It is important to clarify from the outset that the string of characters you provided—ie7h37c4qmu5ccza 14—does not correspond to any known standard feature, command, or default identifier within the documented history of TorChat, the discontinued decentralized anonymous instant messaging program.

However, this combination appears to follow a pattern seen in two distinct contexts:

1. TorChat’s onion address format (a 16-character Base32 string, which ie7h37c4qmu5ccza matches exactly).
2. A possible version indicator or channel number (the appended 14).

This article will comprehensively discuss TorChat, explain why your specific string is likely a user-generated or corrupted identifier, how TorChat worked, its security implications, why it was abandoned, and what modern alternatives exist for truly anonymous messaging.

Why Was TorChat Shut Down?

In 2014, the developer discontinued TorChat and removed its main repository from GitHub. The official reasons included:

• Lack of time for security audits.
• Emergence of more robust secure messengers (e.g., Ricochet, Cwtch, Signal).
• Potential misuse by malicious actors, though the software itself was neutral.

Warning: Outdated versions of TorChat still circulate on third-party sites. These are dangerous—they may contain unpatched vulnerabilities, backdoors, or remote code execution flaws. Do not download or run old TorChat binaries.

C. Myth-Hunters & Conspiracy Theorists

Some believe that certain hidden service addresses (especially short v2 ones) were used by hacker groups, whistleblowers, or state actors. “14” could be interpreted as “14 words” (a white supremacist slogan), but there is no evidence linking this string to any ideology. It is most likely coincidental.

Anatomy of an Address: ie7h37c4qmu5ccza

That 16-character string is a v2 Tor hidden service address. It was derived from the first 80 bits of a user’s public key (specifically the SHA-1 hash of the key). The number 14 following it likely refers to one of two things:

1. A port number (though TorChat typically used ports 11009 or 12109).
2. A "friend" identifier from a specific client configuration file.

In plain terms: ie7h37c4qmu5ccza was someone’s username. If you added that string to your TorChat client (and they were online), a direct, encrypted, anonymous connection would establish between your two computers.

Step 3: Messaging & File Transfer

All traffic stayed inside the Tor network—never exited to the clear internet. Messages were encrypted with a session key derived from the hidden service handshake. File transfers were broken into chunks over the same channel.

Key Features of TorChat:

• Fully peer-to-peer (P2P): No central servers. Messages traveled via Tor’s hidden services.
• Anonymous: Each user was identified by a 16-character Tor hidden service address (e.g., u5l6h2v7l3k4n8qy.onion).
• No logging: In theory, TorChat left no traces on disk.
• Built-in file transfer and chat rooms.

2. Cwtch

• Protocol: Peer-to-peer over Tor with decentralized trust model.
• Address format: Ed25519 public key (longer than TorChat).
• Features: Group chats, file sharing, metadata resistant.
• Status: Beta, but usable. Developed by Open Privacy Research Society.

Shutdown

In April 2014, Bernd Kreuß abruptly removed TorChat from his website, citing:

“The concept of a pure P2P IM over Tor is flawed. I can no longer guarantee security. Please use other solutions.”

He recommended Tox (still in alpha then) or XMPP over Tor. No official successor was released.

Why Did Torchat Die?

By 2018-2019, Torchat was officially abandoned. The original developer, "prof7bit," stopped maintaining the project. Several factors contributed to its demise:

1. Vulnerabilities: Security researchers discovered that Torchat’s file transfer feature could leak a user’s real IP address under certain conditions.
2. Rise of Better Alternatives: Ricochet (later Ricochet Refresh) and Cwtch (built by the same original developer) offered more robust anonymity using Tor’s V3 onion services.
3. Tor’s V2 Deprecation: In 2021, the Tor Project deprecated V2 onion addresses (the 16-character ones). The address ie7h37c4qmu5ccza would have become unreachable, essentially locking users out forever.