Privacy Policy

Introduction

GhostDrop is a zero-knowledge encrypted file sharing service. This privacy policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. Our core principle is simple: we collect the minimum data necessary to operate the service, and we architecturally cannot access your file contents.

What We Collect

We never see, store, or have access to your file contents. All files are encrypted in your browser before upload using AES-256-GCM encryption. The encryption key is embedded in the share link's URL fragment and is never transmitted to our servers.

We do collect the following metadata:

• Account information (email address, name) provided during sign-up
• Drop metadata: file size, chunk count, media type, expiry settings, view counts
• Timestamps of uploads and access events
• IP addresses for rate limiting and abuse prevention
• Payment information processed by our payment provider (we do not store card details)

Encryption Architecture

GhostDrop uses AES-256-GCM encryption via the Web Crypto API, which is built into modern browsers and often hardware-accelerated. Here's how it works:

• A unique encryption key is generated in your browser for each drop
• Files are split into chunks and each chunk is encrypted individually
• Only encrypted data is uploaded to our servers
• The encryption key is placed in the URL fragment (the part after #), which browsers never send to servers
• Only someone with the complete share link can decrypt the content

This means that even if our servers were compromised, your file contents would remain encrypted and inaccessible without the keys — which we never possess.

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Clerk — handles authentication (sign-in, sign-up, session management). Clerk processes your email address and authentication credentials under their own privacy policy.
• Razorpay — processes payments for paid plans. Razorpay handles your payment information directly; we never see or store your card details.

Data Retention

Encrypted drop data is permanently deleted from our servers when any of the following conditions are met:

• The drop expires (based on the expiry time you set)
• The view limit is reached
• You manually revoke the drop

Our garbage collection system runs continuously and permanently purges expired data. There are no backups of expired or revoked content.

Account data (email, usage metrics) is retained while your account is active. You can delete your account at any time, which will remove your account data and revoke all active drops.

Cookies

GhostDrop uses only essential cookies required for authentication session management (provided by Clerk). We do not use tracking cookies, analytics cookies, or advertising cookies.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Delete your account and all associated data
• Revoke any active drops at any time
• Request information about what data we hold about you
• Export your account data

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, please reach out via our contact page.