens as a currency incentive. Packets potentially getting routed through more nodes (“mixed”) seems to be the main selling point. I wonder how tested that is and what the performance (and mining) cost may be - does it add any more value to a proven onion concept…?

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Use a toolchain to cross-compile an ARM64 build.

Too many for various threat models. Here is a list of apps that use the Tor network, although they may also be AMD64 only:

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Let’s not forget the possibility of setting up TOR for all coms. And TOR-browser on L5/Arm.

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I spoke to them on discord and when I got them to understand me they left the message on read and have not answered.

Thank you for your answer

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you’re right, maybe it’s just marketing and it’s the same thing tor has always done.

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thank you very much for your answer, I will check the list you have shared, thank you very much.

question: are these apps really safe?

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And is TOR really secure? Are the connections you make for routing secure?

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All security is relative and secure/private only up to a point and in limited context. With TOR I remember having read something about that there are ways that users can make mistakes with it and websites can use javascript to which (intentionally or not) may leak info - which both the user can do something about. A more upper level threat was the idea that some entity would gain control of enough (exit?)nodes to surveil the traffic of most of the network. But I’m not sure if those same or similar problems aren’t present with this other onion-type network as well: users can make mistakes and leak info in various ways, the system may have bugs, connections bypassing intended network routing (for efficiency) can happen for various reasons and the system is an answer only to certain risks - not all. TOR at least has been around for some time and it’s limitations are known - open software and all that.

It boils down to what has been said here before: each has their own threat/risk profile and defenses need to be build against that. TOR and similar are one part of the toolbox or a layer of the layered security onion - not a silver bullet. There are tradeoffs too. But, yes, it does add to security and privacy.

For further reading, to start with, I suggest: What protections does Tor provide? | Tor Project | Support and maybe sites like What is the Tor browser and is it safe? or Dark Web Browser: What Is Tor, Is It Safe & How to Use It | Avast.

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It depends on your threat model.

Yes, but see the above post for various resources.

Yes, if any relays stop responding, your circuit will automatically be rerouted.

Any further questions can be forwarded to the Tor Project Forum, where I and others can address them.

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hii, its been a while. just yesterday i saw a talk in youtube between nym and Purism CEO’s. so i think in a future it will be a compatibility between the services.

if anyone is interested in the video:
https://www.youtube.com/live/ExCcb3yI8Gc?si=cUsLPn8Sxg379rqK

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In the video was mentioned the passing of prof. Anderson. For anyone interested, take a look at his book, made available for free: search “Security Engineering” (2nd or 3rd ed.)
And on his webpage there are his lectures: Security Engineering - A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems

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