Keybase

This article is about the public key cryptography service. For the taxonomic key database, see KeyBase.
Keybase
The Keybase logo
The Keybase logo
Type of site
Encrypted encrypted social networking service
Available inEnglish
OwnerZoom Video Communications (2020)
Created byChris Coyne, Max Krohn, others
URLkeybase.io
RegistrationNot Required for membership
Users407,163 (as of 2019-08-22)
LaunchedFebruary 14, 2014; 10 years ago (2014-02-14)
Written inGo, JavaScript, Electron, React[1]

Keybase is a key directory that maps social media identities to encryption keys (including, but not limited to PGP keys) in a publicly auditable manner.[2] Additionally it offers an end-to-end encrypted chat and cloud storage system,[3][4] called Keybase Chat and the Keybase Filesystem respectively. Files placed in the public portion of the filesystem are served from a public endpoint,[5] as well as locally from a filesystem Un-mounted by the Keybase client.[6]

Keybase supports publicly connecting Twitter, GitHub, Reddit, and Hacker News identities, including websites and domains under one's control, to encryption keys. It also supports Bitcoin, Zcash, Stellar, and QRL wallet addresses.[5][5][7][8][9][10] Keybase has supported Coinbase identities since initial public release, but ceased to do so on March 17, 2017, when Coinbase terminated public payment pages.[11] In general, Keybase doesn't allow for any service with public identities to integrate with Keybase.[5][12]

On May 7, 2020, Keybase announced it had been acquired by Zoom,[13] as part of Zoom's "plan to further strengthen the security of [its] video communications platform".[14]

  1. ^ keybase/client, 2014-12-12 The Keybase client Github repository.
  2. ^ "UnSigchain | Keybase Docs". keybase.io. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  3. ^ Dalton, Andrew (2017-09-02). "Keybase's encrypted chat works with accounts you already have". Engadget. Retrieved 2017-06-05.
  4. ^ Russell, Jon (2016-05-02). "Keybase Introduces End-To-End Encrypted File Sharing Service". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2017-05-06.
  5. ^ a b c d Fleishman, Glenn. "Keybase Wants To Make Serious Encryption Accessible To Mere Mortals". Fast Company. Retrieved 5 June 2017. Cite error: The named reference ":0" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Understanding the Keybase filesystem". Keybase. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  7. ^ "Keybase chooses Zcash". The Keybase Blog. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
  8. ^ "Stellar wallets for all Keybase users". The Keybase Blog. Retrieved 2019-09-16.
  9. ^ "Keybase 's Mastodon, and how to get your site on Keybase". keybase.io. Retrieved 2019-06-08.
  10. ^ "QRL and Keybase". www.theqrl.org. 2019-04-24. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  11. ^ "Abrupt Termination of Coinbase Support". The Keybase Blog. Keybase, Inc. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Proof Integration Guide | Keybase Docs". keybase.io. Archived from the original on 2019-06-08. Retrieved 2019-06-08.
  13. ^ "Keybase joins Zoom". keybase.io. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
  14. ^ "Zoom Acquires Keybase and Announces Goal of Developing the Most Broadly Used Enterprise End-to-End Encryption Offering". Zoom Blog (Press release). 2020-05-07. Retrieved 2020-05-07.