Trust Center - updated April 2026

SecurSSH security architecture,
in plain technical detail

SecurSSH is an EU-hosted team SSH access platform built on AES-GCM end-to-end encryption, PBKDF2 100k client-side key derivation, GDPR right-to-erasure, and a 24-month audit log on the Team plan. This page documents what we ship today - and, with equal honesty, what we don't.

EU-hosted AES-GCM E2E Signed DPA GDPR right-to-erasure

Encryption: server-blind by design

Vault confidentiality does not depend on the SecurSSH operations team being trustworthy. Every secret is encrypted on the operator's device with a key the server never sees. Compromise of our infrastructure exposes ciphertext, not credentials.

End-to-end AES-GCM

Every credential, host record and snippet inside your vault is encrypted client-side with AES-GCM. The SecurSSH server stores ciphertext only - your master password and derived keys never leave your device, so server operators see nothing but opaque blobs.

PBKDF2 100k key derivation

Your master password is stretched through PBKDF2 with 100,000 iterations on your device, producing the encryption key that protects the vault. After unlock, biometrics (Touch ID, Face ID, Windows Hello) cache the unwrap locally - never the password itself.

Per-member key wrapping

Team vaults use a shared content key that is wrapped individually for each member with their own derived key. Adding or removing a teammate re-wraps access without re-encrypting content. The server remains blind to the unwrapped key at all times.

Data residency: European Union, end to end

SecurSSH operates entirely inside the European Economic Area. Vault data, audit records, backups and account metadata stay within EU jurisdiction, processed by an EU-headquartered provider on EU-located infrastructure.

EU-only processing

All vault data, audit records and account metadata are stored and processed exclusively on European Union infrastructure. There is no replication to the United States and no sub-processor operating outside the EEA.

Signed desktop binaries

Native applications for macOS, Windows and Linux are code-signed and notarised. Auto-updates verify signatures before installation, so the binary running on operator workstations is provably the one published by SecurSSH.

EU provider infrastructure

Hosting runs on an EU-headquartered cloud provider with data centres in Frankfurt and Amsterdam. Backups remain inside the same jurisdiction and are encrypted at rest.

SCHREMS II considerations

Because no personal data crosses to the United States, the legal uncertainty introduced by the SCHREMS II ruling against US transfers does not apply. EU customers stay under a single, predictable legal regime.

GDPR and compliance posture

Compliance is treated as engineering, not paperwork bolted on after the fact. Data minimisation, right to erasure and accountable processing are wired into the product's behaviour, with formal documentation following the same path.

Right to erasure built-in

Account holders trigger a one-click deletion that removes profile data, vault content and team membership records. GDPR Article 17 is honoured by design, not by ticket.

Signed DPA on request

Team and Enterprise customers receive a signed Data Processing Agreement on request, listing sub-processors, retention windows and security measures aligned with Article 28.

Processing register (in progress)

A formal Article 30 processing register is being finalised in 2026. The DPA already documents the substance; the register will publish a stable, versioned reference.

DPO support

For regulated industries we collaborate with the customer Data Protection Officer to map data flows, document legal bases and prepare DPIA inputs.

Audit and accountability

Every sensitive change inside a team workspace is recorded in an audit log. Team plans retain 24 months of history; Enterprise contracts retain it indefinitely. Records are queryable from the team console without engineering involvement.

  • 24-month retention on Team plans, unlimited retention on Enterprise contracts.
  • Logged actions: host create / update / delete, role changes, invitations, vault edits, member removals, login events.
  • Records are immutable from the application UI; modifications require database-level access reserved to a small operator team.
  • Queryable from the team console with filters per actor, action type, and date range.

Access controls and vault locking

Authorisation is layered. Role-based access governs who can see and change what; vault locking governs how a credential leaves rest. Both are enforced at the boundary, not delegated to the operating system.

Three-tier RBAC

Admin, member and viewer roles are enforced both client-side and server-side. Viewers can connect without holding write rights on credentials; admins manage membership and audit access.

Biometric vault unlock

Touch ID, Face ID and Windows Hello unlock a locally-cached key, not the master password. Biometric data never leaves the secure enclave on the device.

Configurable auto-lock

Operators choose the inactivity window after which the vault re-locks. Subsequent access requires biometrics or master password again - no silent persistence.

Multi-vault segmentation

Separate vaults per project, customer or environment limit blast radius. Membership is granted per vault, so a contractor can reach one engagement without seeing the rest.

Roadmap, not yet shipped

What we do not yet ship

Transparency matters more than a longer feature list. The items below are on the 2026 roadmap and must not be assumed available today. CTOs and CISOs validating SecurSSH should weigh them against current internal requirements.

CapabilityTarget
Account 2FA TOTPQ3 2026
SOC 2 Type II auditH2 2026
SSO SAMLQ4 2026
FIDO2 / hardware keysTBD 2026
SSH certificates / CA signingTBD 2026
Async session recording2026
IP whitelistingTBD 2026
Mobile apps (iOS / Android)TBD 2026+

Found a security issue?

Coordinated disclosure is welcome. Email security@securssh.com with technical detail and a reproduction path. We acknowledge receipt within one business day and engage in good faith with researchers operating under our vulnerability disclosure policy.

Read the vulnerability disclosure policy

Frequently asked questions

How exactly is my vault encrypted? +

Vault content is encrypted client-side using AES-GCM with a key derived from your master password through PBKDF2 with 100,000 iterations. The server only ever stores ciphertext and never receives your master password or derived encryption key.

Who at SecurSSH can read my SSH credentials? +

Nobody. Because key derivation happens on your device and the server is blind to plaintext, SecurSSH staff cannot decrypt vault content. For team vaults, the team key is wrapped per member, so only invited members can unwrap it.

Where is my data hosted? +

All data is processed and stored exclusively in the European Union, on EU-based infrastructure. There is no US transfer of personal data, which removes the SCHREMS II exposure that affects most US-headquartered SSH tools.

What happens if SecurSSH is breached? +

An attacker who reached the database would only obtain ciphertext. Without your master password, AES-GCM vault content remains unreadable. We would notify customers under GDPR Article 33 within 72 hours of confirmed breach.

Validating SecurSSH for your team?

Walk through the architecture with our security engineers, request a signed DPA, or read the full product roadmap covering shipped features, partial deliveries and future work.