Phaeton

A secure, end-to-end encrypted message sharing tool that prioritizes privacy. Share sensitive information with confidence through password-protected, self-destructing messages.

Live Demo: Phaeton

Security-First Design

Phaeton implements client-side encryption to ensure that your messages remain private. The server never has access to your decrypted content, passwords, or encryption keys—providing true zero-knowledge security.

Key Security Features

• Client-side encryption using AES-GCM via the Web Crypto API
• Authenticated encryption ensuring both confidentiality and integrity
• Zero-knowledge architecture—server never sees decrypted messages
• Secure password storage using SHA-256 hashing
• View limits and burn-after-read functionality

Features

• End-to-end encryption: Messages encrypted locally in your browser
• Password protection: Set alphanumeric or numeric passwords for message access
• View limits: Control how many times a message can be opened
• Burn-after-read: Messages automatically disappear after viewing
• Link-based sharing: No user accounts required—just share the link
• Mobile-friendly: Works seamlessly across all devices

Tech Stack

Frontend

• Next.js (App Router) - React framework for production
• Tailwind CSS - Utility-first CSS framework
• shadcn/ui - Re-usable component library
• Aceternity UI - Modern UI components

Backend

• Next.js API Routes - Serverless API endpoints
• Prisma ORM - Type-safe database client
• MongoDB - Document database for encrypted message storage

Security

• Web Crypto API - Browser-native cryptographic operations
• AES-GCM - Authenticated encryption algorithm

Getting Started

Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git https://github.com/Bhavye2003Developer/Phaeton.git
   cd phaeton
   

2. Install dependencies

   npm install
   

3. Set up environment variables

   Create a .env.local file in the root directory:

   # Database
   DATABASE_URL="mongodb://localhost:27017/phaeton"
   NEXT_PUBLIC_DEFAULT_PASSWORD="Your Default Password for encrypting messages" 
   

4. Set up the database

   npx prisma generate
   npx prisma db push
   

5. Start the development server

   npm run dev
   

6. Open your browser

   Navigate to http://localhost:3000 to start using Phaeton.

Security Considerations

• Client-side encryption: All encryption/decryption happens in the browser
• No server-side keys: Encryption keys never leave the client
• Password security: Passwords are hashed using SHA-256 before storage