Privacy Policy

Overview

StealthVault is an encrypted media vault. Photos, videos, albums, tags, and vault metadata are encrypted at rest on your device. The app has no hosted vault service. Websites receive browser requests; you can explicitly export encrypted backups through document providers or transfer data over your local network.

Google AdMob processes advertising data, Firebase Crashlytics processes crash and diagnostic data including native crash reports, and RevenueCat processes subscription and entitlement data. We do not intentionally include vault keys, media, titles, or URLs in telemetry. Local vault encryption does not mean these services collect no data.

Data Stored on Your Device

The following vault data is encrypted at rest on your device:

• Media files (photos and videos) you import into the vault
• Album names and organization
• Tags and metadata you assign to media
• Deliberately saved browser bookmarks and optional saved website cookies
• Credential envelopes protecting the vault key; not your plaintext passcode or recovery phrase

Encryption

Media uses a random data encryption key (DEK); your passcode derives a separate key that wraps the DEK. SQLCipher protects vault metadata with a domain-separated key. Real and decoy vaults have separate keys and stores. Automatic lock gates the UI while previously authorized work may finish; Quick Lock cancels work and starts hard-lock cleanup. Managed memory, temporary caches, and flash storage can retain remnants. We do not promise forensic erasure or zeroing every key copy.

Recovery, Backups, and Deletion

A separately enrolled and confirmed recovery phrase or legacy recovery key can replace a forgotten vault PIN. We hold no recovery secret or backdoor. Losing both the PIN and its recovery secret makes the vault unrecoverable. Restoring a purchase does not restore vault data.

Deleted media moves to Recently Deleted for up to 30 days; expiry is processed during app maintenance, not promised at an exact background time. Uninstalling removes app data subject to operating-system storage and backup behavior. Keep an external encrypted backup and its original recovery secret separately. A document provider controls the availability and durability of exported archives, including cloud-backed copies.

Network Access

Network activity includes websites you visit, third-party SDK services, and these optional transfers:

• Web Portal — an optional local HTTP server with PIN authentication. HTTP does not provide encrypted transport confidentiality; use only on a trusted network.
• Device Sync — explicitly paired devices reconcile over the local network after you compare and approve a matching safety code. Payloads use authenticated encryption; network addresses, timing, and traffic sizes may remain observable. Send Copies is a separate user-initiated transfer.
• Encrypted Backup — authenticated, encrypted archives exported through a provider you choose. That provider may store the archive in a cloud service; keep its recovery secret separately.

Transfers require your action. They are distinct from browser requests, advertising, subscription processing, and diagnostic traffic.

In-App Browser

Browser visits, tabs, and navigation state are session-only; automatic browsing history is not saved. Deliberate bookmarks remain encrypted. If you choose Keep me logged in, cookies for listed websites and their subdomains are retained in the current encrypted vault across sessions and Quick Lock. No sites are preselected. Saved cookies are excluded from portable backup and device sync; remove a site or use Clear Cookies to delete them. Other sites remain session-only. Retention is best-effort: other site data is not retained and sites may require sign-in again. iOS applies conservative SameSite rules. Websites receive your requests and apply their own policies. Android profiles may write session data to disk; isolation is not forensic erasure, and unsupported isolation never falls back silently to a shared profile.

Subscriptions

Apple or Google processes payments, with subscriptions and entitlements managed through RevenueCat. We do not receive payment card details. RevenueCat processes purchase and entitlement information under its privacy policy; we do not claim this processing is anonymous.

Crash Reporting

Firebase Crashlytics collects crash and diagnostic information, including device/app information and native crash reports. We do not intentionally place vault keys, media, titles, or URLs in telemetry. Processing is subject to Firebase's privacy and security terms.

Advertising

The free tier uses Google AdMob banner and optional rewarded ads. Requests are configured as non-personalized, but identifiers and advertising/device data may still be processed; non-personalized does not mean anonymous or consent-free. The app checks the SDK's consent state before requesting ads and provides privacy options when required. Google's processing is described in the Google Ads policies. A paid subscription removes ads.

Permissions

• Photo Library — to import media into the vault and optionally delete originals after import.
• Camera and Microphone — optional video/audio security recording after explicit acknowledgement and both permissions. Recording runs while the unlock screen is visible, saving clips after failed attempts, and continuously while the decoy vault is open. An indicator shows active recording. Existing captures remain accessible when recording is disabled.
• Face ID / Biometrics — the operating system checks biometrics to authorize unlocking. StealthVault does not receive biometric templates.
• Local Network — for the Web Portal and Device Sync features.

Age Requirement

StealthVault is intended for adults aged 18 and over, not children. Store age ratings are determined by the current store questionnaires and available features.

Changes

If this policy changes materially, the updated date above will reflect that. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance.

Contact

Questions? Email [email protected].