How can clients easily and securely send me passwords? [closed]

Solution 1:

Your idea of a web-based messaging system could be implemented in a few dozen lines of HTML and PHP (mostly html) on any system that had an SSL web server and GPG installed. It’s really just a very simple but specialised formmail type program. You could even hack an existing formmail CGI script to insert a call to GPG (assuming one doesn’t already exist, try Googling for formmail + GPG)

• If you haven’t already done so, install gpg on your workstation and create your public & private keys
• Create a php page that displays a form to accept a message (text field), encrypts it with gpg using your public key, and emails it to you. Hard-code your email address in the script (i.E don’t allow the sender to specify who to send to)
• Install the php page on an existing ssl server or create one just for the task. A self-signed cert is good enough for this job.
• Tell your client the url when you need them to send you a login and password.

Btw, thunderbird has the Enigmail plugin which makes using GPG encryption very easy. But it’s still probably too much trouble for casual users.

Solution 2:

PGP is popular.

You can also try the tried and true method of a meeting at a pond, preferably with both of you wearing trench coats.