THE CHALLENGE OF SECURE SHARING
Sharing confidential documents has become a daily necessity in our professional and personal lives. However, traditional sharing methods present significant risks: email attachments can be intercepted, many cloud services do not comply with GDPR and retain access to your data, and USB drives can be lost or stolen.
Sigalion Vault offers a different solution: encrypted file transfer with temporary links. This approach ensures that your documents remain confidential from start to finish throughout the sharing process.
HOW DOES SECURE TRANSFER WORK?
The file transfer process in Sigalion Vault is based on a fundamental principle: your files are encrypted locally on your device before being sent to the server. Here's how it works in detail:
- Local encryption: You select a file in the application and choose a password or certificate to encrypt it. The file is immediately encrypted on your device with the algorithm of your choice (AES-GCM or ChaCha20-Poly1305).
- Secure upload: The encrypted file is sent to the Sigalion server via an HTTPS connection. The server only receives the encrypted version and has no way to decrypt it.
- Temporary link generation: A unique identifier (UUID) is generated for this transfer, allowing access to the encrypted file during the validity period.
- Email notification: You send the download link to the recipient by email. If you have chosen password mode, you must communicate it through a separate channel to ensure security. In certificate mode, only the recipient with the corresponding private key can decrypt the file.
- Download: The recipient clicks on the link, downloads the encrypted file (.cry extension), then decrypts it in the Sigalion Vault application with the appropriate password or certificate.
- Automatic expiration: After the defined validity period, the file is automatically deleted from the server.
FREE PLAN: FOR YOUR DAILY NEEDS
The free plan of Sigalion Vault already offers a secure transfer solution suitable for most daily needs:
- Up to 3 files simultaneously: You can maintain 3 active files on the server at the same time.
- Files up to 5 MB: Ideal for documents, contracts, reports, and most office files.
- 48-hour validity: Each file remains available for 2 days, providing a reasonable timeframe for your recipient to download it.
- Robust encryption: With the free plan, you benefit from an encryption level identical to paid plans.
Typical use cases for the free plan
- Share a signed contract with a client
- Send confidential administrative documents
- Transmit sensitive information to a colleague
- Share medical reports with a healthcare professional
GIGA PLAN: FOR INTENSIVE PROFESSIONAL NEEDS
For users with greater needs, Sigalion Vault offers the Giga plan (available as monthly or annual subscription) which significantly multiplies transfer capabilities:
- Up to 50 files simultaneously: Manage numerous transfers in parallel without limitation.
- Files up to 100 MB: Share larger files such as enriched presentations, high-resolution images, complete folders, or archives.
- 1 GB total storage: Benefit from dedicated storage space for all your active transfers.
- 7-day validity: Your files remain available for a full week, offering more flexibility.
- Extended retention: Information about your transfers is kept for 30 days after expiration (versus 7 days for free plan), facilitating tracking and auditing.
Typical use cases for the Giga plan
- Share complete client files with partners
- Regularly transmit large files in a professional context
- Manage projects requiring multiple document exchanges
- Collaborate on projects with multiple stakeholders requiring access to numerous documents
THE SECURITY ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM
The Sigalion Vault file transfer system offers several major security advantages:
True end-to-end encryption
Unlike many services that claim to offer end-to-end encryption, Sigalion Vault truly encrypts your files locally before sending them. The server never sees your data in clear text and does not possess the decryption keys.
Privacy protection and GDPR compliance
Your files are encrypted before being sent to the server. Sigalion cannot access the content of your files, thus guaranteeing your privacy and compliance with GDPR. Files stored on the server remain unusable without the decryption keys that only you possess.
Separation of security elements
In password mode, the download link and decryption password are two distinct elements that you must communicate separately. In certificate mode, only the recipient with the corresponding private key can decrypt the file, offering enhanced security without sharing secrets.
Automatic expiration
Files are automatically deleted from the server after their validity period, reducing the exposure window and ensuring that no old files remain accessible indefinitely.
Choice of encryption algorithm
As with all Sigalion Vault features, you can choose between AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305, offering increased flexibility and cryptographic independence.
BEST PRACTICES FOR OPTIMAL SHARING
To maximize the security of your file transfers, follow these recommendations:
- Communicate the password through a separate channel: If you use password mode, never send the password in the same email as the download link. Use SMS, phone call, or a different messaging service. The application automatically generates strong passwords for you.
- Prioritize X.509 certificates for professional exchanges: Certificate encryption offers enhanced security and avoids sharing secrets.
- Verify the recipient's identity: Make sure you send the link to the right person, particularly by checking the email address.
- Manually delete files after download: If you know the recipient has retrieved the file, delete it immediately from the server to reduce exposure.
CONCLUSION: A SOLUTION ADAPTED TO YOUR NEEDS
Whether you need to occasionally share confidential documents or regularly manage sensitive file transfers in a professional context, Sigalion Vault offers an adapted solution:
- The free plan is perfectly suitable for individuals and professionals with occasional needs.
- The Giga plan is aimed at intensive users, businesses, and professionals regularly handling large files or numerous documents.
In all cases, you benefit from a high level of security through end-to-end encryption and automatic file expiration. Sigalion Vault transforms the sharing of sensitive files into a simple, fast, and truly secure process.