What is a Self-Destructing Note?
A self-destructing note is a message designed to be read exactly once before it is permanently deleted. This is useful when you need to send sensitive information—such as a temporary password, an API key, or a confidential message—and want to ensure it does not linger in the recipient's email inbox or chat history.
Leaving sensitive data in chat apps like Slack or email can be dangerous because those platforms retain chat histories indefinitely. If an account is compromised, attackers can search the history for valuable information. A self-destructing note prevents this by ensuring the data exists only for a brief moment in time.
How to Create a Self-Destructing Note
Using a service like Hush allows you to send a self-destructing note easily:
- Write Your Note: Go to the Hush homepage and enter your sensitive information.
- Set Security Options: You can choose to protect the note with an additional passphrase.
- Generate a Link: Hush encrypts the note in your browser and gives you a one-time secret link.
- Share the Link: Send the link to your intended recipient.
- Atomic Destruction: The moment the recipient opens the link and reveals the secret, the encrypted payload is destroyed in the database. It cannot be opened a second time.
Understanding the Limits
While self-destructing notes are a powerful tool for secure transmission, it is critical to understand what they do not protect against:
- Screenshots: The recipient can always take a screenshot or copy the text of the note once it is revealed.
- Compromised Devices: Malware on the sender or receiver's device can capture data before encryption or after decryption.
- Interception: If a third party intercepts the link and opens it before the intended recipient, they will see the note, and the intended recipient will be locked out.
For maximum security, you should use Out-of-Band (OOB) sharing. This means sending the link via one channel (e.g., email) and the passphrase via a completely different channel (e.g., SMS or a phone call).
For more details on how Hush handles your data, review our Security and Privacy documentation.