Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#1

Post by lisper » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 3:25 PM UTC

Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client
arxiv.org

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#2

Post by dorfsmay » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 3:50 PM UTC

I personally have started to use enigmail in Thunderbird a lot more since it has its newer, much more intuitive interface.

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#3

Post by stuaxo » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:01 PM UTC

This is something that the UX people of gnome could actually be useful for..

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#4

Post by snassar » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:04 PM UTC

This paper should be titled: Why Johnny Still, Still Can't Use Mailvelope: Evaluating the Usability of Mailvelope.

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#5

Post by pen2l » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:13 PM UTC

Should be considered with moxie's piece: http://www.thoughtcrime.org/blog/gpg-and-me/

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#6

Post by jokoon » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:15 PM UTC

Isn't there a firefox extension that can just do some PGP stuff with some right click in gmail ?

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#7

Post by longlivegnu » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:17 PM UTC

I mean using (Keybase) https://keybase.io/ is pretty easy

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#8

Post by diafygi » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:25 PM UTC

jokoon wrote: post #6

Isn't there a firefox extension that can just do some PGP stuff with some right click in gmail ?

Yep! https://www.mailvelope.com/

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#9

Post by squidlogic » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:25 PM UTC

I think of it like this: usability can be a security feature.

If you build a "perfectly secure" piece of software, but it takes a very high level of skill to use it, your users will use something else that is easier to use, but less secure. And then how has your ideologically perfect piece of software helped improve their security?

If you make tradeoffs for usability, you will raise the bar because people will actually use what you make.

Re: Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

#10

Post by bluegate010 » Sat, Nov 07, 2015, 4:25 PM UTC

Hey HN, I'm one of the authors on this paper. I'd be happy to answer any questions.