An Important Security Consideration When Using E2EE
If you are interested in being as secure as possible with your personal data, it’s not just about using encryption—it’s about using it right. End-to-end encryption secured with top of the line encryption is becoming easier than ever to access thanks to tools like Signal and WebCull who offer it with no advanced tech knowledge needed. Yet, it's still possible to make simple missteps which expose your data even if it's just for a moment.
Many services offer end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to keep your bookmarks private, but if you sync or import bookmarks before enabling encryption, they may briefly exist unencrypted in a cloud system. Depending on the situation, this can range from being a major to minor security concern, but it’s something worth being aware of if you want to minimize risk.
Why Timing Matters
Encryption ensures that only you can access your data, but it doesn’t work retroactively. If bookmarks are added before E2EE is enabled, they may travel over the internet in a state that can be read and could be temporarily stored on a server before encryption takes effect. Once encryption is turned on, new data is secured, but older, unencrypted copies may still exist in backups or logs until they are overwritten or manually removed. While encryption can protect data going forward, any previously stored unencrypted data does not automatically disappear.
Where Backups Might Happen:
- Bookmark sync services – Some services—for instance WebCull—encrypt data on your device before sending it, but encryption must be turned on first. If you import bookmarks before enabling encryption, they might be stored unencrypted for a short time.
- Chat logs - Some messaging services offer end-to-end encryption, but if encryption wasn’t enabled before messages were sent, they may have been stored unencrypted on a server. Even after turning encryption on, older unencrypted messages could still exist in backups or server logs. Likewise if the recipient of the messages doesn’t have E2EE on, your messages may still reside on a corporate server unencrypted.
- Cloud backups – Some providers keep periodic backups, which may contain older, unencrypted copies of your data even after encryption is activated.
- Internet service providers (ISPs) – If data is transmitted over the internet without encryption end-to-end encryption, your ISP could log the URLs being synced. This is not an issue once encryption is enabled, but it’s something to consider before turning it on.
How Long Do Unencrypted Copies Stick Around?
Even if a service offers encryption, unencrypted copies of your data might not disappear once E2EE is activated. Different providers handle data retention in different ways.
Some services immediately replace unencrypted data with encrypted versions, but older backups might still contain the unencrypted data. Certain cloud providers store past snapshots of your data for days, weeks, or even months, depending on their backup policies. Some services allow you to manually request data deletion, while others do not specify whether old, unencrypted copies are purged. The WebCull service for example purges all backups older than 3 months.
If encryption was not turned on from the start, assume that previous unencrypted copies could still exist somewhere. The best approach is to enable E2EE before adding or syncing any sensitive data to avoid this entirely.
Encryption is often misunderstood
A common belief is that encryption applies universally, but not all encryption is end-to-end. Many services encrypt data only after it reaches their servers, meaning they still have access before encryption is applied. Another misconception is that enabling end-to-end encryption later secures everything retroactively. In reality, encryption doesn’t rewrite history—any data uploaded before E2EE was activated may still exist in an unencrypted state. People also assume that encrypted data is completely safe, but encryption only protects against certain types of attacks. It doesn’t prevent security risks from compromised devices, social engineering, or weak passwords. Understanding these nuances ensures you make informed decisions about data security rather than relying on assumptions.
Should You Be Concerned?
For some people, this isn’t a huge risk, especially considering the risks they take on platforms without E2EE. Many services implement strong security measures even when encryption isn’t enabled, especially services able and willing to implement E2EE. However, if you want to follow best security practices and ensure your data is never stored unencrypted at any point, enabling E2EE before syncing is a simple but effective precaution.
Best Practices for Ensuring Full Encryption
To avoid any unintentional exposure, turn on encryption before syncing any data:
- Enable E2EE First – Before adding bookmarks, sending messages, or uploading any files, go into your service’s settings and activate end-to-end encryption or set a sync passphrase.
- Verify Encryption Is Active – Double-check that encryption is turned on before syncing. Some services will confirm this with a security setting or notification.
- Import Data Only After Encryption Is Active – Once encryption is confirmed, then import or sync bookmarks.
- Consider Removing Old Backups – If you suspect bookmarks were stored unencrypted before enabling encryption, check if the service allows you to delete old data.
- Remove Bookmarks from Previously Unencrypted Services – If you previously used a service that did not offer encryption or had E2EE disabled, consider deleting your bookmarks from that service to prevent any unencrypted copies from lingering.
Small Steps for Better Security
If you’re not dealing with extremely sensitive company data or government secrets, this isn’t something to lose sleep over, but it’s still a good habit to develop if you want to keep your personal data secure. End-to-end encryption is most effective when it’s enabled from the start, and while most services do a great job protecting data, taking control of when and how your information is encrypted gives you the highest level of privacy.