Pretty Easy privacy

pretty Easy privacy p≡p
Developer(s)	p≡p Foundation (Switzerland), p≡p Security AG (Switzerland), p≡p Security SA (Luxembourg)
Initial release	July 4, 2016
Repository	gitea.pep.foundation/pEp.foundation ;
Written in	ASN.1, C, C#, C++, Objective-C, Java, JavaScript, Python, Swift, SQL, YML2
Type	Data encryption
License	GNU General Public License
Website	www.pep.security

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^[1] and Mozilla Thunderbird^[2] as well as a mobile app for Android^[3]^[4] and iOS.^[5] 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. ^[6] 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.^[7]

Keys are exchanged opportunistically by transferring via email.^[8]

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.^[9] 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.^[10]

In July 2020, Thunderbird 78 dropped support for the Enigmail Add-On.^[11] Thunderbird 78 includes OpenPGP functionality and no longer requires the installation of external software.^[12]

ISOC support

The Internet Society Switzerland Chapter (ISOC-CH) and the Swiss p≡p foundation teamed up^[13] 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.^[14]

As of January 2024, the company overseeing p≡p is not operational. Its website no longer functions, and development of the system has ceased.

References

^ "p≡p for Outlook | p≡p Security". www.pep.security. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
^ "p≡p for Thunderbird". pep.software. Archived from the original on 2021-05-15. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
^ "p≡p - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
^ "p≡p for Android | p≡p Security". www.pep.security. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
^ "p≡p for iOS | p≡p Security". www.pep.security. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
^ "Data protection is "pretty easy" with Luxembourg-developed app". Luxembourg Times. 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ "Privacy by default: White paper" (PDF). p≡p foundation council. 18 July 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ Walfield, Neal (20 December 2016). "Op-ed: Why I'm not giving up on PGP". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018. the pretty Easy privacy (p≡p) project are working on opportunistically transferring keys via e-mail
^ "Enigmail and p≡p are partnering". 2015-09-07. Archived from the original on 2016-10-13. Retrieved 2016-09-27.
^ "Patrick Brunschwig on the Thunderbird Planning mailing list about to emerging availability of Enigmail/p≡p". 2 October 2016. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
^ "Thunderbird Release Notes". 17 July 2020. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
^ "Thunderbird:OpenPGP- Mozilla Wiki". 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
^ Radu, Roxana (20 March 2018). "A Collaborative Effort for pretty Easy privacy (p≡p)". www.isoc.ch. Internet Society Switzerland Chapter. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
^ "A Security App's Fake Reviews Give Us a Window Into 'App Store Optimization'". Vice Motherboard. 19 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-03-20.

External links

[1] "p≡p for Outlook | p≡p Security". www.pep.security. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-10.

[2] "p≡p for Thunderbird". pep.software. Archived from the original on 2021-05-15. Retrieved 2021-05-20.

[3] "p≡p - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Archived from the original on 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-06-10.

[4] "p≡p for Android | p≡p Security". www.pep.security. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-10.

[5] "p≡p for iOS | p≡p Security". www.pep.security. Archived from the original on 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2020-06-10.

[6] "Data protection is "pretty easy" with Luxembourg-developed app". Luxembourg Times. 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

[7] "Privacy by default: White paper" (PDF). p≡p foundation council. 18 July 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

[8] Walfield, Neal (20 December 2016). "Op-ed: Why I'm not giving up on PGP". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018. the pretty Easy privacy (p≡p) project are working on opportunistically transferring keys via e-mail

[9] "Enigmail and p≡p are partnering". 2015-09-07. Archived from the original on 2016-10-13. Retrieved 2016-09-27.

[10] "Patrick Brunschwig on the Thunderbird Planning mailing list about to emerging availability of Enigmail/p≡p". 2 October 2016. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.

[11] "Thunderbird Release Notes". 17 July 2020. Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.

[12] "Thunderbird:OpenPGP- Mozilla Wiki". 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

[13] Radu, Roxana (20 March 2018). "A Collaborative Effort for pretty Easy privacy (p≡p)". www.isoc.ch. Internet Society Switzerland Chapter. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.

[14] "A Security App's Fake Reviews Give Us a Window Into 'App Store Optimization'". Vice Motherboard. 19 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-03-20.

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