Raven Zero - Overview
🎯 What is Raven Zero?
Raven Zero is a self-destructing file sharing service designed for ephemeral data transfer.
Send files that automatically disappear after a preset number of downloads or time limit. No registration, no tracking — just secure temporary transfer with end-to-end encryption.
“The best way to protect data is to not have it.”
Created by Oscar Rojas
GitHub: OzkrRouj
🔥 The Problem
Real-World Use Case
Transferring sensitive data between devices securely is challenging:
- Traditional cloud sync exposes data to third parties
- Email/messaging leaves permanent traces
- Most file sharing services keep files indefinitely
- Existing solutions like Data Dead Drop are no longer available
The core problem: How do you transfer sensitive data without leaving it accessible forever?
Why Existing Alternatives Fall Short
| Solution | Problem |
|---|---|
| Dropbox/Google Drive | Files persist indefinitely, full access to content |
| WeTransfer | 7-day retention, email required, no self-hosting |
| Pastebin/Gist | Public URLs, no guaranteed deletion |
| Data Dead Drop | No longer available |
Raven Zero fills this gap: Ephemeral by design, encrypted at rest, self-hostable, open source.
👥 Who is Raven Zero For?
Primary Users
- Privacy-conscious individuals who need temporary file transfer
- Developers syncing configs, tokens, or keys between environments
- Security professionals sharing sensitive data with time constraints
- Teams that need quick, trace-free file exchange
Core Use Cases
- Password Manager Sync — Transfer encrypted vault files between devices
- Temporary API Key Sharing — Share tokens that auto-delete after retrieval
- Cross-Device Quick Transfer — Screenshots, configs, logs with automatic cleanup
- Secure Code Snippet Sharing — One-time access for code review
🚫 What Raven Zero is NOT
Anti-Goals
❌ Not a Backup Service — Files are designed to disappear (max 60 minutes)
❌ Not for Large Files — Limit: 10MB per file, optimized for text/configs/images
❌ Not a Content Platform — Pure utility: upload → share → delete
❌ Not a Social Network — No accounts, no profiles, anonymous by design
🏛️ Design Principles
1. Ephemeral by Design
Files MUST disappear by time OR download count. Default: 10 minutes, 1 use. Maximum: 60 minutes, 5 uses.
2. Privacy by Default
No user accounts, no tracking, no analytics. Zero-knowledge architecture — we encrypt your files but don’t read them.
3. Security First
- AES-128 encryption at rest (Fernet)
- SHA-256 integrity verification
- Secure file deletion (byte overwriting before removal)
- Anti brute-force protection with IP blocking
4. Radical Transparency
Fully open source. Every line auditable.
5. Self-Hosting First
Easy deployment with Docker Compose. Your data, your server, your rules.
✨ Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 🔥 Auto-destruction | Files expire by time OR download count |
| 🔒 Encrypted storage | AES-128 encryption at rest |
| 🎲 Diceware keys | Human-readable, shareable keys (apple-banana-cherry) |
| ⚡ No registration | Anonymous by design |
| 🛡️ Integrity check | SHA-256 hash verification on download |
| 🚫 Rate limiting | Protection against abuse |
| 📊 Health monitoring | /health endpoint with service status |
📚 Documentation
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Architecture | System overview, tech stack, project structure |
| Data Models | Redis schema, filesystem, data flows |
| Security | Encryption, shredding, defense layers |
| API Specification | Endpoints, examples, error codes |
| Deployment | Docker, configuration, observability |
| Development | Patterns, conventions |
| Decisions | Decision log, tradeoffs, references |
🚀 Quick Start
Upload a file
curl -F "[email protected]" -F "expiry=10" -F "uses=1" https://your-domain.com/upload/Download
curl https://your-domain.com/download/apple-banana-cherry -o file.pdf📞 Contributing
- GitHub: OzkrRouj/raven_zero
- Issues: Bug reports and feature requests
- Pull Requests: Contributions welcome
- Security: Report vulnerabilities privately
Ephemeral by design, private by default, open by principle.
Inspired by Data Dead Drop by Hans Schnedlitz