Why Oten Drive
Trustless protection
We follow a zero-knowledge design: files, the manifest (index), and data chunks are encrypted on your device before any sync happens. Our servers only ever see ciphertext and minimal sync metadata. No master key is stored server-side; decryption keys live only in device memory while a vault is unlocked and are wiped on lock/quit. If a server breach occurs, attackers get unusable ciphertext. (For background on the security posture we target—minimizing information disclosure and eliminating single points of trust—see NIST’s work standardizing threshold/secret-sharing approaches that distribute trust and avoid key exposure during operations. NIST CSRC
Works anywhere
Oten Drive works fully offline: you can create, rename, move, and delete files inside a vault with no network connection; when you sign in later, a predictable, versioned sync reconciles changes. On Apple platforms we integrate at the OS layer using File Provider, so a vault mounts like a normal folder in Finder/Files while keeping all crypto in user space (no kernel extensions/FUSE). File Provider is Apple’s official, APFS-backed on-demand file system integration for macOS 11+ and iOS/iPadOS, replacing legacy kernel hooks. Apple Developer
Shadow Layers
A single vault can expose multiple datasets—each password opens a different “layer.” Under coercion, you can reveal a decoy layer without exposing the real one. This follows the proven “plausible deniability” model (e.g., VeraCrypt’s hidden volumes), where an observer cannot cryptographically prove a hidden layer exists if you operate it correctly. VeraCrypt
Fast daily use
You work with a vault like any local folder: drag-and-drop, rename, quick look, etc. When you step away, auto-lock and unmount remove keys from memory and detach the file-system mount. On macOS, File Provider handles clean mount/unmount semantics and sandboxing, reducing I/O edge cases versus custom kernel drivers. Apple Developer
Simple recovery posture
Recovery hinges on a Recovery Key you control. Lose your password? You can reset with the Recovery Key—but if you lose both, the vault remains unreadable. New devices must pass a device-approval flow (from a trusted device or by presenting the Recovery Key), blocking the “sign-in then exfiltrate everything” attack path. Our roadmap includes threshold recovery (splitting recovery material across shares so no one party holds it), aligned with NIST’s active work to standardize threshold schemes. NIST
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)
“Harvest-Now, Decrypt-Later” is real: adversaries can record today’s traffic and decrypt it in the future. NIST finalized the first PQC standards on Aug 13, 2024:
FIPS 203 – ML-KEM (Kyber): KEM for key establishment, designed to resist quantum attacks.
FIPS 204 – ML-DSA (Dilithium): lattice-based digital signatures.
FIPS 205 – SLH-DSA (SPHINCS+): stateless hash-based signatures. Oten Drive is crypto-agile: we’re aligning key exchange/signature layers to ML-KEM/ML-DSA (and SLH-DSA where appropriate) so stored data remains safe against future quantum adversaries. See NIST’s announcement and the FIPS texts for details. NIST
Why are these choices credible
OS-level integration: File Provider is Apple’s supported path for cloud/local-sync experiences, leveraging APFS on-demand hydration in user space (and deprecating kernel extensions). Apple Developer
PQC is standardized, not experimental: The U.S. government has approved FIPS 203/204/205 for quantum-resistant key exchange and signatures after a multi-year selection process. NIST
Decoy layers have real-world precedent: The hidden-volume model and its operational caveats are thoroughly documented and battle-tested in the VeraCrypt community. VeraCrypt+1
Recovery without single-point-of-failure: NIST’s threshold-crypto program provides the reference direction for splitting secrets and eliminating single custodians. NIST CSRC
Bottom line: Oten Drive is engineered for default safety, everyday usability, and long-term cryptographic resilience. You use it like a normal folder; when you lock, keys vanish and the mount is gone. Under pressure, Shadow Layers give you a safe story to tell. And as the world moves toward the post-quantum era, our stack follows the NIST PQC standards so your data stays protected for the long run.
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