Why Reversible Encryption?
Sometimes you need to protect data temporarily, not destroy it forever
Temporary Protection
Share documents with external parties during a project, then restore original data when the project ends.
Audit Compliance
Anonymize production data for testing but maintain ability to trace back to originals for audit purposes.
Legal Discovery
Protect sensitive information during legal proceedings while preserving the ability to restore if required by court order.
Safe AI Workflows
Send anonymized prompts to AI assistants, then restore context when reviewing outputs internally.
How It Works
1. Encrypt
During anonymization, select the Encrypt method. Each detected PII value is encrypted using AES-256-GCM with your personal encryption key.
2. Share Safely
The anonymized text contains encrypted tokens like <encrypted:xyz123>. Share this text freely — without the key, the original data is unrecoverable.
3. Restore Anytime
Open the Deanonymizer tab, paste the encrypted text, enter your key, and click Decrypt. Original values are instantly restored.
您的密钥，您的控制
您创建并保护您的加密密钥。我们从不存储它们。
您创建密钥
选择一个由16、24或32个字符组成的强密码。这将成为您的AES加密密钥。我们不会为您生成密钥。
密钥从不存储
您的密钥通过HTTPS安全传输用于加密，然后立即丢弃。我们从不在服务器上存储您的密钥。
解密需要相同的密钥
解密需要加密时使用的确切密钥。即使一个错误的字符也意味着解密失败。
丢失则无法恢复
如果您丢失密钥，我们无法恢复您的数据。请将其安全地存储在密码管理器中。这是有意设计的。
Encrypt vs Other Methods
Only Encrypt allows you to recover original data
| Method | Reversible | Readable | Linkable | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| encrypt | Temporary workflows, audits, legal | |||
| replace | Testing, demos, training data | |||
| redact | Legal documents, public records | |||
| hash | Research, analytics, pseudonymization | |||
| mask | Support, UI display |
Note: Replace, Redact, Hash, and Mask are permanent transformations. Once applied, the original data cannot be recovered.
Real-World Use Cases
AI Assistant Workflows
Anonymize sensitive customer data before sending to ChatGPT, Claude, or other AI assistants. Use the Chrome Extension or MCP Server to encrypt on-the-fly, then restore context when reviewing AI outputs internally.
"Customer John Smith (john@company.com) reported..." → "Customer <encrypted:xyz> (<encrypted:abc>) reported..." → Original restored after AI processing
Vendor Data Sharing
Share project documents with external consultants or vendors without exposing real names, emails, or other PII. When the engagement ends, restore originals for internal records.
Share anonymized contracts during due diligence, restore originals for final signing
Production-to-Test Data
Copy production databases to test environments with encrypted PII. Developers work with realistic data structures while actual values remain protected. Restore for debugging specific issues.
Test with encrypted user data, decrypt specific records when investigating bugs
Legal Hold & Discovery
During litigation, anonymize documents shared with opposing counsel. If court orders restoration, you retain the ability to decrypt without having destroyed evidence.
Protect witness identities during discovery, restore if subpoenaed
Technical Specifications
Military-grade encryption for enterprise trust
AES-256-GCM
Advanced Encryption Standard with 256-bit keys and Galois/Counter Mode for authenticated encryption. Used by banks, governments, and military worldwide.
Key Requirements
16, 24, or 32 character keys (128, 192, or 256 bits). Longer keys provide stronger security.
Token Format
Encrypted values are stored as <encrypted:base64data> tokens, allowing easy identification and decryption.
Zero Key Storage
Your encryption key is never stored on our servers. If you lose your key, encrypted data cannot be recovered — by design.
Available Everywhere
Use reversible encryption across all cloak.business platforms
Web Application
Full encrypt/decrypt workflow in the Anonymizer and Deanonymizer tabs
REST API
POST /api/presidio/anonymize with encrypt operator, POST /api/presidio/deanonymize to restore
MCP Server
text_anonymize and text_detokenize tools for Claude Desktop and compatible AI assistants
Desktop App
Document processing with encrypt method, key management synced with your vault
Chrome Extension
One-click encryption for ChatGPT, Claude.ai, and Gemini conversations
Security Guarantees
- 您的加密密钥通过HTTPS安全传输，从不存储在我们的服务器上
- Encrypted tokens are computationally infeasible to decrypt without the correct key
- We never store your encryption key — if you lose it, we cannot help you recover data
- All processing happens on ISO 27001-certified servers in Nuremberg, Germany
- AES-256-GCM provides both confidentiality and integrity verification
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I lose my encryption key?
Encrypted data becomes permanently unrecoverable. We do not store your key and have no way to decrypt your data. Always store your encryption key in a secure password manager.
Can I use different keys for different documents?
Yes. Each anonymization operation uses the key you provide. You can use different keys for different projects, but you must track which key was used for which document.
What are the key requirements?
Keys must be exactly 16, 24, or 32 characters (128, 192, or 256 bits). Longer keys provide stronger encryption. We recommend 32-character keys for maximum security.
Can I decrypt only some values?
Currently, decryption processes all encrypted tokens in the text. You cannot selectively decrypt individual values while leaving others encrypted.
Can I decrypt via API?
Yes. Use POST /api/presidio/deanonymize with the encrypted text and your key. The API returns the fully restored original text.