QSafe Vault Features — What You Get

Core Feature 01

Hybrid Encryption: ML-KEM + AES-256-GCM

Each file uses a freshly generated 256-bit symmetric key, encapsulated under ML-KEM-768 using your vault's public key. The file itself is encrypted with AES-256-GCM using a key derived via HKDF-SHA-256 from the ML-KEM shared secret and a per-file salt. Decryption requires your ML-KEM secret key and the correct Argon2id-derived vault key.

Why hybrid? AES-256-GCM provides fast, hardware-accelerated authenticated encryption. ML-KEM provides quantum-safe key encapsulation. The hybrid approach means neither algorithm is a single point of failure — compromising one does not compromise the other.

Layer 1 — Key Encapsulation

ML-KEM-768 (1088-byte ciphertext)

Layer 2 — File Encryption

AES-256-GCM + 128-bit auth tag

Key Derivation

HKDF-SHA-256 (per-file salt)

Ciphertext Format

QSAFE Container v2

Core Feature 02

Tamper-Proof Digital Signatures

The entire QSAFE container — ciphertext, encapsulated key material, and all policy fields — is signed using ML-DSA-65 after encryption. The signature is verified before any decryption attempt. Any modification, including to policy metadata, produces a verification failure. This ordering prevents chosen-ciphertext attacks and ensures policy fields cannot be tampered with.

Coverage: The signature covers every byte of the container prior to the signature field itself — including the KEM ciphertext, AES ciphertext, IV, policy ID, and unlock timestamp. The signing key is the vault's ML-DSA-65 secret key, stored encrypted at rest.

Signing Algorithm

ML-DSA-65 (CRYSTALS-Dilithium)

Signature Covers

All container bytes incl. policy fields

Signature Size

3,293 bytes

Verification Timing

Before decryption — fails fast

Core Feature 03

Time-Lock Policies

When encrypting a file, you can optionally attach a policy: "This file cannot be opened until [date]." The unlock date is embedded inside the signed QSAFE container. Because the signature covers the policy fields, the time-lock cannot be removed or modified — doing so would break the signature and prevent decryption.

Use cases: Legal documents sealed until a court date. Inheritance files locked until a beneficiary comes of age. Planned announcements embargoed until a specific moment. Contract terms sealed during negotiation.

Policy Fields (all signed)

unlock_time · expiry_time · policy_id

Enforcement

PolicyEngine.evaluate() before decrypt

Tamper Protection

Cannot modify time without breaking sig

Status Visual

⏳ Countdown shown in file list

Core Feature 04

Full Audit Log

Every action taken in your vault is recorded: file encrypted, file decrypted, policy denied, signature failed, vault exported. Each log entry includes a timestamp, the action, the file name, and the result. The audit log is stored alongside your vault in IndexedDB.

Why this matters: If someone gets access to your unlocked device and tries to read your files, you'll see exactly what was accessed and when. Full transparency, zero gaps.

Logged Events

encrypt · decrypt · policy_denied · sig_failed · export · import

Each Entry Contains

timestamp · action · fileId · result · reason

Storage

IndexedDB access_logs store

Core Feature 05

Export, Backup & Import

Your vault lives in your browser — but you can export it at any time as a single encrypted backup file. The export includes all your encrypted files, policies, and audit logs — but not your secret keys in raw form (they remain encrypted with your password). Import the file in any browser to restore your vault.

Important: Export regularly if you store important files. Browser storage can be cleared. Your export file is safe to store anywhere — without your password, it's unreadable.

Export Format

.vault JSON archive

Contains

All files · policies · logs · encrypted keys

Without Password

Completely unreadable

Comparison

QSafe vs other tools

Feature	QSafe Vault	ZIP Password	VeraCrypt	Standard Cloud
Quantum-safe encryption	✓ ML-KEM-768	✗	✗	✗
Runs entirely in browser	✓	✗	✗	✗
No installation needed	✓	~	✗	✓
Zero file uploads	✓	✓	✓	✗
Digital signatures (tamper proof)	✓ ML-DSA-65	✗	✗	~
Time-lock policies	✓	✗	✗	✗
Audit log	✓	✗	✗	~
Brute-force resistant KDF	✓ Argon2id	✗	✓ PBKDF2	~
No account required	✓	✓	✓	✗