Encrypted sync & permissions for Obsidian

VaultGuard can be the only sync provider for a protected vault, and we recommend against running another file-sync tool over the same folder because competing writers can conflict with local at-rest encryption. VaultGuard observes local changes and polls for remote changes while Obsidian is running; it is not live collaborative editing or a background service after the app is suspended.

Revocation stops new server-authorized reads and writes, invalidates renewable access state, and is enforced when a device reconnects or its current lease expires. A managed device can purge VaultGuard-protected local state when it receives the change, but no sync product can remotely erase plaintext or exported copies that a user already placed outside its control.

An admin invites them by email — from the web admin panel (Pro) or from inside Obsidian. The invitation email carries a "Set your password" link and an obsidian:// deep link that pre-fills their organization; no password is ever emailed. On first sign-in they set a password (12+ chars, with a live strength checklist), complete two-factor setup if your org requires it (authenticator app + saved recovery codes), and the plugin then binds their Obsidian folder to the right vault automatically. From there they only see the files your permissions allow. See the Setup Guide for the full first-run walkthrough.

Yes. The VaultGuard Community Edition is fair-code under the Sustainable Use License (the same license n8n ships under) — both the Obsidian plugin and the AWS server stack (Lambda + API Gateway + DynamoDB + S3 + KMS + Cognito) are open and auditable, and deployed via Terraform. `terraform apply` gives you a working backend in about 10 minutes. The license permits free internal use, modification, and redistribution; it forbids offering VaultGuard as a competing hosted service. CE excludes the hosted web admin panel, share links, and advanced audit dashboards — those stay in the managed Pro plan. No license fees, no seat limits.

Community Edition gives you the same client-side content encryption, server-managed key model, per-file permissions, audit primitives, and access-revocation controls on your own AWS. You manage users and permissions from inside Obsidian. Pro adds a hosted web admin panel, internal share links, advanced audit surfaces, and managed operations. Deployment-specific limits and operational guarantees still apply.

Supported file bodies are encrypted on the client with AES-256-GCM before upload and S3 also uses server-side encryption. VaultGuard Cloud currently uses server-managed KMS-backed keys, so the managed backend is inside the trust boundary and this is not zero-knowledge encryption. Filenames, paths, sizes, versions, permissions, and audit metadata are visible to the service. Local at-rest protection covers supported vault adapter paths, with documented exclusions and a temporary plaintext-pending state for large files that cannot yet be uploaded safely. Transport uses HTTPS/TLS 1.2 or newer, with TLS 1.3 when negotiated. The deployment's configured file-size limit remains authoritative.

Within limits. A valid time-bounded key lease lets the plugin work with protected local files while offline. Bounded small-file changes can queue for reconnect; large changes remain local and visibly pending until they can be uploaded safely. Behavior also depends on the device, local protection state, and configured lease duration.

VaultGuard includes technical controls designed to support SOC 2 control mapping, data-subject workflows, and HIPAA-oriented deployments, but certifications, legal readiness, and BAAs depend on deployment configuration, contracts, and external review. Access events are recorded in DynamoDB audit logs with configurable retention.

Permissions cascade from vault root to folders to files. A role granted write access to /engineering/ inherits to all subfolders. More specific rules override broader ones, and explicit deny always wins at the same path depth.

Yes. The managed Pro plan includes a 14-day free trial. For the Community Edition, clone the public plugin and server repos, run `terraform apply`, and you're running — free forever.

Yes. VaultGuard ships a native Claude chat panel in the Obsidian sidebar — bring your own Anthropic API key or drive your Claude subscription, then ask about or edit your notes. Every file the assistant reads or writes runs through the same at-rest encryption, per-file permissions, and audit trail you do; writes are shown as diffs you confirm. With no key and no sign-in, it makes zero outbound calls. See the AI page for details.

Yes. VaultGuard includes an interactive permission graph inside Obsidian that maps users, roles, and folder rules to the files they can reach — so over-broad access is obvious at a glance. You grant or revoke vault, folder, and file-level access straight from the file header, and Pro adds the same management in the hosted web admin panel.

Yes — VaultGuard ships a built-in MCP (Model Context Protocol) server so agents can read, search, and edit your vault through the same permission and audit gates as a human user. See the AI page for the full walkthrough.