Nothing to collect

Privacy

Your files, passwords, and archives remain on your Mac.

Vern does not upload your files

Encryption and verification happen locally through Apple’s built-in archive framework. Vern has no file-storage service, account system, advertising, analytics, telemetry, or remote crash reporting.

Passwords are not stored

A password exists in Vern only while the current encryption or verification operation needs it. Generated passwords are copied to the macOS clipboard at your request. Vern opens Apple Passwords but cannot read or write its contents.

Update checks

Vern can request a small public JSON file from verkheim.com to compare version and build numbers. The update service receives the ordinary network information required to serve that request. Vern sends no file names, archive contents, passwords, or usage history.

Permanent deletion

If you enable permanent deletion, Vern removes selected originals locally after archive verification. Backups, snapshots, cloud copies, APFS, and SSD behavior are outside Vern’s control and may preserve other copies.