Carleton University - School of Computer Science Honours Project
Winter 2019
Signature Verification Extension
SCS Honours Project Image
ABSTRACT
Digital signatures are vital to computer security, they verify the authenticity and integrity of files over the Internet, but they can be difficult to use. Users are often uninformed about digital signatures and the process to verify them. Even users who are more informed may not be verifying them due to the complexity and tediousness of the verification process. This means that users are downloading unverified software onto their computers that could contain malware. To help address these issues, I developed a browser extension that simplifies the verification process by running it directly in the browser and guiding the user through the process. The browser extension identifies when a download has been made and reminds the user to verify the signature. It also provides step-by-step instructions on how to verify the signature of a download, making the entire process more visible and accessible.