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How Encryption Works

Deep dive into the cryptographic technology that protects your data. No marketing fluff - just technical details.

All plans included

Industry-Standard Encryption

We use battle-tested cryptographic algorithms trusted by governments and security professionals

AES-256-GCM

File encryption

Military-grade symmetric encryption for your files. Same standard used by governments worldwide.

RSA-4096

Key exchange

Asymmetric encryption for secure key sharing between devices and users.

Argon2id

Password hashing

Memory-hard key derivation function resistant to GPU cracking attacks.

ChaCha20-Poly1305

Mobile optimization

Fast authenticated encryption for mobile devices without AES hardware.

End-to-End Encryption Flow

From your device to our servers - see how zero-knowledge works in practice

STEP 1

Password Entry

Key generated on your device

PBKDF2 100k iterations
STEP 2

File Encryption

AES-256-GCM encryption

Client-side only
STEP 3

Upload

Encrypted blob transfer

TLS 1.3 transport
STEP 4

Decrypt

Decryption on your device

Local decryption

Result: True Zero-Knowledge

Your files are protected even if our servers are breached

The Encryption Process

What happens when you upload a file to Nygma

1

Master Password Entry

Your password never leaves your device

You enter your master password locally. It is never transmitted to our servers.

2

Key Derivation

Argon2id derives encryption key from password

Password is transformed into a cryptographic key using Argon2id with high memory cost.

3

File Encryption

AES-256-GCM encrypts file chunks

Each file is split into chunks and encrypted with unique keys derived from your master key.

4

Metadata Encryption

Filenames, sizes, dates all encrypted

Not just file contents - everything is encrypted including folder structure.

5

Secure Upload

TLS 1.3 tunnel with encrypted payload

Already-encrypted data is uploaded over TLS for double protection in transit.

6

Server Storage

Server stores encrypted blobs with no keys

We store gibberish. Without your password, the data is mathematically unreadable.

Multiple Layers of Encryption

Defense in depth - every aspect of your data is protected

Layer 1

Transport Layer

Technology:

TLS 1.3

Protects:

Data in transit from your device to our servers

Layer 2

Content Encryption

Technology:

AES-256-GCM

Protects:

File contents - the actual bytes of your files

Layer 3

Metadata Encryption

Technology:

AES-256-GCM

Protects:

Filenames, folder structure, dates, sizes

Layer 4

Thumbnail Encryption

Technology:

AES-256-GCM

Protects:

Image previews and video posters

Key Management

Understanding the different encryption keys and who controls them

Key TypeDescriptionWhere StoredWho Has Access
Master KeyDerived from your password, never stored anywhereNowhere (derived on-demand)Only you (in memory during session)
Device KeysPer-device keys for multi-device syncEncrypted locally on each deviceYou (on authenticated devices)
File KeysUnique key per file for additional securityEncrypted with your master keyYou (encrypted with your keys)
Share KeysTemporary keys for shared linksIn the share URL fragment (client-side)Anyone with the link

Critical Point: We Never Store Your Keys

The master key is derived from your password every time you log in. It exists only in your device memory during your session. When you log out, it is gone. This is why we cannot reset your password - we never had it in the first place.

Additional Technical Details

Chunked Encryption

Files are split into 4MB chunks before encryption. Each chunk is encrypted independently.

Enables efficient uploads (resume partial failures)

Faster processing for large files

Parallel encryption/decryption

Authentication Tags

GCM mode provides authenticated encryption with built-in integrity verification.

Detects tampering attempts

Prevents bit-flip attacks

Guarantees data authenticity

Military-Grade Security, Consumer-Friendly Interface

All this complex encryption happens invisibly. You just upload files. We handle the cryptography.

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