🔐 PassForge

Last updated: September 30, 2026

1. Overview

PassForge ("the App") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how the App handles your data.

2. Data Collection

The developer does not receive, transmit, sell, or share your personal data. The App has no internet permission and cannot send vault data to PassForge servers.

The App stores information you choose to enter, including service names, optional account IDs or usernames, passwords, notes, and protected secrets. An account ID may be an email address. This content remains in local app storage unless you initiate an export or share action.

3. Data Storage

All data you create (Saved Logins, Secure Notes & Keys, password history, password hints, and settings) is stored on your device using:

• Android Keystore - OS-managed, non-exportable cryptographic keys, with hardware backing when supported by the device
• AES-256-GCM encryption - for vault passwords, password history entries, and password hints
• EncryptedSharedPreferences - the entire storage file is encrypted on disk using AES256-SIV (keys) and AES256-GCM (values)
• SQLCipher and encrypted shard files - protected-secret metadata and encrypted secret shards are stored in app-private local storage
• PBKDF2WithHmacSHA256 - master password is never stored; a 256-bit key is derived using 100,000 iterations with a 32-byte random salt

Vault credentials are double-encrypted: each password is individually encrypted with the master-password-derived AES-256-GCM key, and the entire storage file is encrypted via EncryptedSharedPreferences backed by the Android Keystore.

PassForge does not automatically store data on external servers, cloud services, or third-party systems.

4. Screen Protection

All screens that display or handle sensitive data (Saved Logins, Secure Notes & Keys, credential editor, master password entry, password history) are protected with Android's FLAG_SECURE. This prevents:

• Screenshots and screen recordings
• Content appearing in the recent apps overview
• Screen mirroring or casting from exposing passwords

5. Authentication & Access Control

The App uses multiple layers of authentication to protect your data:

• Master password - Required to access Saved Logins and Secure Notes & Keys (minimum 8 characters). The password itself is never stored.
• Optional device unlock - If enabled, an authentication-bound Android Keystore key encrypts the derived vault key. PassForge never saves the master password. Removing or changing the device screen lock invalidates this convenience key and requires the master password again.
• Biometric / device credential - Viewing or copying any password requires device authentication (fingerprint, face unlock, PIN, pattern, or device password) via Android's BiometricPrompt.
• Brute-force protection - After 5 consecutive failed master password attempts, a 30-second lockout is enforced before further attempts are allowed.
• Auto-lock - The vault automatically locks when returning from the background, requiring re-authentication.

6. Clipboard Protection

Passwords copied to the clipboard are automatically cleared after 30 seconds to prevent leakage through clipboard history or other apps.

7. Backup & Export Security

• Backup prevention - Android auto-backup and ADB backup are disabled to prevent data extraction.
• Encrypted export - Vault exports are encrypted with a user-chosen password (minimum 8 characters) via PBKDF2 + AES-256-GCM. The export file (.spg) contains a 32-byte salt followed by the ciphertext. The export password is independent of the master password and is never stored.
• User-selected destination - Export uses Android's Storage Access Framework. You choose the destination, which may be local storage or a cloud document provider installed on your device. PassForge does not upload the file itself and does not receive provider account information.

8. Third-Party Services

The App does not integrate with third-party online services, analytics platforms, advertising networks, or tracking systems. Its software dependencies, including AndroidX and SQLCipher, run locally and are not used to collect or transmit user data. There is no telemetry or crash-reporting service.

9. Permissions

The App requests no special permissions:

• No internet access
• No camera or microphone
• No contacts or phone
• No location services
• No broad external storage access

Import/export uses Android's Storage Access Framework (SAF) file picker, which requires no permission declaration and grants access only to files or destinations you select.

10. Data Deletion

You can delete all App data at any time by:

• Clearing password history from Settings → Clear History
• Deleting individual Saved Logins and Secure Notes & Keys within the app
• Deleting individual password hints
• Choosing Settings → Reset Master Password, then typing RESET. This permanently deletes all Saved Logins and Secure Notes & Keys because encrypted vault data cannot be recovered without the original master password.
• Clearing the App's storage in Android settings
• Uninstalling the App (completely removes all data from your device)

11. Children's Privacy

The developer does not knowingly receive or process personal data from anyone, including children under 13. User-created vault content remains under the user's control on the device unless the user explicitly exports or shares it.

12. Changes to This Policy

Any changes to this privacy policy will be reflected in an app update with an updated "Last updated" date. This page will also be updated accordingly.

13. Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy, please open an issue on the app's GitHub repository.