Do you need to share meeting minutes, strategies and plans somewhere that your group can edit them easily together – but you’re worried about sharing sensitive information online? Many protest groups are using Google Docs to collaborate, but this can make it easy for police to access sensitive information. So what can you do instead?
Why shouldn’t you use Google Docs?
Google’s business model is offering free digital services to users to farm personal data which they then sell to advertisers. The Snowden leaks showed that Google and Microsoft had deals with the NSA to share vast amounts of user data, and we should assume they also do with the UK government. This doesn’t mean there is a cop reading everything you write in a Google Doc, but that its very easy for them to if they want to.
What is cryptad?
CryptPad is a collaborative office suite that matches Google or Microsoft Office’s functionality, with mobile and desktop web versions. It includes a document editor, spreadsheets, slides and forms. You can create shared drives and calendars. The company is funded through user subscriptions, donations and grants from the EU, so it does not need to sell user data.
In Cryptpad all data is end-to-end encrypted, meaning no readable data leaves the user’s device.
How can I use cryptpad securely?
Cryptpad keeps the contents of your documents secure, but it does not make your identity anonymous. If the state asked your internet service provider for your online activity they could see the links you have accessed.
If you need anonymity you could use a VPN or Tor – see our guide to using a VPN.
Cryptpad links are only as secure as the platform they’re shared on. You have to trust your collaborators not to send document links to untrusted people, post them on social media, or share them over unencrypted channels (e.g. text or FB messenger). The encryption key is in the sharing link, so the document is only as secure as the channels this link is sent on.
If you’re using cryptad securely, it is not technically possible for the server or a powerful adversary (like the state) to read the contents of your files.
For more information see the cryptpad security statement, or this article on how to use cryptpad securely.
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