| Have you ever wanted to send a message confidentially? |
With Privnote you can send a message or note that self-destructs after reading. This is a great solution when you need something more private than an e-mail to send sensitive information. Privnote offers a number of options that allow you to set the message’s deletion date, add a password for added protection, and receive an e-mail confirmation that the message has been destroyed.
What is Privnote?
Because of the growing ranks of cybercriminals who are constantly trying to steal our personal information, we are all becoming much more careful about cybersecurity. I’ve written before about why you should use strong passwords, and I highly recommend using a password manager like LastPass, which can make it easier to securely share passwords with friends and colleagues.
What should we do when we’re faced with situations where we need to share sensitive information, like a password, with another party, but we’re concerned about the potential interception of these details?
That’s when Privnote can come in handy.
Step by step guide
The following table explains in detail and step by step how to use this service.
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Step 1: Access Privnote | Go to the Privnote website. No account or registration is required. |
| Step 2: Write a Note | Type your confidential message into the note box on the main page. |
| Step 3: Set Optional Features | Decide whether you want to receive an email when the note gets read and if you want to be notified if the note was copied to the clipboard. |
| Step 4: Create the Note | Click “Create Note”. The website will encrypt your message and provide a unique link. |
| Step 5: Share the Link | Copy and send this unique link to the intended recipient. Be sure to share this through a secure method. |
| Step 6: Note Destruction | Once the recipient clicks the link and reads the note, the note will self-destruct, ensuring the data can’t be read again. |
| Step 7: (Optional) Read Receipt | If you selected this option, you’ll receive an email when the note gets read. |
| Step 8: (Optional) Copy Alert | If you selected this option and the recipient copied the note before it was destroyed, you will be notified. |
Features of Privnote
Privnote is a unique and highly useful online tool designed to offer secure and private communication in a simple yet effective way. It’s essentially a free service allowing users to create notes that self-destruct after being read. The table below provides a comprehensive breakdown of various features and functionalities that Privnote offers, illustrating its benefits and potential limitations.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Privnote is a free service that allows users to send private information to others in a secure manner. Once the message is read, it self-destructs and can’t be read again. |
| Message Destruction | Once the recipient opens and reads the note, it is immediately destroyed and can’t be accessed again. |
| Privacy | The contents of the note are encrypted and cannot be seen by Privnote itself. Only the recipient with the correct link can view the note. |
| Notifications | The sender can choose to receive an email notification when the note is read. |
| One-time Read | Each note can only be read once. If the recipient tries to open the note again or share the note’s link with someone else, they will find that the note has been destroyed. After 30 days, all unread notes are automatically destroyed. |
| Duplication Detection | Privnote can inform the sender if the note was copied to clipboard before getting destroyed. |
| Limitations | The service doesn’t require any account or personal information to use, but the note can only be accessed once, and if the URL is lost before the recipient reads it, the note is lost as well. |
| Use Cases | Sending passwords, personal information, confidential details, one-time links, etc., in a secure way. |
Encryption & privacy
Privnote uses AES client-side encryption, which is a very strong security standard. The implementation of client-side encryption means that Privnote’s server never has access to the encryption key, so it cannot decrypt the notes. This is a significant advantage for user privacy.
Since Privnote does not require registration or accounts, users do not have to worry about personal information being collected. This is a great advantage for user privacy.
Summary
In summary, Privnote provides a simple, free, and effective method of sending private and confidential information online. Its core features such as automatic destruction of notes after reading, optional read receipts, and encryption capabilities, provide a simple platform for secure communication. Despite its limitations, namely that notes are inaccessible if the URL is lost before reading, it’s clear that Privnote serves a critical role in enhancing online privacy and security.
Disclaimer: I don’t have any ties with privnote.com, I’m pointing it out to you as a site that might come in handy.
