Security Model & Transparency

This page explains how Aegis works, what it does and does not do, and the limitations you should understand before relying on it.

How Aegis Works

Aegis consists of two components that work together: a browser extension installed on your desktop and a companion mobile application on your phone. These two devices form a user-controlled authorization system.

Authorization Flow

┌──────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ │ Your Browser │ ──────▶ │ Relay Server │ ──────▶ │ Your Phone │ │ Extension │ │ Encrypted relay │ │ Biometric check │ └──────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ 1. Extension detects withdrawal request in your browser 2. Request is paused — nothing leaves your browser yet 3. Notification sent to your phone via encrypted channel 4. You review details and approve/reject via fingerprint or Face ID 5. Response sent back — browser proceeds or cancels

Additional Security Checks

Beyond transaction authorization, the extension performs these checks locally on your device:

📋 Clipboard Monitoring

When you copy a cryptocurrency address, the extension remembers it. When you paste, it checks whether the address was silently replaced. All processing happens locally — clipboard content is never sent to our servers.

🌐 Phishing Detection

The extension periodically downloads a database of known scam domains and checks each site you visit against it locally. Suspicious sites trigger a warning page. Your browsing history is never transmitted.

🎯 Address Similarity Check

When you interact with a cryptocurrency address, the extension checks if it looks suspiciously similar to one of your saved trusted addresses (a common "address poisoning" attack vector). This check is local.

📒 Address Book

You can save verified addresses locally in the extension. Transactions to whitelisted addresses may bypass the mobile confirmation step. The address book is stored in your browser — not on our servers.

🔍 Input Field Monitoring

When you enter a cryptocurrency address on a website — whether by typing, pasting, or other input methods — Aegis may monitor visible input fields to track the address you intended to use. If an outgoing network request contains a different address than what you entered, Aegis may alert you to a potential address substitution. This verification operates entirely within your browser. Input field contents are never transmitted to, stored on, or accessible by Aegis servers or any third party.

Non-Custodial Design

Aegis is designed with a strict non-custodial architecture. This is a deliberate design choice, not a limitation.

What We Never Access

What Is Transmitted From Your Devices

No cryptocurrency, no credentials, and no financial data passes through our infrastructure. We physically cannot move your funds.

Known Limitations

We believe transparency about limitations is more valuable than overpromising protection. You should understand the following before relying on Aegis.

⚠️ No Software Provides Absolute Protection

  • Novel or zero-day attacks may use techniques that Aegis has not been designed to detect. The threat landscape evolves continuously.
  • Sophisticated social engineering (e.g., someone convincing you to approve a malicious transaction) operates outside the scope of software controls. Aegis presents information — the decision is yours.
  • Physical coercion or device compromise — if an attacker has physical access to both your computer and phone, software-based security layers can be bypassed.
  • Browser or exchange changes may affect detection accuracy. When exchanges update their user interfaces or transaction flows, there may be a period where Aegis does not correctly identify withdrawal requests until an update is released.
  • False positives and false negatives are inherent to any detection system. Aegis may occasionally flag legitimate activity as suspicious, or may not flag all malicious activity.
  • Scam database coverage depends on third-party intelligence feeds. Newly created phishing sites may not be in the database immediately.
  • Network or service interruptions affecting our relay infrastructure, your internet connection, or your mobile device may prevent authorization requests from being delivered.
  • Extension permissions are limited by what browser platforms allow. Some transaction methods or platforms may not be detectable by a browser extension.
  • Input field monitoring may not detect addresses populated by website scripts, browser autofill from third-party password managers, or fields rendered inside isolated browser contexts. Always verify addresses manually before confirming transactions.

🤝 Shared Responsibility

Aegis is designed to be one layer in a defense-in-depth approach to cryptocurrency security. It is not a substitute for:

  • Using hardware wallets for long-term storage
  • Enabling exchange-native 2FA (authenticator apps, not SMS)
  • Verifying addresses through multiple independent channels
  • Keeping software and browsers updated
  • Using strong, unique passwords with a password manager
  • Being cautious of unsolicited messages, links, and offers
  • Regularly reviewing exchange activity and withdrawal settings

You retain full responsibility for your digital assets and security decisions. Aegis aims to reduce risk — it cannot eliminate it.

Recommended Best Practices

Aegis provides additional verification layers, but no security tool can replace careful personal habits. We recommend the following practices to help reduce your risk. These recommendations are informational only and do not constitute security advice. Following these practices does not guarantee protection against all threats.

Address Entry

  • Always verify the full address — Before confirming any transaction, manually compare the complete destination address character by character against your intended recipient. Do not rely solely on the first and last few characters.
  • Use copy and paste from trusted sources — Whenever possible, copy addresses directly from a source you trust (your hardware wallet software, a verified contact, or your Aegis address book) rather than typing manually, which is prone to human error.
  • Verify after pasting — After pasting an address, visually confirm the pasted value matches what you copied. Some forms of malware can modify clipboard contents between copy and paste actions.
  • Be cautious with saved/recent addresses — If a website offers to auto-fill or select from recently used addresses, verify the auto-populated address is correct before proceeding. Auto-populated values may not trigger all verification layers in browser extensions.
  • Use your Aegis address book — For addresses you transact with regularly, add them to your Aegis address book. Whitelisted addresses are recognized across sessions without repeated verification prompts.

General Security Hygiene

  • Review browser extensions regularly — Uninstall extensions you no longer use. Malicious or compromised extensions can interfere with transactions.
  • Keep your browser updated — Security patches in browser updates help protect against known vulnerabilities that could affect any extension.
  • Verify website URLs — Before entering sensitive information or initiating transactions, confirm you are on the legitimate website. Aegis includes phishing detection, but new phishing domains may not yet be in our database.
  • Approve transactions only when expected — If you receive an approval request on your mobile device that you did not initiate, reject it immediately. Unexpected approval requests may indicate unauthorized activity.
  • Do not share your license key — Your Aegis license key links your desktop browser to your mobile device. Sharing it could allow others to approve transactions on your behalf.
  • Test with small amounts first — When sending to a new address for the first time, consider sending a small test transaction and confirming receipt before sending larger amounts.

These practices reflect general industry guidance and are not exhaustive. Users are solely responsible for their own security decisions. See our Terms of Service §3 for details on user responsibility.

Data Handling

Aegis follows the principle of data minimization. Here is what happens with your data:

Processed Locally (Never Leaves Your Device)

Transmitted (Encrypted)

Stored on Our Server

For complete details, see our Privacy Policy.

What Aegis Is Not

To set clear expectations:

Responsible Disclosure

If you discover a security vulnerability in Aegis, we appreciate your help in disclosing it responsibly.

We do not currently operate a formal bug bounty program. We aim to acknowledge responsible disclosures and credit reporters (with permission) in our release notes.