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Dead Man's Switch

deadmansswitch.org

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Re: Dead Man's Switch

#81

Post by smithzvk »

arielweisberg wrote: post #30
eudox wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Obviously the solution is a DeadManSwitchCoin.

I proposed this in an earlier thread and got some push back on the utility of the concept https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6509824

Hey, that is an interesting idea that I have often thought about before, but have not been able to wrap my head around how this could be done. Are there any links/literature you can point to for techniques that sort of fit this bill?

I almost imagine doing something like this in a physical system is easier than at the cryptographic level, but that probably is to be expected considering my physics background. I mean, using quantum phenomena seems to be an obvious way to do it this albeit completely infeasible at this time.

Re: Dead Man's Switch

#82

Post by eurleif »

eplanit wrote: post #62

I like it. There should also be a "delete" feature in addition to notification. Sort of a self-destruct dropbox (in the generic sense) to contain your most private and personal data -- bits you want to "take to the grave" with you, so to speak. They only exist there for as long as you respond to the ping, otherwise they're deleted. Maybe it's already thought about by the creators, but it's not apparent in the descrip…

Meh, why not just store them locally (or on Dropbox) encrypted with a key only you know?

Re: Dead Man's Switch

#83

Post by bigmario »

I don't think anyone's said it yet, but... this is what an attorney is for. This website is stupid.

It's bad enough to trust any confidential information completely to a third party, let alone a website that could lose your information or go defunct in a few years. At least disclosures to attorneys are legally protected to the n-th degree, and the business is brick-and-mortar with a known location.

Add to that the fact that a regular e-mail is something that could easily be forgotten about, caught by a spam e-mail, lost when you switch accounts, etc. The problems with this idea are endless

Re: Dead Man's Switch

#84

Post by rwallace »

I'm curious, when would you actually use this?

I mean obviously the imagination readily conjures up movie scenarios, 'if anything happens to me your nefarious plans for world domination will be sent to the New York Times!' but in real life the evil overlord could counter that in half a dozen ways.

Is anyone here looking to use such a service, and if so, for what sort of purpose?

Re: Dead Man's Switch

#86

Post by bentcorner »

baby wrote: post #53
bentcorner wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> * I have to constantly check my mails to prove I'm not dead It nag mails you so you don't forget. Otherwise, add a reminder with a link to click on on the first of every month. > * The other person's mail will without any doubt change if I die in 10+ years You'll be clicking on this thing every month, I'm pretty certain if your SO's email changes you'll update it at that time. > * Can this service live up to 50+ ye…

> you're clicking on this thing every month That's a huge problem. You tell me I have to click on a link at least once a month for the rest of my life. First, I don't know if I'll have the same email for the rest of my life, if I change I'll have to think about changing that notification, that will have become spam in my mind. Second, There surely will be a month in my life where I won't check my mails. I can't think…

> That's a huge problem. You tell me I have to click on a link at least once a month for the rest of my life.

shrug from the point of view of someone who has opted in, this isn't a big deal. People don't change email addresses that often, and if you're the type who doesn't check email for longer than a month, then yeah, this isn't for you.

The bigger problem is that this service is hard to test. When you really want it to work there really isn't a second chance. Which means you shouldn't be relying on this thing 100%. It's best to put something in your will and instructions in a safe place.

Re: Dead Man's Switch

#87

Post by tempodox »

It broke: 
Could not open file (/tmp/deadmansswitch//Apache-Session-1d3379ba5947e7943750160d5cfee2c7.lock) for writing: No space left on device at /usr/local/share/perl/5.14.2/Apache/Session/Lock/File.pm line 75.

Re: Dead Man's Switch

#89

Post by kryptiskt »

jarrett wrote: post #43
john_b wrote: post #17

This is something I've thought about, and as I see it a lot of the problems common to crypto software are manifest in this space as well. Specifically with regard to security vs useability/ease-of-adoption issues. This particular implementation transmits sensitive data in the clear and does the encryption server-side, so it's hard to take it seriously except as a remote (and unsecure) notification service. Aside from…

In any protocol, how would you manage the decryption keys? If the file's owner is dead, s/he can't provide the keys. So that means the keys must be transmitted to some trusted party before the owner's death. That party could be the dead man's switch service, but do you want to trust them? I wouldn't. (Nothing against the operators of this site. It's just inherently risky to trust a website operator in this type of si…

> So I'm wondering: Is there any way to do this a) with encryption, b) without entrusting the keys to the operator of the service, and c) without informing the recipients in advance?

Give half the key to the service and half to your friends, then you're only vulnerable to a conspiracy between them. Or do some more elaborate m of n thing.

Re: Dead Man's Switch

#90

Post by blueskin_ »

simonswords82 wrote: post #7

This is an idea that has been around in various forms for a number of years. A number of other sites have popped up but like a number of people have already said, I don't trust random third parties with the keys to my online life.

Then make a key from two halves, one of which is physically in your home or similar.

I'd trust a "random" website further than google or similar.

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