Vault DM
A messenger that keeps
the key on your computer.
Messages are locked on your PC before they leave it, then travel through Tor to a relay that only ever holds sealed mail. If someone took the server, they still could not read a conversation.
What the relay actually gets
The relay is the server in the middle. It stores mail until the other person’s app picks it up. It never gets the key to open it.
Requests are padded to fixed sizes, so a short “ok” and a long paragraph look alike. Your app reaches the relay through Tor, so the relay does not learn your IP address either.
How an account works
There is no phone number and no profile to fill in. Your account lives in a vault file on your PC.
- Pick a username and a PIN. Usernames are unique. The PIN is at least 8 characters and unlocks the vault on this PC.
- The app makes a vault key. It is random, made on your PC, and sealed with the PC’s TPM. It is never uploaded.
- Add a second check. Either a code sent to your email, or the optional USB verification board. The relay keeps an id for the email, not the address.
- Compare safety numbers. Before you send messages, you and your friend check that a number matches on both screens. That proves nobody is sitting in between.
What’s in it
- Direct messages
- Encrypted on your PC. Add friends by username. You can turn message requests off.
- Communities
- Group spaces with channels, roles, and members. Channel messages are encrypted too.
- Public forum
- Categories, posts, and replies that anyone can read. Built for open talk, not secrets.
- Verification board
- An optional RP2350 USB board that holds a key the PC can’t copy. Plug it in to unlock.
- Themes
- Six color themes, your own background picture, and animated backgrounds on Windows.
- Windows and Linux
- Native apps on both. On Windows, the window blocks screenshots.
Questions
Can you read my messages?
No. Private messages and community channels are encrypted on your PC with keys that stay there. The relay stores sealed blobs it has no key for. The public forum is the exception. It is readable on purpose.
What happens if I forget my PIN?
If you signed up with email, a reset code lets your PC make a new vault key and a new PIN, and you keep your username. Old messages are not recovered, because nobody else ever had the key to them. Board accounts have no email reset.
Why does it use Tor?
So the server does not learn where you are. Vault DM will not fall back to a direct connection. If Tor is not running, it does not connect. Windows comes with Tor in the download.
Why does Linux need a TPM?
The vault key is sealed to the TPM so the vault file is useless if it is copied off the PC. Most PCs from the last several years have one. Virtual machines need a virtual TPM turned on.
Is there a phone app?
Not yet. Vault DM is Windows and Linux for now.
How is it paid for?
Donations. The relay runs on a small server that costs a few dollars a month. There are no ads and no paid tier.