1. Write or paste the combination in box 1. It is masked by default, so if you want to display it, check the "Show" checkbox.

2. Write or paste the message in box 3. Click the "Lock" button. The locked message will appear in box 4. Copy it and paste it into your communications program or hit "Email Text" to open your default email. It is okay to strip the tags up to the "=" sign, but not recommended. It is also okay to split the locked message with spaces, line returns, and punctuation other than = + or / This message can only be unlocked by someone having the same combination.

1. Write or paste the combination in box 1. It is masked by default, so if you want to display it, check the "Show" checkbox.

2. Paste the locked message in box 4. It is okay if it is broken up by spaces, carriage returns, and special characters other than = + or / or is missing its tags. Then click the "Unlock" button. The unlocked message will appear in box 3.

1. Paste the recipient's lock in box 2. It is okay if the tags up to the "=" signs are missing, or extra spaces, carriage returns, or special characters other than = + or / have been added.

2. Write or paste your message in box 3. Click the "Lock" button. The locked message will appear in box 4. Copy it and paste it into your communications program or hit "Email Text" to open your default email. It is okay to strip the tags up to the "=" sign, but not recommended. It is also okay to split the locked message with spaces, line returns, and punctuation other than = + or / This message can only be unlocked by someone having the secret key matching the lock used to secure it.

1. Write or paste into box 1 the key matching the lock used to secure the message. It is masked by default, so if you want to display it, check the "Show" checkbox.

2. Paste the locked message in box 4. It is okay if it is broken up by spaces, carriage returns, and special characters other than = + or / or is missing its tags. Then click the "Unlock" button. The unlocked message will appear in box 3.

1. Start typing in box 1. As you type, a text below box 1 will tell you how strong the key is, based on simple rules. If you want to see what you are typing and don't mind people peering over your shoulder, check the Show checkbox.

2. The key will be stronger if it contains caPiTals in unusual places, numb3rs, and $ymbol$. If you use common words, mispelll them to make them harder to guess. Avoid things that refer to yourself and your family, such as birthdays or nicknames, or anything else that might be easy to guess, like: asdfg, qwerty, password, PassLok, and the like.

3. Bear in mind, however, that you should be able to remember your key without having to write it down. PassLok will never ask you to change your key, so this your chance to make a truly strong key that you will use for a long time.

1. Write or paste your secret key in box 1. It is masked by default, so if you want to display it, check the "Show" checkbox.

2. Click the "Make Lock" button. The lock matching that key will appear in box 2. It is okay to strip the tags up to the "=" sign, or insert spaces, carriage returns, or special characters other than = + or / but not recommended. The lock can be made available to anyone who wishes to secure messages to be read with the matching key. You can also email the lock directly by clicking ""Email Lock".

1. Write or paste your secret key in box 1. It is masked by default, so if you want to display it, check the "Show" checkbox.

2. Paste the recipient's lock in box 2. It is okay if the tags up to the "=" signs are missing, or extra spaces, carriage returns, or special characters other than = + or / have been added.

3. Write or paste your message in box 3. Click the "Lock" button. The locked message will appear in box 4. Copy it and paste it into your communications program or hit "Email Text" to open your default email. It is okay to strip the tags up to the "=" sign, but not recommended. It is also okay to split the locked message with spaces, line returns, and punctuation other than = + or / This message can only be unlocked by someone having the key matching the lock used to secure it, plus the lock matching the secret key used to lock it, which is useful to authenticate the sender.

1. Write or paste your key in box 1. It is masked by default, so if you want to display it, check the "Show" checkbox.

2. Paste the sender's lock in box 2. It is okay if the tags up to the "=" signs are missing, or extra spaces, carriage returns, or special characters other than = + or / have been added.

3. Paste the locked message in box 4. It is okay if it is broken up by spaces, carriage returns, and special characters other than = + or / or is missing its tags. Then click the "Unlock" button. The unlocked message will appear in box 3.

1. Make sure both box 1 and box 2 are empty.

2. Write or paste your message in box 3. Message length is limited to 57 ASCII characters. Non-ASCII characters use 6 spaces each, so avoid them if you can. Any text beyond the limit will be lost. Hit the "Lock" button.

3. A popup will ask you for a password, which will be necessary to unlock the message. Write it in and click OK. The locked message will appear in box 4. Copy it and paste it into your communications program. The locked message, which has no tags, will fit within one SMS message (160 characters).

1. Paste the locked message in box 4. It is okay if it is broken up by spaces, carriage returns, and special characters. Then click the "Unlock" button.

2. A popup will ask for the password, which is the same used for locking. Write it in and click OK. The unlocked message will appear in box 3.

1. Write or paste your secret key in box 1. It is masked by default, so if you want to display it, check the "Show" checkbox.

2. Write or paste the text to be signed in box 3. Click the "Sign" button. A stamp matching the text and the key will appear in box 4. Copy it and use it as appropriate. It is okay to strip the tags up to the "=" sign, but not recommended. It is also okay to split the stamp with spaces, line returns, and punctuation other than = + or /

1. Paste the lock of the person who made the stamp in box 2. It is okay if the tags up to the "=" signs are missing, or extra spaces, carriage returns, or special characters other than = + or / have been added.

2. Write or paste the text that was stamped in box 3. It is okay if the spaces and carriage returns within the text are different from those of the original text that was signed.

3. Paste the stamp in box 4. It is okay if it is broken up by spaces, carriage returns, and special characters other than = + or / or is missing its tags. Then click the "Verify" button. A popup message will say whether or not the stamp for that text has been verified.

1. Check the "Decoy mode" checkbox below box 4.

2. Write or type your hidden message in box 4. Its length is limited to 152 ASCII characters in combination and signed modes, 87 characters in anonymous mode, 38 characters in short message mode. Non-ASCII characters use 6 spaces each, so avoid them if you can. Any text beyond the limit will be lost.

3. Follow the instructions for any of the four types of locking, using only a combination, only a lock, both a key and a lock, or a popup password. If decoy mode is checked, a popup will ask for a decoy password to lock the hidden message.

4. Write or paste into the popup box the password for the hidden message and click "OK". It is all right to enter nothing in this box, and in this case the hidden message can be retrieved without a password. An locked message containing both the main text and the hidden text will appear in box 4, replacing the hidden text. Copy it and paste it into your communications program. As with regular locked messages, it is okay to strip the tags up to the "=" sign, but not recommended. It is also okay to split the locked message with spaces, line returns, and punctuation other than = + or /

1. Check the "Decoy mode" checkbox below box 4.

2. Follow the instructions for any of the four locking modes, using a key, a combination, both a lock and a key, or nothing. If decoy mode is checked, a popup will ask for a decoy password.

3. Write or paste into the popup box the special password for the hidden message, if there is one, and hit "OK". The hidden message, if it exists, will appear in box 4 even if the main unlocking fails. The main message will appear in box 3 if the main unlocking is successful.

1. Paste the lock in box 2. It is okay if the tags up to the "=" signs are missing, or extra spaces, carriage returns, or special characters other than = + or / have been added.

2. Click the "Show ID" button. The unique ID of that lock will be displayed in box 3 for convenience, though this is not a secret (this is the one exception to the color code). It is useful to verify the authenticity of a lock by means of a phone call, video message, etc., in which at least one of the parties reads the ID.

1. Load PassLok from the Web or from storage (local or cloud).

2. Direct your browser to "view source". Each browser does this differently, but most of them have this capability. On the page displaying the source, select all (CTRL-A or cmd-A, in most computers), then copy to clipboard (CTRL-C or cmd-C).

3. Back in the PassLok page, make sure box 2 is clear, then click on it and paste the clipboard (CTRL-V or cmd-V) into box 2. Click the Show ID button. The self-ID will be displayed in box 3 for convenience, though this is not a secret.

4. Come back to this Instructions page and copy the self-ID shown below, then paste it below the ID that was displayed in box 3 of PassLok. If both IDs are the same, the program has not been tampered with.

Current version of PassLok is: 1.0

source: https://passlok.site44.com

made on: 5/23/13

Self-check ID (SHA256):

a907-25eb-50e3-e4a6-5f4b-27c1-684e-f590-6094-6fae-52f3-c7ca-47b1-732c-9eab-3e9b

The metaphor underneath PassLok is that of locks: if you want something to be accessible only to certain people, you put a lock on it. PassLok allows you to put a lock on information in the form of text, so that when it is locked it appears to be gibberish. It also allows you to unlock it and return it to its original readable form.

There are two kinds of locks out there: combination locks, and key locks. A combination lock can be opened by those who know the special code or combination. A regular key lock can be closed by anybody, but you need the key that matches the lock in order to open it. PassLok understands both kinds.

You can lock a text with a combination, which you give to those who are supposed to open the text, but keep secret from those whom you don’t want to be able to read it. To do this, place the secret combination in box 1 of the PassLok page and the text in box 3. Then click Lock (or Email Text, if you want the result to be put into an email immediately). To unlock a locked text, place it in box 4 and the combination in box 1, then click Unlock.

You can also lock a text with somebody’s lock, which you have gotten from that person (more on this below), and then only that person will be able to open it, using his/her secret key. To lock a text this way, place the person’s lock in box 2 and the text in box 3. Then click Lock (or Email Text). To unlock a text locked in this way, the recipient will need to place his/her key in box 1, the locked text in box 4, and then click Unlock.

Combinations and keys are secret items, but locks are not. In PassLok, you start with a key and then you make the lock to match your key. To do this, you place the key in box 1 and then click Make Lock. The lock appears in box 2. This is not a secret because it is pretty much impossible to get the key starting from the lock. You should give your lock to people whom you wish to send you locked messages, as you would give them your phone number or your email address. For convenience, there is an Email Lock button, so that you only need to supply the addresses where the lock should be sent.

PassLok has two more locking modes, which are described below along with signatures and hidden messages. Read on if you want to learn about those.

In PassLok, a key is like a password that you type. The algorithms used in PassLok are the strongest known at this time (2013), so this means that the weak link in the chain is your personal key. The same thing could be said of the combination, when that type of locking is used. PassLok helps you to make a strong key or combination but does not force you to compose it in any particular way so you can actually remember it without having to write it down anywhere.

Hackers will try to guess your key, and you will make their work easier if you choose common words and/or numbers that are associated with you (such as a birthday, etc.) or are easy to guess for some reason. Using capitals in addition to small letters (not just the initial letter) forces them to try any combination of both types, which multiplies their work. Their work is also increased manifold if you throw in stuff that is not letters: numbers, punctuation signs, special characters. Then they'll have to guess from a much larger pool of possible keys. A final touch is using words that are misspelled, so it's hard to find them in a dictionary.

In addition to combination locking and regular anonymous locking, PassLok can sign a message as it locks it, if you supply both the recipient's lock in box 2 and your own secret key in box 1. To unlock a signed message, the recipient must supply both his/her own secret key and the sender's lock. This way the recipient knows who locked the message. There is a fourth locking mode, triggered when neither key nor lock is supplied prior to clicking the Lock button. In this case, PassLok asks for a password that is to be the same to lock and unlock, as in a combination lock. The difference is that the locked message is guaranteed to fit within the 160 character limit of a cellular text message.

This is a simple schematic of the different modes available in PassLok, and how to trigger each one. For unlocking, PassLok will tell you which items to supply if you haven't written them in before clicking Unlock.

	box 1 filled	box 1 empty
box 2 filled	locked and signed (mss)	anonymous lock (msa)
box 2 empty	combination lock (msc)	short message mode (no tags)

PassLok can also put a personal stamp on a text written in box 3, by supplying a personal key in box 1 and clicking the Stamp button. The stamp, which should be sent along with the plain text, will appear in box 4. To verify a stamp, others will place the text that allegedly was signed in box 3, the stamp in box 4, and the signer's lock (matching the key used for stamping) in box 2, then click Verify. A popup will say whether or not the stamp verification has succeeded.

Finally, PassLok is able to hide a second, undetectable message in all the four types of locked message. This could come in handy in the event that someone is forced to turn in his/her secret key. To enable this, click on the "Decoy mode" checkbox below box 4. Locking and unlocking are the same as in the regular modes, except that the hidden message is to be written in box 4, which is where it will reappear upon successful unlocking. PassLok will ask you for the Decoy password (for the hidden message) when it needs it.