Privacy Basics
How Does Encryption Protect Your Messages?
Quick Answer
End-to-end encryption like AES-256-GCM ensures only the intended recipients can read your messages. The service provider never has the decryption keys — making your communication private by design.
Detailed Explanation
End-to-end encryption protects your messages by encrypting them on your device before they're sent. Only the intended recipient's device can decrypt them. The service provider handling the transmission never has access to the decryption keys, so your messages remain private even if the server is breached. This is essential for attorney-client privilege, journalistic source protection, medical confidentiality, and everyday personal privacy. zkChat implements this using AES-256-GCM via the Web Crypto API, with encryption keys embedded in URL fragments that are never transmitted to the server. Messages are also ephemeral — they exist only in RAM and are destroyed when the session ends.
Related Questions
Can the Government Access My Encrypted Messages?
With zero-knowledge encryption, governments cannot access your message content — even with legal authority. The encryption keys never touch the server.
Is End-to-End Encryption Really Secure?
Yes. Properly implemented E2EE using algorithms like AES-256-GCM is mathematically secure — breaking it would take longer than the age of the universe with current technology.
What Is Zero-Knowledge Encryption?
Zero-knowledge encryption means the service provider is technically unable to access your data — not just promising not to, but cryptographically prevented from doing so.
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