They are personal and professional lives online, communicating sensitive information over text, email, and messaging apps. While these are convenient ways to share information, pose security risks. Hackers and cybercriminals are always looking for opportunities to steal data and compromise accounts. Fortunately, there are tools available to keep your online communications more secure. One such tool is Privnote – a free online service that allows users to share text, links, images, and documents that self-destruct after being read. With Privnote, you send private messages without worrying about them being intercepted or stored indefinitely.
Private digital communication
They are many sensitive conversations happen online via text, social media, email, and other messaging services. While convenient, these digital communication channels pose risks of data theft and expose your private information to companies that may use or sell it without your consent. Some examples of information people may want to keep extra confidential include:
- Personal health updates and conditions
- Financial information such as bank account details, credit card numbers, etc.
- Private messages between friends discussing personal problems
- Work projects and business deals not yet public
- Trade secrets, confidential research, proprietary information
- Journal entries and other writings not meant for public consumption
- Political activities and opinions that could put someone at risk if exposed
- Anonymous tips or whistleblowing
- Messages between sources and journalists containing sensitive information
The list goes on. In many cases, the contents of private messages don’t need to be stored forever on servers and archives. Solutions like Privnote allow quick sharing of information that be viewed temporarily and then disappear without a trace. Some may argue that people who want privacy must be hiding something illicit. But in reality, having spaces for confidential communication aligns with reasonable expectations of privacy. Just like you the door for a private verbal discussion, online services like Privnote provide that privacy when messaging digitally.
Privnote encrypts your data
Privnote achieves its high level of privacy and security through encryption – the process of encoding information so only authorized parties access it. Privnote uses client-side JavaScript encryption, which means all encryption happens in your web browser before data gets sent to Privnote’s servers. Specifically, Privnote relies on 256-bit AES encryption to scramble your notes. AES-256 is an advanced encryption standard used globally by security experts to protect classified information. It would take today’s most powerful supercomputers many years to crack 256-bit AES encryption. So you rest assured Privnote’s methods are highly secure against hacking by decrypting data.
The cryptographic key used for encoding each note is generated randomly by your browser and never leaves your device Read full info here tornote.io. When you first create a note, the encrypted data gets sent to Privnote. But only the intended recipient with the unique URL can unlock the encryption using the key displayed on the note page.
Neither Privnote’s servers nor any hackers intercepting traffic decrypt your notes without this key. And since the key disappears along with your note after its read, the information remains protected. Even if cyber criminals could somehow access Privnote’s erased notes, they would see only indecipherable encrypted data. Privnote’s encryption implementation has undergone audits and hasn’t shown any significant vulnerability over 15 years of operation. The service continually evolves to ensure notes stay confidential in the face of new potential threats.
Tips for using privnote securely
To get the most privacy and security from Privnote when sending your sensitive texts and files, follow these best practices:
- Avoid re-using note URLs or sharing them publicly – this compromises confidentiality.
- Set an expiration time or limited views so notes delete soon after serving their purpose. Don’t let them linger indefinitely.
- Password protects important notes to add another layer of security. Use strong passwords.
- Enable link and image blocking in your Privnote settings for better privacy.
- Disable printing, copying, and forwarding when possible to prevent recipients from capturing data.
- Use Tor with the .onion address for anonymous, surveillance-resistant communication.
