There are plenty of solutions centered around KYC and AML laws that allow projects and companies to verify a persons real identity. Keybase is a project that doesn't care about users offline identity. It is a project that is looking to solve a different problem. The problem keybase is setting out to solve is verifying and protecting a persons online identity.

If you run a blockchain project of any kind or are part of a blockchain project and you use either discord or telegram, you have probably at some point run across a scammer claiming they are the owner of an exchange, a large youtube channel, or the writer of a large publication. 

These people will try to sell you marketing or listings on exchanges but in reality they just want you to send them funds and then they will disappear because they don't actually own the websites they are claiming. 

Keybase Identity Stops Scammers

Keybase is a solution that can solve this problem. Keybase has many various features but its core feature is cyber identity management through cryptographic proofing. 

The way it works is relatively simple. A user creates an account with Keybase and then they can claim websites they own, social profiles they own, wallet addresses they own, github pages they own and many other types of accounts.

I will use claiming twitter as an example. After logging in, Keybase allows a user to click a couple options to claim their twitter profile. Keybase generates a unique cryptographic key for the user and requires they post that key to their twitter stream. This key is then verified by Keybase, and the twitter account is added to their profile. 

Others can then visit their profile to ensure they do in fact own the profile they claim. This makes it so no one other than the owner of an account can claim ownership.

So you may be wondering how this proves anything right? What stops a random scammer from claiming they are viraladmin and sending someone to my Keybase profile so they can verify that?

Keybase Encrypted messages

Encrypted messages is what prevents that. Lets imagine a scenario. Lets say a scammer comes along and claims they are me, viraladmin, and that they own my website. They point  the user to Keybase as proof that they own my website. 

Now all that person has to do is say "please sign and date a message to me proving you are in fact viraladmin". 

If that scammer really were me, they could easily sign a message for the user and that user could then verify that message was in fact from me.

The process is very basic. 

From within my account, I use the sign message option. In the screenshot above you can see on the left I sign a message containing today's date and on the right I am given output of the encrypted signed message. 

I then take that signed message from the right hand screenshot and send it to the person. That person doesn't even need an account to verify my message. All they have to do is visit my profile and use the verify option.

After pasting the message and clicking verify, it will prove to them that the message was in fact signed by me and the date allows them to see it was created on the exact date I contact them. I could also further personalize the message to include their name or whatever else I feel. 

This proves to the person I am contacting that I do in fact own the profiles listed on my account and that I am the rightful owner as no one else could sign a message from me. If they cannot sign a message as me, then they are obviously a scammer. 

Keybase to replace slack

Although identity proofing and management is the cornerstone feature of the Keybase project it actually can do a lot more than I have explained so far. In fact is a complete crypto secured replacement for the popular slack platform.

It allows one to create teams, have chats, create gits for projects, share files, and even has integrated wallets for select cryptocurrency. 

For team building and project management that requires security and sensitive data this is a clear choice because absolutely every feature is secured through encryption. 

Keybase is incredibly easy to use and manage. It has versions for windows desktop, linux, mac, ios, android and web interface. There are currently over 100,000 people already managing their online identities through the project and works to verify over 250 sites. 

Hopefully someday in the future we will see writing platforms like publish0x integrate with them so all authors can verify themselves and where they are a writer.

I would highly encourage everyone reading this article to visit Keybase and create an account and start verifying all their web properties and social profiles. It does lack a few major platforms at this time like Facebook and LinkedIn, but it is a young project with much room for growth.

It is also a great way to find new websites and projects to join and a great way to build new connections in a secure environment.