What is Userbase?
Userbase ↗︎ is a cloud service which offers secure end-to-end encrypted storage for browser-based applications. Securepub uses Userbase to store all encrypted engagement data and enforce access permissions of engagement users.
Applications like Securepub build on the Userbase APIs to enable end-users to
- sign up on their own
- manage their own login profiles
- control the data they provide
- decide when their data should be shared
- choose who to share it with and
- delete their login to ensure the application can no longer access their data.
As described in the Userbase FAQ ↗︎, all engagement database names, items and files are end-to-end encrypted. Some metadata such as member usernames is encrypted on the wire and at rest but not end-to-end encrypted. Userbase operators can see these names and some other details but not any of the engagement content.
See Userbase Architecture↗︎ for a deep dive into how Userbase keeps data secure.
What is an AppID?
Securepub engagements are logically related collections of users and databases within an AppID provided by the host of the engagement. Securepub hosts may obtain an AppID from the Userbase website as described here.
Notes about AppIDs:
- A Userbase account may have many AppIDs (starter plan is limited to one).
-
Within an AppID users and databases are unlimited
(starter plan is limited to 100 users and 100 MiB storage). - Within an AppID no two Userbase usernames may be the same.
- Databases may only be shared between users in the same AppID.