Strongbox can make network connections for database synchronisation, purchases, upgrade screens, crash reporting and optional features.
The connections depend on your platform, edition, settings and the features you use. Storing your database locally does not, by itself, disable purchase, upgrade-screen or diagnostic services.
Database storage and synchronisation
If you choose a remote storage location, Strongbox connects to that service to authenticate and read or write your encrypted database.
Supported options include Strongbox Sync, iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, WebDAV and SFTP. When you access a database through Apple's Files app or a folder managed by another application, that application may handle the network connection instead.
Strongbox Sync uses Apple's CloudKit infrastructure. Wi-Fi Sync communicates between your devices over your local network.
Your database is transferred in its encrypted file format. Your master password is not sent to your storage provider to decrypt it.
Purchases and subscriptions
Strongbox communicates with Apple's App Store to retrieve products and prices, process purchases, restore purchases and check purchase status.
Applicable editions also use RevenueCat to manage purchase and subscription status. RevenueCat processes purchase-related information and technical identifiers. Strongbox does not require a Strongbox account or supply RevenueCat with a custom Strongbox account identifier.
The iOS freemium edition also enables Apple Ads attribution through RevenueCat.
Setapp editions communicate with Setapp for activation and subscription management.
Upgrade screens
The iOS freemium edition uses Superwall to display upgrade screens and offers, and to understand how those screens perform.
Superwall can process technical information, SDK-generated and device identifiers, purchase status and app-usage events. It may also use IP-derived approximate location and purchasing-likelihood classifications. Upgrade screens may load additional resources from third-party hosting and content services.
These connections can occur when the app starts, including for users with an active Pro subscription. Turning off crash reporting does not disable Superwall or RevenueCat.
Crash reporting
The iOS app uses Sentry to help us diagnose crashes and reliability problems.
Crash reporting is enabled by default on fresh installations. You can disable it in Strongbox's settings. When disabled, Strongbox skips initialising or closes the crash-reporting SDK.
Crash reporting is intended for technical diagnostics, not collecting the contents of your password database.
Internet connectivity detection
Where available and enabled, Strongbox uses a reachability check involving duckduckgo.com to help determine whether the device is offline. This may involve DNS resolution and system networking activity.
The check does not submit database contents or entry URLs. You can disable connectivity monitoring in Advanced Settings.
Favicon downloading
If you enable automatic favicon fetching or request an icon download, Strongbox may contact the website associated with an entry and configured favicon services, including DuckDuckGo and Google.
These requests disclose the domain being looked up, along with normal connection information such as your IP address. The favicon sources can be configured in Strongbox.
Have I Been Pwned? password checks
If you enable the optional compromised-password check, Strongbox contacts api.pwnedpasswords.com.
It sends the first five characters of a password's SHA-1 hash, not the password or its complete hash. Strongbox compares the returned results locally.
Strongbox Zero
Strongbox Zero is a separate, stripped-down edition with networking features removed or compiled out. It does not have the same integrations as the regular app.
If you use operating-system features or another application to move or synchronise files used by Zero, those services operate under their own settings and privacy policies.
Checking network activity
You can inspect network activity using tools such as Charles, Wireshark or a device firewall.
Exact hostnames can change as Apple, storage providers and other services update their infrastructure. This article describes the purposes of connections rather than a permanent firewall allowlist.
For more information about personal information and service providers, see our Privacy Policy.