End-to-end encrypted traffic
Each pair of devices sets up its own session: a handshake modelled on the Noise IK pattern (P-256, four Diffie–Hellman operations, HKDF-SHA256), then AES-256-GCM with a separate key per direction and replay protection.
Security
Security is the product.
Peerlify is a networking tool for teams who treat access as a first-class audit surface. This page explains how we get there, what we already ship, and where we are still maturing.
Principles
How we approach it.
Keys stay on the device
Each device generates its own key pairs when the service first starts. Only public keys are sent to the control plane; private keys never leave the device.
Identity-based access
Rules name users, groups, roles, tags and devices, down to protocol and port, and are enforced by the device that receives the connection. A new network starts with an allow-all rule you replace.
Audit trail
Administrative changes are recorded in the console’s audit log. Business and Enterprise plans add connection activity logs, kept for 90 days.
Least-privilege roles
Owner, Admin and Member on every plan; Business and Enterprise add Network Admin, IT Admin, Billing Admin and a read-only Auditor. Members have no console access.
Server-side authorization
The server is the source of truth for every change made in the console or through the API. The UI only hides controls a role cannot use; it is not what enforces them.
Frequently asked
Security questions.
- Does Peerlify see my network traffic?
- No. The control plane coordinates membership and rules but never carries your traffic. Traffic goes directly between devices when a direct path works and through a Peerlify relay when it does not. In both cases it is encrypted end to end; a relay forwards ciphertext and holds no key that could decrypt it. A relay does see connection metadata: IP addresses, which device is talking to which, and packet sizes and timing.
- What happens when a device is lost or stolen?
- Remove it from the network in the console. Online peers drop it from their peer list within seconds, typically under ten, and it can only come back by signing in again. Removing a person from your identity provider alone does not end an enrolled device’s session; remove the device or the member in Peerlify too.
- Are the clients signed?
- Yes. Windows binaries and installers are code-signed, the macOS app is signed with a Developer ID and notarized by Apple, and Linux packages come from signed apt and yum/dnf/zypper repositories.
- Who holds the encryption keys for my traffic?
- Your devices. Session keys are derived on the two devices in a session and never leave them. Peerlify’s control plane is the trust anchor for which public keys belong to your network, so it is part of what you trust; the security model in the docs explains exactly how.
Responsible disclosure
Found something? Tell us.
We take security reports seriously and will respond within one business day. Please avoid automated scanning against production and do not access data that does not belong to you.
- PGP
- On request
- Response SLA
- < 24 business hours
- Scope
- *.peerlify.com and the Windows, macOS and Linux clients