Developer(s) Tyler Close Operating system License MIT/X11 | Stable release 1.7 / July 14, 2009 Type Mozilla extension | |
Petname systems are naming systems that claim to possess all three naming properties of Zooko's triangle - global, secure, and memorable. Software that uses such a system can satisfy all three requirements. Such systems can be used to enhance security, such as preventing phishing attacks. Unlike traditional identity systems which focus on the service provider, Petname systems are decentralized and designed to facilitate the needs of the enduser as they interact with multiple services.
Contents
History
The Petname model was formally described in 2005 by Mark Stiegler however the potential of the system was discovered by several people successively.
Examples
CapDesk — a desktop environment.
Firefox extension
There is a Petname Tool extension available for Firefox that allows petnames to be assigned to secure websites. Use of this extension can help prevent phishing attacks.
PetName Markup Language
The PetName Markup Language (PNML) is a proposal for embedding Petname information into other systems using a custom markup language.
PNML consists of two tags:
<pn>pet-name-string</pn><key>stringified-cryptographic-key</key>