Petoron Time-Burn Cipher (PTBC) is a cryptographic system based on time-limited encryption, complete trace elimination, and the impossibility of key recovery or brute-force attacks.
It is designed for secure, temporary data protection where confidentiality and irreversibility are critical. Once the defined time-to-live (TTL) expires, decryption becomes permanently impossible. No keys are stored, no metadata is written, and all sensitive data is erased from memory after execution.
PTBC can be used for:
- Secure storage of wallets, seed phrases, and passwords
- Temporary confidential messages or notes
- Any time-sensitive or private information
The system operates fully locally, leaving no traces or recoverable keys.
chmod +x setup_ptbc.sh
./setup_ptbc.shRequires Python 3. Argon2id and cryptographic dependencies are installed automatically.
python3 CLI/ptbc_cli.py encrypt <input>.txt <output>.ptbc [options]python3 CLI/ptbc_cli.py decrypt <input>.ptbc <output>.txt [options]| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--ttl <seconds> |
Sets a time-to-live for the encrypted data. After expiration, decryption is impossible. |
--autowipe |
Automatically deletes the source file after successful encryption. |
--onetime |
Generates a one-time session key that is never stored or reused. |
--silent |
Suppresses console output and runs in quiet mode. |
| Duration | Example |
|---|---|
| 10 minutes | --ttl 600 |
| 1 hour | --ttl 3600 |
| 1 day | --ttl 86400 |
| 10 years | --ttl 315360000 |
If the specified time expires (for example, 601 seconds for a 600-second TTL), access to the data is lost permanently.
- The password is chosen by the user at the time of encryption.
- Losing the password means the loss of all data.
- The password should never be stored in the same location as the encrypted file.
Key Derivation:
PTBC uses Argon2id via hash_secret_raw() for key generation. Keys are never stored or cached.
memory_cost = 2^18 (256 MB RAM)
parallelism = 4
time_cost = 3
A password of 12 characters or more provides protection even against GPU, ASIC, or quantum brute-force attacks.
Cipher:
AES-CFB with a unique IV per encryption. Each file is encrypted differently, even with the same password.
Integrity:
HMAC-SHA512 ensures authenticity and prevents modification. If HMAC verification fails, decryption is denied.
TTL Implementation:
TTL is embedded directly into the ciphertext and verified before HMAC. Even with the correct password, once TTL expires, the file cannot be decrypted.
Memory Hygiene:
Passwords and keys exist only in RAM during operation and are securely destroyed using .destroy() after execution. No temporary files, cookies, metadata, or backups remain.
Encrypt a file with TTL and auto-wipe:
python3 CLI/ptbc_cli.py encrypt secret.txt secret.ptbc --ttl 3600 --autowipeDecrypt silently:
python3 CLI/ptbc_cli.py decrypt secret.ptbc secret.txt --silentEncrypt using a one-time session key:
python3 CLI/ptbc_cli.py encrypt note.txt note.ptbc --onetimeCan a .ptbc file be read without the password?
No. Argon2id key derivation makes brute-force or password recovery mathematically impractical.
What happens if the TTL expires?
The ciphertext becomes permanently unrecoverable, even with the correct password.
Where is the key stored?
Nowhere. The key exists only in volatile memory during encryption or decryption and is erased immediately after use.
Licensed under the PTBC Fair Use License
© Ivan Alekseev | Petoron
PTBC is part of the broader Petoron cryptographic ecosystem that includes:
- PCA (Crypto Archiver) — secure data archiving with quantum-resistant methods
- PSC (Seal Contracts) — tamper-proof digital agreements
- PLD (Local Destroyer) — local secure file destruction and privacy control
- PQS (Quantum Standard) — autonomous post-quantum encryption algorithms
Together they form a unified, transparent and independent framework for practical cryptography under the Petoron brand.
No traces. No recovery. No compromise. Only time.
petoron.org