Implementing the Encryption, Decryption, and SMS Capabilities.

We have finished a basic layout of the messaging screen, using a ListView to display sent and received messages.  Each message has a tag saying if it was sent or received.  We have also added functionality to the send button, allowing it to encrypt and then send messages and have them displayed on the messaging screen.  Each message also has the ability to open its own context menu, giving some basic options of encrypt, decrypt, delete, and further details. 

The encryption and decryption files had a problem with the android syntax and needed to be rewritten upon addition to the application. It is currently running on a single key, as the key generator has had problems implementing in with android, so we need to do a complete rewrite on that as well before it can be added.

We worked on the theme slightly, making a simple blue and white color scheme.  We also made an icon for the application, a blue and orange "TL" for TextLock.  Below are some screenshots to show the theme and functionality of the application:

Showing some sent and received encrypted messages

Showing the decrpyt option on the first message

Showing the first message after decryption

Showing with all displayed messages decrypted

The program can send and receive messages using the phones own SMS Manager, encrypting messages before they are sent.  For the moment it just sends the message to the phone number in the box above the "Enter a message" prompt, this is only temporary though as it will eventually be able to get the phone number from a contacts list.

We still intend on adding a main screen to allow management of multiple conversations as well as adding access to the phones internal contacts list or the option to add a new contact or send a message to a new number. We will also work extensively to get the key generator functional again as well as making a more standard message format that will include date, time and more.

Starting the Layout and UI Design

This week has been the beginning of some trial layout mockups and learning how to express that in an android application.  Victor and I have been doing research into and beginning to code the application side, using the Android plugin for Eclipse to create the .xml files.  Currently we have a working text-box that "sends" a message to be displayed on the screen using a send button, as well as the beginning of some context menus that still need to be fleshed out.  Mike has continued working on the back-end encryption.  Most specifically, re-writing our key generator to improve randomization and promote overall better coding style. 

Next week we are looking at finishing a basic layout and the applications functionality.  We will also start customizing the design of the app, giving it a theme to make it more visually appealing.  After most of the visual side is done, we will focus on making the application send data in the form of text to another phone before adding in the encryption side.

Introducing TextLock

TextLock is a new Java-based messaging application meant for Android phones that uses a randomly generated key to encrypt and secure SMS messages.

This app can be very useful for those worried about the security and privacy of messages they send.  With the extreme prevalence of text messaging in today's society, as well as the potentially increased volume of sensitive data through those messages, an app such as TextLock can provide an easy to use, but very reliable safeguard.

Currently we have been working on the cypher that we use to encrypt our text, with a mostly working prototype uploaded to Github.  We will still need to create the application around it, incorporating it into an actual messenger, as well as designing and programming the UI.