

Since the Keybase app checks the proof, it avoids trust on first use. If the recipient doesn't have a Keybase account, and later signs up and proves the link between the online account and their devices, the sender's device will rekey the message for the recipient based on the public proof they posted, allowing them to read the message. If the recipient (the online alias owner) has an account on Keybase, they will seamlessly receive the message. A distinguishing feature of Keybase Chat is that it allows Keybase users to send messages to someone using their online aliases (for example a reddit account), even if they haven't signed up to Keybase yet. Keybase Chat is an end-to-end encrypted chat built in to Keybase launched in February 2017. Each device is also given a per-device NaCl (pronounced "salt") key to perform cryptographic operations. Each device running the client app is authorized by a signature made either by another device or the user's PGP key. The app offers additional features to the website, such as the end-to-end encrypted chat, teams feature, and the ability to add files to and access private files in their personal and team Keybase Filesystem storage. In addition to the web interface, Keybase offers a client application for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and most desktop Linux distributions, written in Go with an Electron front end. This makes identity proofs publicly verifiable – instead of having to trust that the service is being truthful, a user can find and check the relevant proof statements themselves, and the Keybase client does this automatically. Instead of using a system such as OAuth, identities are proven by posting a signed statement as the account a user wishes to prove ownership of.

Keybase allows users to prove a link between certain online identities (such as a Twitter or Reddit account) and their encryption keys. On May 7, 2020, Keybase announced it had been acquired by Zoom, as part of Zoom's "plan to further strengthen the security of our video communications platform". In general, Keybase allows for any service with public identities to integrate with Keybase.

Keybase has supported Coinbase identities since initial public release, but ceased to do so on March 17, 2017, when Coinbase terminated public payment pages. It also supports Bitcoin, Zcash, Stellar, and QRL wallet addresses. Keybase supports publicly connecting Twitter, GitHub, Reddit, Hacker News, and Mastodon identities, including websites and domains under one's control, to encryption keys. Files placed in the public portion of the filesystem are served from a public endpoint, as well as locally from a filesystem mounted by the Keybase client. Additionally it offers an end-to-end encrypted chat and cloud storage system, called Keybase Chat and the Keybase Filesystem respectively.
Keybase logo how to#
For more information on downloading Keybase to your phone, check out our guide: how to install APK files.Keybase is a key directory that maps social media identities to encryption keys (including, but not limited to PGP keys) in a publicly auditable manner.
Keybase logo mac os#
It’s important to mention that all messages are secure and use end-to-end encryption, and they can survive and transfer, with encryption, to new phones and platforms.įurthermore, Keybase is a completely free application that’s open source, and that’s work on lots of other platforms, including Mac OS and Linux. Furthermore, users don’t need to know someone else's number or email in order to contact him. Keybase is not so much a messaging application as it is messaging platform since it can interface with so many other platforms.
