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Encryption

On regular computing systems, data is stored as "plaintext", which means that sysadmins (and possibly those with unauthorised access) can potentially read that data.

And that's where End-to-end Encryption (E2EE) comes in.

End-to-end Encryption (E2EE) is a private communication system in which only communicating users can participate

This technique enables private, secure data transfer between your public and you.

Setting up E2EE

Each user has one set of keys, known as a 'Key pair'.

To encrypt your forms' answers you must first generate your personal key pair.

Go to the E2EE option on your Profile page.

Screen shot of personal key generation

When you create your key pair, two mathematically bound keys are created:

  • A public key that converts plain text into encrypted text
  • A private key that converts the encrypted text into plain text

Your new public key will be saved on the server, and you will be asked to safely keep your private key.

Public key

The public key is not a secret. In fact, we need to keep a copy of your public key on the server to enable encryption for you.

Private key

The private key is a secret. It is used to decrypt the data that was encrypted with the public key.

You, and only you, should know and have a copy of the your private key.

If you lose your private key you will permanently lose the answers to all your encrypted forms.

We do not know or keep a copy of your private key. If you lose your private key, we cannot help you. BE WARNED!

Using E2EE

When you create a form you will have the option to encrypt that form's answers. Just check the checkbox.

Continue using the form as you would with any other. LiberaForms will prompt you for your private key and passphrase when required.

Sharing encrypted answers

Sharing encrypted answers with other users is done in the same way you would normally share answers.

However, access to encrypted answers can only be enabled when the users have configured their key pair.

LiberaForms will guide both you and the new user through the process.

Technical details

To enable sharing encrypted answers, LiberaForms adds a nice twist to key usage.

For a deeper understanding into how LiberaForms manages and employs keys, you can check the technical details on the feature release post.