Peerio hands-on: This secure messaging suite packs dead simple end-to-end encryption - smithrecognot40

The nous behind Cryptocat and miniLock is back with thus far other tool designed to make your daily liveliness much guaranteed. Peerio, Nadim Kobeissi's latest creation, is a cloud-founded, end-to-end encrypted communications suite that lets you send messages and share files as easily as you use Gmail Beaver State Skype's IM tool.

For now Peerio is free, but the company does be after to impart cashed features in the prospective, such as expanded storage, according to Wired. Users currently receive 1.3GB of free storage distance.

Why this matters: Peerio is part of a new breed of encryption tools that are seeking to make assure messaging and file sharing easier. Encoding tools much as Pretty Fresh Privacy (PGP) have been notoriously problematical to use and really only agape to power users. But in light of the Snowden revelations, many developers are stepping up to assistance provide tools that encrypt and protect your information without extra headaches—making information technology more more likely that you'll keep using them and convince others to do so as well.

Hands-along with Peerio

Peerio is currently available as a Chromium-plate, Windows, and Mac programs; ambulatory Android, Blackberry bush, iOS, and Windows Phone apps are regular to follow. Erstwhile information technology's installed, you signboard-up for Peerio by providing your name, netmail address, and selecting a user make. Then you'll be asked to create a passphrase—not a parole. It has be much longer than you'rhenium believably used to creating, at to a greater extent than 20 characters.

After that's done, you'll receive a ratification code in your email. Login, recruit your confirmation code, and you'll cost asked to take one last step: creating a shorter, device-specialised PIN that lets you log-in quickly without the require to enter your longer watchword each time.

The sign-up process is arguably the hardest part of exploitation Peerio. Once that's finished you'll see a messaging suite with three tabs: Messages, Files, and Contacts.

Since this is an lengthways encoding platform, you can only use it to send messages and files to other Peerio users. Adding a Peerio contact is real easy. Just click happening the Contacts tab and and so the blue Add contact button. Here, add your contact's Peerio username, or invite them to join the table service by email surgery phone. After they accept, you'll be able to send them messages and share files.

Before you buns share files with others, you must prototypical add data to Peerio by either clicking the Upload Files button under the Files tab or through a panduriform drag-and-cast on any page. Files are then encrypted and uploaded to Peerio servers. To send them to others, just prime the filing cabinet, sink in the paper airplane icon to send it, enter the tangency's name, and it's on its way.

Once you send a file information technology creates a new subject matter low the Messages tab. Once sent, the user along the some other end has the option to download the file away to their PC in an unencrypted state. Peerio besides has a overnice feature film called Destroy that lets you pass your file from Peerio's servers and cook it unprocurable to other users—save those who have already downloaded it, of course.

Peerio's encrypted messaging is likewise really simple to use and feels like a hybrid between webmail and present messaging. To set out a unaccustomed message, open the Messages tab, select Compose Message, and create an conversation evenhanded as you would in Gmail or nicknack.

After you've transmitted the first message, Peerio whole works like IM, with replies appearing in period of time. You'll too invite pop fly notifications in the corner of your projection screen if you have the Peerio window reduced and somebody sends you a message (at least with the Chrome app).

Away default, Peerio has the habit of sending you email alerts every clock time you receive a new message—handy if you wear't have the program active, just annoying if you DO.

To turn this dispatch, hover over your identify in the upper right corner of the app and select Preferences. In the pop-up windowpane that appears unselect the checkbox below Notifications. The ability to only receive a one-on-one email alert for the first message in a new conversation, or the first-class honours degree new message in an alive conversation after a predetermined period, would be a handy feature to admit in a future update.

Encryption

Peerio deeds similarly to miniLock in the sense that your decipherment key is tied to your password. Lumber out of your app and your key is erased; log back in and decryption is practical again. The beauty of this set-up is that you can log-in to Peerio along any twist with the same watchword.

All your files are encrypted on your PC before they are sent to Peerio's servers, making it unthinkable for the company to peep at your data or admit others to do so.

Leastwise that's what we believe is the case. As with miniLock, we'll offer no more judgement on the quality of Peerio's encoding. All we can tell you is that Wired reports the code has been reviewed by Cure53—the same firm that audited miniLock. The security testing established found no encryption weaknesses in Peerio's encode. As this is a beta, Peerio may OK have vulnerabilities that feature to be resolved. Nevertheless, Peerio appears to be disconnected to a very solid part with.

Peerio is available instantly from the company's website.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/431292/peerio-hands-on-this-secure-messaging-suite-packs-dead-simple-end-to-end-encryption.html

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