Private Messaging In Public Forums

We have introduced private messaging over public forums in Certisfy, ie you can create and post encrypted messages in public(online) forums via Certisfy private message links.

You can also add a Certisfy link to your profile (or an appropriate place such as a web page) that will allow someone clicking on it to create a message that can be encrypted and sent/posted where appropriate.

To allow others to encrypt messages for you, you'll first have to create a certificate if you don't already have one. Then copy an encryption URL from the certificate that you then share with others who may want to send/post a private message to you.

In cases where a private message link is via an non-trusted source (internet at large), it is best to link private messaging to verified IDs (could be anonymous), that way a user can be sure their private message is going to the expected party.

This ability is supported by allowing users to trigger the message encryption from a verification screen, meaning they'll encrypt with the certificate associated with the verification.

Private messaging via Certisfy is not breaking new ground in terms of the ability to easily take advantage of private messaging using public key cryptography, but it is a neat enhancement that Certisfy users will find useful. The ability to link private messaging to trusted recipients is also something that adds value.

Here's a demo showing how to use the feature:

Comments

From a secrecy model of information security to a usage authentication model

We continue to be plagued by data breaches, password and credit card dumps, healthcare records...etc. One of the reasons many of these breaches continue to be devastating and effective for cyber criminals is because our current information use infrastructure/architecture relies on secrecy as the primary mode for preventing the misuse of information. Secrecy simply means only the people who have the right to use a bit of information have access to it, when that assumption breaks down as it does with data breaches, the related information can lose some or all its value. For instance a compromised credit/debit card number means getting a new number. A compromised password database means changing the passwords...etc Secrecy has its use as a privacy preserving mechanism but is fairly flawed as an information usage authentication mechanism. The idea of secrecy as the mechanism for controlling the use of information is deeply ingrained, so much so that even people who should know better often...

How to prevent being scammed via phone calls using Certisfy

Just as we are plagued by data breaches because of our reliance on secrecy as our model of trust assertion instead of just-in-time information verification, we are similarly plagued by scams related to our inability to verify unknown contacts. Calls, text messages, emails, etc from unknown sources are now a major source of scams, cyber extortion and such. As was demonstrated here , Certisfy stickers backed by cryptographic certificate signatures can address this type of trust problem too. If for instance your doctor's office or other place of business that you have a legitimate business relationship with calls you, they can simply begin the message with a sticker code such as below. You can put that sticker code in the Certisfy app and verify the identity and related information, including for the contact source identifier (phone number, email address...etc). If a message doesn't start with a verifiable sticker code, you drop it immediately, this effectively kills all such ...

Using .gov Email Addresses For Age And Information Verification

Over the years we've experimented with ideas that leverage what can be thought of as civic trust infrastructure to address trust related problems on the Internet. Previously we created a browser extension and proxy service that allowed users to use access to their IRS Get Transcript ONLINE access as a way to procure trustworthy cryptographic ID certificates. Essentially treating access to the Get Transcript ONLINE service as automatic ID verification and using that to issue (via a web proxy) ID certificates. We also developed the trust relay protocol , a similar approach that leverages existing sources of trust as a means to address internet trust challenges. These experiments ultimately lead to the development of the Certisfy app and service. We have launched another significant experimental approach, leveraging .gov email addresses as a mechanism for bootstrapping a cryptographic trust chain . Think of this as a sort of web of trust implementa...

Certisfy - Bringing IRL trust to the web

Search This Blog