PGP for Link is Live!

We’ve always aimed for CDR Link to be a flexible, customizable helpdesk platform that suits the needs of incident responders around the world with varying requirements for using secure communications channels.

While we have offered Signal and WhatsApp integration (both of which offer end-to-end encrypted messaging) since the start of the project, we had yet to dive into development of a PGP plugin until late last year after we heard from a few folks who were very interested in using it in Link. Generous support from supporters including Internews and the Digital Defenders Partnership allowed us to move forward with development.

As with everything PGP-related, we encountered some unexpected challenges and bugs that took some time to resolve, but today we're happy to announce that the PGP extension for CDR Link is officially available! This is a major addition to the CDR Link platform, making it possible for current and future Link users to communicate with their communities using PGP-encrypted email from within the Link interface. We believe this fills a very important gap, ensuring that CDR Link is able to support users of all major secure communications channels.

Here are a few things to know about PGP for Link:

• PGP for Link includes basic functionality allowing Link admins and agents to upload their own private and public keys and the public keys of people submitting tickets.
• Configuring your key to allow it to be uploaded to Link is a bit tricky; you can refer to our documentation here or contact us if you need assistance.
• Your private and public keys and your users' public keys are stored in Link's secure database and are only accessible by CDR Link admins.
• We aim to improve the PGP interface in Link in the coming months. If you have any suggestions, please tell us at [email protected]!
• As with all of CDR's technology, this extension is open source/free software. The code is freely available to use and adapt as needed.

If you're a current CDR Link user and you'd like to use PGP, get in touch. If you're interested in using CDR Link, with or without the PGP extension, you can contact us at [email protected].