- From: Andrew Sutherland <asutherland@asutherland.org>
- Date: Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:49:13 -0800
- To: public-identity@w3.org
On 11/25/2011 09:35 AM, Anders Rundgren wrote: > IMHO, key backup must be an intrinsic feature of a message based > encryption system. This is probably why message based encryption > haven't made it in the consumer space; it is really messy. > > "cloud-sync" or whatever the proper terms is then becomes more or > less required as a lighter alternative to explicit key backup. Yes, this is important, and it is indeed messy. Although it would simplify my life if the crypto API enabled this from within content, I would worry that it would be a foot-gun by allowing a single successful attack on a JS based app to leak the keys. I believe the need for backup could be accomplished by 1) allowing browser synchronization mechanisms (ex: Firefox Sync) to backup the keys and 2) allowing browser extensions to also get at the keys (preferably with granular authorizations to touch the keys by origin). This would allow web-based messaging applications to be secure in an introductory usage phase that requires no special privileges, and then subsequently 'upgrade' to a more full-featured implementation that does. Andrew
Received on Friday, 25 November 2011 18:49:44 UTC