Petname
Petname systems are naming systems that claim to possess all three naming properties of Zooko's triangle - global, secure, and memorable.[1] Software that uses such a system can satisfy all three requirements. Such systems can be used to enhance security, such as preventing phishing attacks.[2] Unlike traditional identity systems which focus on the service provider, Petname systems are decentralized and designed to facilitate the needs of the enduser as they interact with multiple services.[3][4]
History
Though the Petname model was formally described in 2005 by Mark Stiegler, the potential of the system was discovered by several people successively.[3]
Examples
CapDesk – a desktop environment.[5]
Firefox extension
Developer(s) | Tyler Close |
---|---|
Stable release | 1.7
/ July 14, 2009 |
Operating system | Cross-platform |
Type | Mozilla extension |
License | MIT/X11 |
Website | https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/petname-tool/ |
There is a Petname Tool extension available for Firefox that allows petnames to be assigned to secure websites.[6] Use of this extension can help prevent phishing attacks.[7] [8]
PetName Markup Language
The PetName Markup Language (PNML) is a proposal for embedding Petname information into other systems using a custom markup language.[4]
PNML consists of two tags:
<pn>pet-name-string</pn>
<key>stringified-cryptographic-key</key>
References
- "An Introduction to Petname Systems".
- Sadek Ferdous; Audun Jøsang; Kuldeep Singh; Ravishankar Borgaonkar (2009). Security Usability of Petname Systems. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer Science+Business Media. ISBN 9783642047657.
- Audun Jøsang; Torleiv Maseng; Svein J. Knapskog (29 September 2009). Identity and Privacy in the Internet Age: 14th Nordic Conference on Secure IT Systems, NordSec 2009, Oslo, Norway, 14-16 October 2009, Proceedings. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-3-642-04765-7.
- "The PetName Markup Language".
- http://www.combex.com/tech/edesk.html
- Petname Tool extension
- Markus Jakobsson; Steven Myers (2006). Phishing and Countermeasures: Understanding the Increasing Problem of Electronic Identity Theft. Wiley-Interscience. ISBN 0471782459.
- "Ten Firefox extensions to keep your browsing private and secure".