Sharing a password securely: the secret share guide
How many times have you sent a password by email telling yourself "just this once"? This habit is one of the leading causes of data breaches in organizations. Here is how to do better, without extra effort.
The risks of unsecured sharing
By email
- Emails transit through multiple servers.
- They stay in the Sent folder indefinitely.
- They can be read if the account is compromised.
- Archived emails can be discovered during audits.
By SMS / instant messaging
- Stored in plain text on devices.
- Accessible to anyone who unlocks the phone.
- May be synced to the cloud without encryption.
End-to-end encrypted secret sharing: how it works
Our secret sharing tool uses end-to-end encryption:
- You enter the secret (password, API key, confidential note…).
- The secret is encrypted in your browser with AES-256 before being sent.
- You receive a unique link to share with the recipient.
- The recipient opens the link — the secret is decrypted in their browser.
- The secret is destroyed — it can never be read a second time (burn after reading mode).
What our server never sees
The decryption key is part of the URL hash (after #). Browsers never send the URL fragment to the server. Our server stores only the encrypted secret — without the key, it is unreadable.
Features
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Expiration | 1 hour, 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days |
| Burn after reading | Immediate destruction after first read |
| File sharing | Send a confidential file (via secret file share) |
Common use cases
- Send a temporary password to a new team member.
- Share an API key with a contractor.
- Send login credentials to a client.
- Share emergency payment information securely.
Best practices
- Always use burn after reading mode for one-time secrets.
- Send the link via a different channel than your usual communication.
- Set a short expiration: the recipient should open the link within the hour.
- Never share the password AND the login in the same message.
Conclusion
Sharing a secret securely is no longer reserved for technical teams. Our secret sharing tool is free, requires no sign-up, and protects your data with end-to-end encryption. Stop sending passwords by email — start sharing them smartly.