Have you ever wondered what ensures encryption on your sent messages and files? We know most of you are mentally saying a system duh! But do any particular names pop up in your mind? Well, we are going to talk about a secure messaging & file-sharing system, stay with us for a few more minutes if you want to know more about it. The E2E (i.e. end to end encryption) centralized system that we are going to talk about is Keybase. You can trust Keybase because you can trust maths! We are not going to spill all the beans in the opening lines though. Let us follow a methodical approach to understand the most important features of this system that we will discuss in the upcoming sections of this discussion.
Important features of Keybase
The main idea behind Keybase was to make the concept of public-key cryptography more convenient and accessible for the common people. Here, we feel it important to mention that public-key cryptography offers a solution to hacking and surveillance issues that are a product of unwanted administrative control over the internet on the part of governments. There ARE other tools than Keybase, which can do this job effectively as well. However, Keybase is a convenient option for novices since it is not complicated as other options. There is so much that Keybase has to offer in terms of features. Encrypted chats, huge free cloud storage, crypto storage, secure messages.
Encryption, however, is not the only strong point of Keybase. It features instant messaging as well as team chat features, which might make you think about something like Telegram but it is something more than that. The fact that Keybase allows crypto wallets, and makes allowances for currencies like Stellar is great news for crypto enthusiasts. This little piece of information adds more value to Keybase, probably more than what you are imagining right now! We know you are craving for more dirt on Keybase, which is why we have recapped the finer features of Keybase in the following sections titled pros and cons.
Keybase pros
1- An amazing set of encryption algorithms, some of which include XSalsa20, Poly1305.
2- Users can log on using more than one device.
3- Massive open cloud storage, more than 250 GB.
4- The blockchain base style eliminates the factor of tampering.
5- No additional fee whatsoever.
Keybase cons
While three are many good things to like about Keybase, there are a few cons that must be highlighted as well. The fact that Keybase is owned by Zoom, strengthens the privacy doubts that some of you might have had earlier in this discussion. Then, the chat feature of Keybase is something that needs a massive improvement as well, since it is not easy to use. Lastly, the server code of Keybase is not open source and the smaller than average user base are other downsides of this E2E system.
Where is Keybase data stored?
The Keybase data is stored on multiple servers, primarily located in the USA. We see some raised eyebrows, and we get your point! The USA is a country where the administration is pretty keen on running intelligence ops all the time. However, since Keybase promises an E2E service of the highest quality, one can rest assured about the data privacy issues.
How to get Keybase running?
It can be a bit tricky, getting things up and running at first. However, if you follow the steps that we are going to mention in the following lines, your life will much easier for someone who is a newbie to Keybase.
1- In the first step, create a Keybase account. You can do that by clicking the login link on the homepage at Keybase. Io.
2- Don’t be distracted by anything else, just press the Join Keybase button. This will create your account.
3- Now you need to follow the action required command. One of the first things that you will need to do is install Keybase on your device.
4- Install the app from the download page.
5- Make sure that you select the OS (i.e. operating system) on which your device is running.
Miscellaneous Keybase features
We have discussed some of the features of the service in detail already. However, there are a few additional features that we feel are something that you should know before we discuss the Keybase mobile chapter. Firstly, Keybase is a great tool for anyone keen on managing their private or business coms in an E2E manner. Further, the Stellar wallet that we mentioned earlier is also a great pick for anyone who is after a secure lumens wallet. And lastly, since the service allows the users to create Keybase bots, a lot can be added to the activities in terms of functionality.
Keybase mobile
We are going to skip the nitty-gritty of the installation procedure, it is pretty much the same as installing an app on android. However, there are a few things that you should know about the mobile chapter of this app. Firstly, you will have to authorize the device you are using Keybase on with another device. Bemused much? You read that right! Secondly, staying connected online with Keybase on mobile is much easier than say a laptop, courtesy of a better user interface.
Conclusion
Well, folks that would be all from this discussion. There is so much more that we wanted to talk about Keybase and its more obscure features. But unfortunately, we have run out of the space and time we had for this discussion. While it is true that the support side of the service is not as good as one would have hoped for, there is no doubting the fact that this E2E service is quite secure. The fact that everything is encrypted by default is super underrated. We would love to see Keybase launch a business product as well shortly, but for now, the available features are more than enough for the audience using Keybase.
