Mozilla Firefox: The Latest to Jump on the Encryption Bandwagon

By Aubrey Hansen

As Mozilla Firefox becomes the latest platform to throw its hat into the encrypted messaging service ring, it’s become evident that in today’s security-conscious world our privacy has become a hot topic.

Mozilla’s Firefox Send is an intuitive service that allows users to share both messages and large files via a fully encrypted system.

Those who have experienced the new Send platform are raving about its ease of use and the various options available, such as the ability to set the file to expire after a certain number of downloads via the link you’ve given, or even after a certain amount of time.

End-to-End Encryption

There are, of course, already other ways to send large files. Google Drive is particularly popular, while a service such as Hightail is not as well known but another good example.

The game changer for a service like Firefox Send is the end-to-end encryption that is offered, while not saving the data in the cloud.

The end-to-end encryption technology used by Mozilla, known as Web Crypto API, means that not even Mozilla itself can see the contents of the message you’ve sent.

There’s also a useful option to add a password to the file, allowing for an extra layer of security on top of the end-to-end encryption. If someone manages to access the email of the recipient, they won’t be able to view the file without the password.

Despite Many Positives, There Are A Few Negatives

While most of the chatter surrounding the Firefox Send application has been positive, it’s not a perfect system by any means.

While the message sent is encrypted, there can still be metadata leaked into the public sphere, which includes an IP address, the time the file was sent and the size of the data itself.

In most of the cases, this information isn’t all that important, but it’s still something that should be considered.

It’s the ease of use that causes these issues for the most part, as it’s the fact that it’s a website that loads JavaScript within the browser that can cause problems. The user does not know the software version they’re using at any given time.

When compared to an end-to-end encryption messaging service such as that provided by WhatsApp, blockchain startup ATRONOCOM, or Signal, where you use an app, the Firefox platform has a few frailties that are worth taking into account.

Commenting on the need for end-to-end encryption, ATRONOCOM CEO Thomas Koller commented –

“In a world where instant messaging is so heavily ingrained into people’s lives, the security of the information we send is paramount, and most companies simply aren’t up to the job.”

“All entities, whether individuals, privately owned businesses, or government organizations, face the challenge of coping with the constant threat of cyber attacks. We are thoroughly committed to making this communication as safe as possible, which is why our payments and messaging services are encrypted and secured to Pentagon standards.”

Even with its undoubted issues, Mozilla Firefox Send is another option for those who wish to employ encryption to their messaging, and that can only be seen as a good thing.

Aubrey Hansen Aubrey is a hyperactive crypto enthusiast. She writes about the fintech and blockchain and believes that the wide adoption of the technology is already behind the corner.

