Privacy & security
Can electronic signature providers read your documents?
Short answer
Yes. Depending on their security design, an e-signature provider may be able to access readable documents even when storage is encrypted. Inklok takes a privacy-first approach: client-side encryption reduces the sensitive information our systems can independently decrypt, without requiring an unfamiliar signing experience.
Why encryption at rest is not the whole story
Encryption in transit protects data as it moves. Encryption at rest protects stored data. Neither phrase, by itself, explains whether a vendor can decrypt content using keys its systems control. Ask where decryption occurs, who holds the keys, and whether administrators or support personnel can read stored agreements.
What changes with a zero-knowledge architecture?
Instead of relying only on provider-managed controls, Inklok uses client-side encryption to reduce how much sensitive signing information the service can independently decrypt. That reduces the trust customers must place in the platform while preserving the workflows businesses expect.
Exactly which information is protected and which information Inklok still processes matters. See our Security overview for the current technical guarantees and limitations.
Does stronger privacy mean a worse user experience?
Privacy-first systems have often asked users to accept awkward key handling, device restrictions or unfamiliar account recovery. Traditional SaaS can feel simpler because more of the data access is controlled centrally.
Inklok is designed to close that usability gap. Teams can work across devices, sign in with familiar account flows and invite external participants into straightforward signing experiences—without treating provider access to sensitive information as the default. Keep your Recovery Key safe for situations where cryptographic access must be restored.
What should buyers verify?
Evaluate the encryption boundary, key-recovery model, participant permissions, audit evidence and the effect of losing a recovery key. For sensitive NDAs, vendor contracts and customer agreements, those details matter more than a generic “encrypted” badge.
Keep agreements private. Not just signed.
Inklok brings privacy-first thinking to familiar signing workflows, with cross-device access and unlimited sends on paid plans. For details of what Inklok currently protects and can access, read our Security overview.