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arXiv:1510.08555cs.CR

Why Johnny Still, Still Can't Encrypt: Evaluating the Usability of a Modern PGP Client

Scott Ruoti, Jeff Andersen, Daniel Zappala, Kent Seamons

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a laboratory study involving Mailvelope, a modern PGP client that integrates tightly with existing webmail providers. In our study, we brought in pairs of participants and had them attempt to use Mailvelope to communicate with each other. Our results shown that more than a decade and a half after \textit{Why Johnny Can't Encrypt}, modern PGP tools are still unusable for the masses. We finish with a discussion of pain points encountered using Mailvelope, and discuss what might be done to address them in future PGP systems.

arXiv comments
This is the Mailvelope study discussed in the CHI 2016 paper arXiv:1510.08554 "We're on the Same Page": A Usability Study of Secure Email Using Pairs of Novice Users"
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
cs.CRCryptography and Security cs.HCHuman-Computer Interaction

On Hacker News

Linked by 7 identifiable commenters in 7 comments across 7 threads, from May 2017 to Apr 2024. Found in 4 HN submissions from Nov 2015 to Nov 2015. Open submission discussions.

Comments linking this paper, per year.

Discussed in comments7 threads

  1. Why can't my mom email me? 1 comment

    • Related research: * Why Johnny can't encrypt (1995): https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~tygar/papers/Why_Johnny_Ca... * Why Johnny still can't encrypt (2006): https://cups.cs.cmu.edu/soups/2006/posters/sheng-poster_abst... * Why Johnny still, still can't encrypt (2016)…

      plopilopView on HNParent context

  2. Messaging Layer Security (MLS) 1 comment

    • Finally a protocol layer that drags email screaming and kicking into the 21st century despite 40 years of unusable cryptography [0]? [0] (Why Johnny Still, Still Can't Encrypt) https://arxiv.org/pdf/1510.08555.pdf

      nonrandomstringView on HNParent context

  3. Fiatjaf/nostr – a censorship-resistant alternative to Twitter 1 comment

    • > I'm using branle (https://branle.fiatjaf.com/) as my client and you can follow me with my pubkey: 22e804d26ed16b68db5259e78449e96dab5d464c8f470bda3eb1a70467f2c793. It isn't too hard to improve upon the status quo in various ways when you just drop a key usability requirement…

      webmavenView on HNParent context

  4. My WhatsApp Security code changed, with no login or logout 1 comment

    • See "Why Johnny Can't Encrypt", 2005: http://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~tygar/papers/Why_Johnny_Can... Also see "Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt", 2015: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.22... Also see "Why Johnny Still, Still Can't Encrypt", 2016…

      gcrView on HNParent context

  5. Doug Tygar, author of Why Johnny Can't Encrypt, has died 1 comment

    • As an indication of the effect that the original 1999 paper has had on security research, and its legacy, let me also mention the paper "Why Johnny Still Can’t Encrypt" [1] from 2006, and the paper "Why Johnny Still, Still Can't Encrypt" [2] from 2015. Perhaps in a few more…

      dane-pgpView on HNParent context

  6. Ask HN: Older textbooks/papers you consider classics still worth studying today? 1 comment

    • This is a famous one from 1999 - "Why Johnny Can't Encrypt" [1] There's a couple of follow-ups too, such as "Why Johnny Still Can't Encrypt" [2], and "Why Johnny Still, Still Can't Encrypt" [3]. [1] https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~tygar/papers/Why_Johnny_Ca... [2]…

      jamiewebView on HNParent context

  7. NSA secretly conducted illegal searches on Americans for years 1 comment

    • Put money toward an organization that will hire full-time UX designers and engineers who can make open-source encryption usable by the masses. Why Johnny Why Johnny Still, Still can't encypt [2015] https://arxiv.org/abs/1510.08555

      afarrellView on HNParent context

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