PMCrypt - Private Message Encryption
 

Keywords: Private, Message, PM, Encrypt, Encode, Security

Description:
Encrypts Private Messages within the MySQL database. Allows for on-the-fly decryption without the need for a shared key.


Details:
This hack will encrypt sent messages within your MySQL database. No longer will they be viewable in plaintext, thus affording your members a little more security with their private correspondance.

Please be aware that this is not a total security solution. This was devised with simplicity as well as security in mind -- such as that the encryption method used is NOT to be assumed "unbreakable" by any stretch of the imagination.

The messages are encrypted using a method developed and credited to AITOR SOLOZABAL MERIN by where text is encrypted/decrypted using a simple but powerful XOR method without a known key. Implicitly, the key is defined by the string itself in a character by character way. There are 4 items to compose the unknown key for the character in the algorithim:

1. The ascii code of every character of the string itself
2. The position in the string of the character to encrypt
3. The length of the string that include the character
4. Any special formula added by the programmer to the algorithm to calculate the key to use

This product does not explicitly rely on any vBulletin functions, thus there should not be any problems with future upgrades, etc.

This product was developed by request of FGENETICS and DOOGIE88.


Installation:
1. Download and import the product-pmcrypt1.1.0.xml file via the Product Manager.

2. Enable the product via the AdminCP (vBulletin Options > Private Message Encryption)

3. ???

4. Profit


Version History:
v1.0.0 - Initial Release
v1.0.1 - Fixed bug when replying to an encrypted message.
v1.1.0 - Fixed issue with reply and preview. Encapsulated encryption within base64_encode(); for storage. Smilies no longer run risk of breaking encryption.

* Once enabled, all PM's sent thereafter will be encrypted. This means that should you choose to disable and/or uninstall the product, said PM's will remain encrypted -- rendering them unreadable.

* Please note that this modification was developed on a forum with a userbase of 1 (myself). I've tested it for basic functionality but I cannot guarantee functionality or behavior on your forum. So, please -- make backups before installing this product!

Reserved.

Hi,

where is the file? ;)

Wow, very nice :) I'll klick instal if you upload the file :P

Sounds very interesting. I'll also click install once the file has been uploaded. ;)

Durr.. it helps if actually upload the product. Woops!

/embarass

A lot of potential! Thanks!

Reserved!

Nice! How does it work? Is it decipharable only by the recipient?

Thank you very much.
One question though, is there anything that will notify me if it worked or not?
Because I enabled it, the Admin CP options are there, but I tested with a message, and it is just like a normal message.
Thanks.

** okay it seems to be working, because when you 'reply' you see the encrypted message.
However, the one downfall is when you reply, and the original sender gets the original message back, after the receiver read it, the original quoted message is encrypted.
Anyway to fix that?

I'll take a look at it, should be a simple fix.

Ok, updated. Fixed the reply bug, however I did run into an issue with smilies during replies. You may want to check the "disable smilies" when replying for the time being, I'll devise a fix for that tomorrow.

What do I need to do to upgrade it? Uninstall it and re-install?

You can just install the new version over the old one, just select "Allow Overwrite" on the Product Import page.

Very buggy, having a lot of problems with it.
Most messages aren't being decrypted.

If you encrypted messages with 1.0, uninstalled, then installed 1.1 -- that would happen. By uninstalling you remove the added 'encrypt' row to the 'pmtext' table. When you re-install, the 'encrypt' row is added but without the correct integer for the previously encrypted messages. So when viewing those earlier encrypted messages, the decryption engine doesn't know to decrypt them.

I've installed, upgraded, uninstalled, reinstalled, reupgraded, etc.. about a dozen times, and each time the encryption/decryption works fine. The only problem, that I'm aware of currently, is occasionally the encryption text will contain a smiley bbcode (ie. :) ), thus preventing the message from being DEcrypted.

So, until that bug is fixed I would recommend checking "Disable smilies" when sending PM's. Also, keep in mind that this is still Beta, as noted in the original post.

Once I get into my office this morning, I'll go through the code. It was late last night, so God knows.

Hello
I tested a brand new message with the new version and it didn't encrypt, maybe it had to do with smilies though.

Oh my god! This is a great hack! :D

Ok, I've found the problem. I'm removing this for download until I upload the new version -- which should be in the next 20 minutes or so.

I would suggest deleting any encrypted PM's you've sent, as the new version will be unable to read them. I've had to wrap the encryption with base64_encode(); to allow for smoother storage within the SQL db.

hm, perhaps I'm too stupid, but if the boardsoft can decrypt the pm for the user - why
can't someone who has access to the db decrypt it?

As stated in the original post:

Ok, [high]v1.1.0[/high] is available for download. This fixes all bugs listed so far:

• PM's, replies and previews are working.
• Smilies no longer have a chance of breaking encryption
• Encrypted text is now encapsulated within base64_encode(); to allow for proper storage within MySQL database

*** Please note that messages encrypted with v1.0.0 - v1.0.1 will NOT be viewable with v1.1.0. The was an unfortunate but necessary change that needed to be made. I would suggest deleting all previously encrypted PM's before upgrading. ***


Enjoy!

vBulletin does not natively support attachments within Private Messages. Currently, the only way to achieve this result is via modification.

I develop my hacks to work on a default vBulletin installation and I cannot make any assurances as to their functionality alongside other hacks.

That being said, PMCrypt encrypts only the $pm['message'] variable. I'd imagine the Private Messages Attachments modification stores the attachments within the default attachments table, which remains unaffected by PMCrypt.

Nice one, but how will user understand the encryption?

The user doesn't need to understand anything other than his or her Private Messages are no longer stored in plaintext within the MySQL database. This modification does not require any user interaction whatsoever.

OK, what I wanted to ask, how will they understand this?
Maybe a sign around the pm editor would be nice. "This message is encrypted" or something like that.
Because if you are a user who is suspicious about if admins are reading my pm's, my word of "your messages are encrypted" wont be enough..
Or I am completely misunderstanding somethings.. :)

Hrm, I see what you're saying. That's not a bad idea, I'll work up something visual for the end user.

Thanks for the suggestion.

This could be more useful if it could be used per usergroup rather than all PM's

Hi i have a Problem ... The Hack works fine but :

I see them with Already answered Message for the second time it is answered in the Quot only the encoded text.

Sorry for my bad Englisch but I'm a German ^^

THX

Do private messages even need an encryption? As far as i know, it is not possible to "steal" or even intercept private messages. Anyway, good idea as far as peace of mind goes.

I'm sorry, but I can't quite figure out what you're trying to describe. Would it be possible for you to take a screenshot of the problem?

From what I can tell, those who requested this hack were more concerned with assuring the members that the Admins themselves weren't reading their PMs.

Great idea for a hack Magnus :) Thank you for taking the time to make it and sharing it with us. In this day and age it should be a default vb feature.

Very nice. Very timely.

If it is possible and not a big task, I would like to suggest the following:

- A user cp option (checkbox) permitting the member to enable/disable this function;

- A message level option (checkbox) permitting the member to elect this option on a message by message basis;

- Admin level options enabling or disabling each of the above;

Why? As pointed out, there is a degree of risk in using the encryption mod, i.e. if the mod is for whatever reason disabled, removed, broken, whatever - encrypted PMs are effectively lost. Therefore, I would like to put the burden of responsibility for using encryption at the member level. Inform them of the trade-offs and that they use at their option and own risk.

Thanks for the work you have done on this. Installed.

:D

u r the bomb! thanks much!!!! nominated and installed

I'll be sure to add a decoder for this in my Read PMs hack :O

/ducks and runs

The decoding routine is in the source. Enjoy. :p

Installed...Great hack

I would install this but it conflicts with my "read pms" hack...

anybody else?

Uh, that's kind of the point. The whole point of encrypting private messages is to provide some form of assurance to your users that neither you (nor anyone else) is easily reading them.