Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OpenPGP Keyserver VS Autocrypt

Compare OpenPGP Keyserver VS Autocrypt and see what are their differences

OpenPGP Keyserver logo OpenPGP Keyserver

Pool of places to publish and search OpenPGP public keys.

Autocrypt logo Autocrypt

Convenient End-to-End Encryption for E-Mail
  • OpenPGP Keyserver Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-05-18
  • Autocrypt Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-16

OpenPGP Keyserver features and specs

  • Decentralized Architecture
    OpenPGP Keyservers use a decentralized network, meaning there is no single point of failure. This ensures redundancy and reliability in accessing public keys.
  • Public Key Accessibility
    The keyserver network provides a centralized repository for users to upload and search for public keys, simplifying the process of key distribution.
  • Historical Data
    Keyservers maintain records of older keys and their history, which can be useful for audits or verifying past communications.
  • Community-Driven
    The OpenPGP keyserver network is maintained by volunteers and is open source, promoting transparency and community collaboration.

Possible disadvantages of OpenPGP Keyserver

  • Lack of Key Removal
    Once a key is uploaded, it cannot be removed from the keyserver network, which can lead to issues with outdated or compromised keys remaining accessible.
  • Spam and Key Overload
    Keyservers can be flooded with spam keys or outdated information, making it difficult for users to find valid or relevant keys.
  • Vulnerability to Abuse
    The open nature of keyservers can make them targets for malicious actors who wish to upload fraudulent keys or link malicious identities to genuine ones.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Since the keyserver network can be openly queried, there are potential privacy issues regarding who is uploading or searching for certain keys.

Autocrypt features and specs

  • User-Friendly Setup
    Autocrypt aims to make encryption easier for the average user by simplifying the key exchange process. This reduces the technical barriers associated with traditional methods of email encryption.
  • Seamless Integration
    It is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing email clients, requiring minimal user intervention once configured.
  • Support for Opportunistic Encryption
    Autocrypt encourages opportunistic encryption, meaning that it automatically encrypts emails if both parties support Autocrypt, enhancing privacy without complex setups.
  • Asynchronous Communication
    Autocrypt supports asynchronous communication by allowing users to receive encrypted emails even when not online, as key exchange is done via email headers.

Possible disadvantages of Autocrypt

  • Limited Security Guarantees
    Autocrypt's opportunistic encryption approach does not ensure end-to-end security as strongly as some other methods, such as PGP, since it prioritizes ease of use over rigorous security.
  • Incomplete Standardization
    As Autocrypt is still evolving, there may be inconsistencies or incomplete implementations among different email clients, potentially causing interoperability issues.
  • Dependence on Email Clients
    Its effectiveness relies heavily on adoption by email clients. If a recipient's client does not support Autocrypt, communication will not benefit from its encryption features.
  • Potential for Misconfiguration
    Despite its goal of simplicity, there is still potential for user error in configuration that could lead to insecure communication or mistakenly unencrypted messages.

OpenPGP Keyserver videos

Lesson 6: Submit your public key to the OpenPGP Keyserver

Autocrypt videos

AutoCrypt V2D: Digital Key for Vehicles

More videos:

  • Review - Korean ITS Promotion Program 'AUTOCRYPT' Introduction Video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenPGP Keyserver and Autocrypt)
Security & Privacy
35 35%
65% 65
Email
100 100%
0% 0
Online Services
0 0%
100% 100
Cloud Storage
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using OpenPGP Keyserver and Autocrypt. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OpenPGP Keyserver and Autocrypt

OpenPGP Keyserver Reviews

We have no reviews of OpenPGP Keyserver yet.
Be the first one to post

Autocrypt Reviews

15 Grammarly Alternatives to Fix Your Writing Mistakes in 2021 ( Spelling, Punctuation, and More)
If you’re a novelist and looking for a smart writing tool that includes the cool features to help in proofreading your prose, you are just at the right place. AutoCrypt is an impressive alternative to Grammarly that works as a substitute for an in-person close reading. It helps you detect issues with your word selection, pacing, and provides an excellent report on how to...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Autocrypt should be more popular than OpenPGP Keyserver. It has been mentiond 13 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

OpenPGP Keyserver mentions (6)

  • Emacs 29 is nigh What can we expect?
    The signature works fine over HTTP/FTP because it needs to be combined with a public key you already have (e.g. a distro package manager will already have the public key for all the packages), or a public key you will go get from a different source, e.g. https://sks-keyservers.net, and it's hard for a middle-man to compromise both. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • keys.gnupg.net down, no longer resolves
    Yes, but I am asking if the reasons for shutting down https://sks-keyservers.net were valid. So far I have not seen any reasonable discussion. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Future of Key-Pools
    I noticed that I could not search on the server in Kleopatra. So I went to the page https://sks-keyservers.net/ and was struck by the header message:. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Keyservers are gone
    I can't find any reliable keyservers since sks-keyservers.net was taken down yesterday. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • PSA: you need to update your keyserver
    SKS keyservers has been shut down owing to GDPR filings. See https://sks-keyservers.net/. Source: almost 4 years ago
View more

Autocrypt mentions (13)

View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenPGP Keyserver and Autocrypt, you can also consider the following products

OpenPGP - The most widely used email encryption standard. Defined in RFC 4880.

GnuPG - GnuPG is a complete and free implementation of the OpenPGP standard as defined by RFC4880 (also known as PGP).

MIT PGP Public Key Server - The place to publish and search OpenPGP public keys.

GPG Suite - Use GPG Suite to encrypt, decrypt, sign and verify files or messages.

SKS OpenPGP Key server - The place to publish and search OpenPGP public keys.

Chatlink.com - Anonymous communication platform