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What is Key Sharing?

Typically, employees share relevant and work-related information with each other. However, worrying about the data’s security during the sharing process is inevitable. Since this raises concern about sharing secured files, it is incredibly vital for encryption software to have a feature that lets you share and receive files more securely.

With the key sharing feature, you can share files without the need to share passwords. Instead, you can share file keys to specific colleagues to give them access to particular files. Then, they can easily browse or edit the shared file. Even more so, it should allow you to unshare the file to remove the person’s access quickly.

Key Sharing is an AxCrypt’s Award-Winning file access sharing feature which is super easy to use, and is designed to maximize file security and privacy.

Why AxCrypt’s Key Sharing?

AxCrypt's key sharing allows you to keep your files secured while also sharing it with your colleagues. It enables you to collaborate and connect with other members without jeopardising the confidentiality of your data.

Using the key sharing feature, you can give file access to anyone and withdraw it whenever you want; you don't even have to disclose your own password. With their own password, the other user can access the shared files.

Key Sharing is built on Zero-Knowledge Encryption, which means that the process of file encryption and decryption occurs on your computer or smartphone. AxCrypt doesn’t know your account password or your files, making AxCrypt have 'Zero-Knowledge' of your data.

The Key Sharing feature is designed to prioritize security and privacy of your files. The files are still encrypted with the strong AES-256 bit algorithm when you share it, and the recipients can easily access them at their convenience.

Imagine sharing a highly sensitive business document such as a revenue report with your boss or colleague – while ensuring that file is encrypted, even after the recipient opens it, that’s the Key Sharing feature for you.

How Does Key Sharing Work?

AxCrypt uses Asymmetrical encryption to securely share the encrypted files. That means public key is used for encryption and private key is used for decryption. AxCrypt generates an RSA-4096 public and private key pair when an account is created. The private key is encrypted with your password.

The unique thing about public sharing and private secret key pairs is that while anyone can *encrypt* data with the public sharing key, only the person knowing the private secret key can *decrypt*, and even knowing the public sharing key it’s not possible to figure out the private secret key.

When we encrypt a file, we don’t encrypt it with your password as the encryption key. We encrypt your file with a random and unique key every time a file is encrypted. We call this the master file key or session key. It’s this master file key that we encrypt with your password and add to the encrypted file.

We also encrypt this same master file key with your public sharing key from your AxCrypt ID, as well as the public sharing keys of any additional recipients you may have added with the key sharing feature.

Once recipients receive a key shared encrypted file, the following operations are performed to decrypt the data,

  • AxCrypt uses the recipient’s private key to decrypt the session key which was encrypted with recipient’s public key.
  • Upon successful decryption, the session key is used to decrypt the shared file.

Note: The private keys of all users are encrypted with the user’s account password, which are never stored on our servers or even on your computer.

How to Key Share Files with Your Colleagues and Friends?

You can Key Share your encrypted files with AxCrypt’s Premium and Business subscription plans. Check out our pricing page to choose the best plan for you.

Key Sharing on Desktop:

You can download the AxCrypt app from our website.

  • Click on the Share Keysshare key action button icon action button on the home screen
  • Select the encrypted file(s) from the file selection window
  • In the Share Access popup window, provide the recipient’s email address you want to share the file with and click the Add button
  • Verify the details and click the Apply button
share key screenshot

You can also key share the file(s) by selecting from the Recent Files tab or folder(s) by selecting from the Secured Folders tab and clicking the “Share Keys” action button. Then follow the above steps. Enable Include sub folder option if you also wish to key share the secured folders sub folder(s) files.

Key Sharing on Mobile:

You can download or Update the AxCrypt app from Play Store or App Store.

  • Tap on the Share Keysshare key action button icon icon from the home screen
  • Go to the desired file source
  • Complete the authorization with the selected cloud provider. Ignore if the step is already completed or not applicable.
  • Select the file(s) from the file selection page
  • In the Key Share page, provide the recipient’s email address you want to share the file with and click the plus plus icon button.
  • Verify the details and Tap the Apply button
share key screenshot

Notes:

  • We need to send the physical file(s) with the recipients, AxCrypt never sends the physical file.
  • The person you’re sending the file to must use AxCrypt with the email address you shared the file with.
  • The recipient just needs a free AxCrypt ID and will be automatically invited via email if necessary.
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