MaidSafe launches SAFE Network Alpha 2

September 2017 by Emmanuelle Lamandé

MaidSafe announces the Authenticator Release of the SAFE Network. This Alpha 2 release includes a new mechanism for access control (the Authenticator) that integrates mobile platform support, as well as updated demonstration apps.

The Authenticator provides secure network access, which is now enforced by the network, automating the protection of data. It is bundled with the SAFE Browser, and in addition to supporting Windows, OSX and Linux, it now also incorporates support for Android, with iOS support in the works. While these moves into mobile are a technology preview they are designed to show how the SAFE Network accommodates mobile devices. In the coming months, MaidSafe will provide mobile developers with the tools and documentation to start developing SAFE mobile apps.

The updated desktop tutorial applications are SAFE Mail and the Web Hosting Manager. SAFE Mail provides end to end encrypted email using the public key of the recipient to encrypt the message, so only the recipient can read its contents. The Web Hosting Manager allows users to create their own public ID enabling users to upload and publish content instantly. The two Android example applications are the Authenticator, which provides network access, and SAFE Messages, which facilitates end to end encrypted mail.

Work on future Alpha releases is continuing as MaidSafe expands its global development team to progress critical functionality such as an autonomous secure routing layer. This will see the network architecture become more decentralised. It will enable users to run routing nodes and provide secure transient data. There is also on-going work on secure autonomous storage with user run vaults facilitating a much broader range of decentralised apps.