Feature: Practical URL Parameter Encryption

[NotsoanoNimus]

The What

Adds a way to generically and securely encrypt the URLs of destination feeds.

Hate having passive observers of your feed links know which 'special feed' queries you're running? How about exposing those pesky shopping queries?

Tired of having to make your own custom modifications to bridges when you're not a developer? This will be good for you! 😄

The Function

Normal feeds are still created per the usual manner.

The URL looks like it always does, but a new subtle menu appears labeled "Encrypt This Feed".

Clicking on it shows a brief explanation and a button linking to an encrypted URL that contains all the current URL parameters.

The page with the encrypted URL shows the same details (without revealing the original search link or other possible inputs).

Alternative formats also work with encrypted URLs (from the encrypted HTML format).

Disclaimer: I am not a front-end developer (or very artsy). The 'look and feel' of this could possibly be improved.

The Why

• Obscurity: keep private bridge names and parameters private... Any observer of your link still won't know what you're querying unless they visit it. (And if you have AUTH enabled, the link is now completely PRIVATE.)
• Fully optional: no credit card required. 😉
• Out-of-the-box: functions as part of the core framework/libraries.
• Subtle: don't need to use it or care about it, and it's not in the way.
• Bridge-agnostic: does not require any modifications to existing bridges.
• Non-disruptive: the feature is turned off by default and its changes have no effects on normal application operation.
• Speedy: no latency issues are introduced by the feature, whether used or not.

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Motivated by my own needs and free time, with a final push by RSS-Bridge#4161 to anonymize URLs. These fixed URLs (even containing login credentials) can be safely and confidently given to URL shortening services. Just don't change the encryption key once it's set!