Guides/Censored networks
How to encrypt files in countries with heavy censorship
Where the network is watched, the right encryption tool is one that never uses the network at all. Elba is a single HTML file that runs offline in your browser, seals a folder with AES-256-GCM, and leaves no trace beyond the sealed folder itself.
The network-visible footprint
Zero. Elba does not fetch anything at runtime. Once the HTML file is on the device — copied from a USB stick, sideloaded from a friend, downloaded via Tor — no observer can tell it's being used.
Distribution matters as much as the tool
Because Elba is one file, it can be handed over on a memory card, printed as a QR-code chain (in principle), or sent as an email attachment. Every copy is a full copy.
Questions people actually ask
- Does it need to be re-downloaded to work?
- No. Once you have the file, it works forever offline.
- Can Elba hide that a folder is encrypted?
- No — sealed data looks like sealed data. If plausible deniability is your requirement, combine Elba with VeraCrypt hidden volumes.
Take the island
Elba is one HTML file. It runs locally in a Chromium browser, seals a folder with AES-256-GCM, never phones home, and becomes open source on 1 January 2030.
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the price falls each year · free to all 1 jan 2030
pay once · no account · nothing leavesRelated guides
- Secure file encryption for journalists (2026 guide)
A local, offline encryption tool for journalists: no cloud, no account, no telemetry. Seal notes and source files with a password.
- File encryption for activists and organisers
A small, offline, no-account way for activists to seal sensitive files. Elba is one HTML file with no metadata trail.
- A portable encryption tool that fits on a USB drive
Elba runs from a USB stick with no install. One HTML file, one launcher, one folder — sealed with AES-256-GCM wherever you plug it in.