pretty Easy privacy
{{Infobox software
| name = pretty Easy privacy p≡p
| logo =P≡p logo.svg
| developer = p≡p Foundation (Switzerland), p≡p Security AG (Switzerland), p≡p Security SA (Luxembourg)
| released = {{Start date|2016|07|04}}
| programming language = ASN.1, C, C#, C++, Objective-C, Java, JavaScript, Python, Swift, SQL, YML2
| genre = Data encryption
| license = GNU General Public License
}}
pretty Easy privacy (p≡p or pEp) was a pluggable data encryption and verification system that provided automatic cryptographic key management through a set of libraries for written digital communications.
It existed as a plugin for Microsoft Outlook{{Cite web|title=p≡p for Outlook {{!}} p≡p Security|url=https://www.pep.security/en/outlook/index.html|access-date=2020-06-10|website=www.pep.security|language=en|archive-date=2020-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610182511/https://www.pep.security/en/outlook/index.html|url-status=live}} and Mozilla Thunderbird{{Cite web|title=p≡p for Thunderbird|url=https://pep.software/thunderbird/|access-date=2021-05-20|website=pep.software|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515015220/https://pep.software/thunderbird/|url-status=live}} as well as a mobile app for Android{{Cite web|title=p≡p - Apps on Google Play|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=security.pEp&hl=en_US|access-date=2020-06-10|website=play.google.com|language=en|archive-date=2020-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715082616/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=security.pEp&hl=en_US|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=p≡p for Android {{!}} p≡p Security|url=https://www.pep.security/en/android/index.html|access-date=2020-06-10|website=www.pep.security|language=en|archive-date=2020-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610182513/https://www.pep.security/en/android/index.html|url-status=live}} and iOS.{{Cite web|title=p≡p for iOS {{!}} p≡p Security|url=https://www.pep.security/en/ios/index.html|access-date=2020-06-10|website=www.pep.security|language=en|archive-date=2020-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610182628/https://www.pep.security/en/ios/index.html|url-status=live}} p≡p also worked under Microsoft Windows, Unix-like and Mac OS X operating systems. Its cryptographic functionality was handled by an open-source p≡p engine relying on already existing cryptographic implementations in software like GnuPG, a modified version of netpgp (used only in iOS), and (as of p≡p v2.0) GNUnet.
pretty Easy privacy was first released in 2016. {{cite news|title=Data protection is "pretty easy" with Luxembourg-developed app|url=https://luxtimes.lu/archives/6338-data-protection-is-pretty-easy-with-luxembourg-developed-app|accessdate=17 May 2018|work=Luxembourg Times|date=6 June 2016|language=en|archive-date=18 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418032105/https://luxtimes.lu/archives/6338-data-protection-is-pretty-easy-with-luxembourg-developed-app|url-status=live}} It is a free and open-source software.
p≡p was advertised as being easy to install, use, and understand. p≡p did not depend on any specific platform, message transport system (SMS, email, XMPP, etc.), or centrally provided client–server or "cloud" infrastructures; p≡p is fully peer-to-peer by design.{{cite web |date=18 July 2016 |title=Privacy by default: White paper |url=https://pep.foundation/docs/pEp-whitepaper.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001160110/https://pep.foundation/docs/pEp-whitepaper.pdf |archive-date=1 October 2016 |accessdate=17 May 2018 |publisher=p≡p foundation council}}
Keys are exchanged opportunistically by transferring via email.{{cite web |last1=Walfield |first1=Neal |date=20 December 2016 |title=Op-ed: Why I'm not giving up on PGP |url=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/12/signal-does-not-replace-pgp/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418092800/https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/12/signal-does-not-replace-pgp/ |archive-date=18 April 2018 |accessdate=17 May 2018 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us |quote=the pretty Easy privacy (p≡p) project are working on opportunistically transferring keys via e-mail}}
Enigmail support
Enigmail announced its support for the new "pretty Easy privacy" (p≡p) encryption in a joint Thunderbird extension to be released in December 2015.{{cite web |date=2015-09-07 |title=Enigmail and p≡p are partnering |url=https://www.enigmail.net/index.php/en/home/news/29-enigmail-pep |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013192400/http://www.enigmail.net/index.php/en/home/news/29-enigmail-pep |archive-date=2016-10-13 |access-date=2016-09-27}} Patrick Brunschwig, the head of Enigmail, announced that p≡p core functionality was implemented in Enigmail in October 2016, ready for the Mozilla Festival then taking place in London.{{cite web |date=2 October 2016 |title=Patrick Brunschwig on the Thunderbird Planning mailing list about to emerging availability of Enigmail/p≡p. |url=https://mail.mozilla.org/pipermail/tb-planning/2016-October/004937.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009231705/https://mail.mozilla.org/pipermail/tb-planning/2016-October/004937.html |archive-date=9 October 2016 |access-date=7 October 2016}}
In July 2020, Thunderbird 78 dropped support for the Enigmail Add-On.{{Cite web |date=17 July 2020 |title=Thunderbird Release Notes |url=https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/78.0/releasenotes/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521144805/https://www.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/78.0/releasenotes/ |archive-date=21 May 2021 |access-date=20 May 2021}} Thunderbird 78 includes OpenPGP functionality and no longer requires the installation of external software.{{Cite web |date=4 July 2022 |title=Thunderbird:OpenPGP- Mozilla Wiki |url=https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625171440/https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:OpenPGP |archive-date=25 June 2022 |access-date=4 July 2022}}
ISOC support
The Internet Society Switzerland Chapter (ISOC-CH) and the Swiss p≡p foundation teamed up{{cite web |last1=Radu |first1=Roxana |date=20 March 2018 |title=A Collaborative Effort for pretty Easy privacy (p≡p) |url=https://www.isoc.ch/archives/3177 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418032005/https://www.isoc.ch/archives/3177 |archive-date=18 April 2018 |accessdate=17 May 2018 |website=www.isoc.ch |publisher=Internet Society Switzerland Chapter}} to implement privacy-enhancing standards at the basic level of internet protocols, and document them in the work of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
Controversy and Closure
In March 2021, reports surfaced that p≡p had paid for fake reviews for their apps.{{Cite web|title=A Security App's Fake Reviews Give Us a Window Into 'App Store Optimization'|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/a-security-apps-fake-reviews-give-us-a-window-into-app-store-optimization/|work=Vice Motherboard|date=19 March 2021|access-date=2021-03-20|language=en|archive-date=2021-03-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320000759/https://www.vice.com/en/article/n7vxgd/a-security-apps-fake-reviews-give-us-a-window-into-app-store-optimization|url-status=live}}
As of January 2024, the company overseeing p≡p is not operational. Its website no longer functions, and development of the system has ceased.
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
See Also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{sisterlinks|wikt = no|n = no|q = no|s = no|voy = no}}
- {{official website}}
- [https://pep.foundation/ Official p≡p foundation website]
- [https://www.pep.security/docs/index.html Official Manual]
{{Cryptographic software}}