VKGeo protects your location data in various ways at different stages.
In transit
On the way from your device to VK servers, your data is automatically encrypted using Transport Layer Security (TLS). It's the standard technology for keeping an internet connection secure and safeguarding any sensitive data that is being sent between two systems, preventing maleficent persons from reading and modifying any information transferred. This technology protects you from data interception by your internet service provider, the owner of a WiFi access point or any other persons between your device and VK servers.
On VK servers
When stored on VK servers, your data is protected using an access control list (ACL). ACL support is provided by VK as part of the standard application programming interface (API). This ACL restricts access to your location data for VK users, allowing access only to those you have added to the list of trusted friends.
End-to-end encryption
However, all of the above may still not be enough. What if an attacker gains access to your VK account or an account of your trusted friend? In this case, he will still be able to access your location data. To prevent this, VKGeo supports additional encryption of location data on your device before sending it to VK servers. Your location data intended for each of your trusted friends will be separately encrypted with this friend's public key, and and only this friend (and no one else) will have a private key to access the data. This private key will only be stored on your friend's device, and will not be accessible online (including through VK account).
Please note that you will not be able to use the VKGeo web app to view the location of those of your friends who are using end-to-end encryption.
End-to-end encryption setup
- Open the application settings screen and navigate to the encryption settings group.
- Press the "Encryption settings" button and select "Enable encryption" from the menu.
- Note that the public encryption key text above the "Encryption settings" button has changed its color to green. This means that your location data will now be encrypted.
- Ask your trusted friends to give you their public keys. As soon as you get a friend's public key, paste this key into the corresponding input field on this friend's profile screen in the application. If the key is correct, then after a while (after the next update of the location data) your friend will be able to see your location.
- Pass your public key to trusted and tracked friends who use encryption and whose location you want to see. As soon as they get your public key and paste it into the corresponding input field on your profile screen in the application, you will be able to see their locations.
Before sending or receiving a public key, it is extremely important to make sure that you are really communicating with your friend, and not with someone who is simply impersonating him. For more confidence, use a separate (not related to VK), a well-known and secure communication channel to transfer the key.
You can regenerate your encryption key pair (consisting of a public key and a private key) at any time through the encryption settings menu. In this case, you will need to pass the new public key to your trusted and tracked friends once again.