This Message will Self-Destruct: New Tool Makes Online Postings Disappear
On the internet, data lives forever. Once you post something to the web, you see, you simply can't take it back. Many people have had to learn this lesson the hard way, unfortunately, after discovering that the "delete" button doesn't really work to delete something from the internet as a whole. The embarrassing missive lives on and on, in the web service's archives, in Google's cache, and eventually in the Internet Archive itself.
That may be about to change, though, thanks to a new tool created by researchers at the University of Washington. Called "Vanish," the system places a time limit on any message posted to any web service through a web browser.
How Vanish Works
Perhaps the most amazing thing about Vanish is that it's capable of erasing messages posted practically anywhere on the web. For example, the system is able to erase messages from any web-based email system like Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo, instant messaging chats, or even social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook.
To accomplish this, the messages sent with Vanish are encrypted with a secret key, never revealed to the end user. The key is then divided into dozens of pieces and sent out over peer-to-peer (P2P) networks - the same ones where music and movie files are traded every day. Because file-sharing systems are in a state of constant change, the various key parts eventually become inaccessible. Once enough of them are lost, the message can no longer be decrypted and read.
In the current Vanish prototype, however, the network's computers purge their memory every eight hours to simulate the key loss that would occur on P2P networks.
From the recipient's perspective, a message sent using Vanish appears as gibberish until they highlight the text and then press the "Vanish" button to unscramble it.
Try it Now
Currently, the prototype is available as a free, open-source tool that works as a combination of downloadable software and a Firefox plugin. Both sender and recipient have to use the software and plugin in order for Vanish to work. If you would prefer to not install anything on your computer, there's also the Vanish Online Service which you can use from your web browser. Both options are available here if you'd like to try them out now.
Image credit: flickr user jamesjyu
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Hmm, very interesting.. checking the site now for some trials and testing. Thanks for Sharing this out to us RWW.
Have to try this-great news!
Always on top of news I can use - going to try this out. Wish it were available when I was young and foolish and on the web :>(
Since the person you would be corresponding with also needs to use Vanish to access your message, and thereby is notified when something is a "Vanish" message before he or she reads it, couldn't the recipient simply take a screen shot of the message before it expires and thereby save the text?
Reminds me of an online version of PGP or GNUGP. The key difference is the expiration and also web integration. However, as Sarah points out both parties need to have Vanish installed to use the service.
Plus you can always print out the email as well.
Good tool.
Oooh, this looks pretty neat! Will have to go take a peak at it!
Sara @ iGoMogul
I prefer Privnote for this. Same functionality, but extremely simple to use:
https://privnote.com/
Seems good !
thanks for this interesting article. However, this seems to be a very complex and unrealistic solution (both sender and recipient have to use software and plugin, a p2p network has to be used) that can still be trivially beaten (screenshot anyone?).
Even without the ability to copy and paste, you don't need to screenshot it to copy it.
There's a tool named AGTH (Anime Game Text Hooker) which can capture Windows API text drawing commands and copy their input to the clipboard. (It's intended for use with tools like ATLAS or Systran which can auto-translate the clipboard so non-Japanese speakers can play untranslated Japanese visual novels)
hmmmm like a secret decoder ring for email... nice
Interesting concept, especially if you say something that you later regret.
This seems easy to defeat. If I can see it I take a picture. If I take a screen capture of the message it negates the value of vanish.
thanks for article very