PrivateBin

PrivateBin is a minimalist online pastebin designed so the server has zero knowledge of the pasted content. Pastes are encrypted and decrypted in the browser, and only the encrypted payload is stored server-side.

Key Features

• Client-side encryption and decryption using 256-bit AES-GCM
• Optional password protection for an additional layer beyond the URL key
• Expiration controls, including “burn after reading” and “forever”
• Optional discussions/comments with nicknames and identicons/vizhashes
• Markdown rendering with preview and optional syntax highlighting for code
• Optional file uploads with image/media/PDF preview (configurable, often disabled by default)
• Customizable templates/themes and built-in translation support
• QR code generation for paste URLs

Use Cases

• Securely sharing snippets, notes, or code where the server should not read the content
• One-time or time-limited sharing of sensitive troubleshooting details
• Hosting an internal paste service for teams with optional discussion threads

Limitations and Considerations

• Users must trust the instance operator not to serve modified client code; HTTPS is required for safe use
• The encryption key is part of the URL, so sharing the URL publicly reveals the paste unless a password is used
• Access logs may still reveal metadata such as who accessed a paste

PrivateBin is well-suited for privacy-focused paste sharing, offering strong client-side cryptography with practical features like expiration, passwords, and optional discussions. It provides a simple, self-contained way to run a paste service while minimizing server-side exposure to plaintext data.