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There is a clear trade-off between security and usability, depending on which option you want:
Description | Usability | Security | |
---|---|---|---|
User's Computer/Device | The private key is stored in the browser local storage (similar to a cookie) | ||
External Key/Smartcard | The private key is available through an external process running on the client machine. Then the browser can only request decryption. You have to install an extra Key Server on your machine, which is able to both recognize provided key files or Smart Cards (currently Windows only). The key is never saved in the browser. | ||
Manual Input for each download | When downloading an E2EE file, the private key has to be copy/pasted into a browser form. The key is never saved in the browser. | ||
Local decryption, download only | The E2EE file is downloaded locally and a secondary tool is required to decrypt (E2EE Reader). The E2EE Reader supports both file and Smart Card decryption (currently Windows only). The key is never saved in the browser. | / |
General remarks about security:
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