How do I encrypt a database field with Themis?

Use Secure Cell in Seal mode with a user-provided key to encrypt data before storage. The README provides examples in languages like Python and Java for easy integration into applications.

Themis vs libsodium for secure messaging?

Themis offers higher-level APIs with built-in session management and forward secrecy via Secure Session, while libsodium provides more granular control but requires more setup for similar features like end-to-end encryption.

Is Themis FIPS 140-2 compliant?

Themis includes FIPS and GOST documentation but doesn't guarantee full compliance out-of-the-box. It relies on underlying libraries like OpenSSL, so you may need to verify specific deployments for regulatory requirements.

How to handle key management in Themis?

Themis provides key management advice in its documentation, but developers are responsible for secure key storage and distribution, as the library focuses on encryption operations rather than key lifecycle management.

Can Themis be used for end-to-end encryption in a chat app?

Yes, Secure Session supports forward secrecy for real-time encrypted messaging, and the README cites use cases like building chat apps between patients and doctors with cross-platform compatibility.

Themis

Apache-2.0C0.15.6

A high-level cryptographic library providing secure data storage, messaging, and session encryption with unified APIs across 14+ platforms.

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What is Themis?

Themis is an open-source high-level cryptographic services library that provides secure data storage, messaging, and session encryption for applications. It solves common data protection use cases like encrypting stored secrets, securing sensitive database fields, and enabling end-to-end encrypted communication. The library offers ready-made cryptosystems that simplify complex cryptographic operations, making it accessible to developers without deep cryptography expertise.

Target Audience

Developers building multi-platform applications (mobile, web, desktop, server) that require robust data encryption, secure messaging, or compliance with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA. It's ideal for teams needing a consistent cryptographic API across iOS, Android, React Native, Java, Python, Go, and other supported platforms.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Themis because it provides a unified, high-level API across 14+ platforms, eliminating the need to implement cryptography from scratch. It offers strong security built by cryptographers, simplifies complex operations with ready-made cryptosystems, and helps achieve compliance with data privacy regulations through state-of-the-art encryption.

Overview

Easy to use cryptographic framework for data protection: secure messaging with forward secrecy and secure data storage. Has unified APIs across 14 platforms.

Use Cases

Best For

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Encrypting API keys, session tokens, and files in mobile or backend applications
Implementing application-side field-level encryption for sensitive database fields
Building end-to-end encrypted chat or messaging features with forward secrecy
Securing real-time data sessions between IoT devices and backend servers
Developing multi-platform apps that require consistent cryptography across iOS, Android, and web
Achieving compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA through strong data encryption

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring custom cryptographic algorithms or low-level access to encryption primitives
Environments where FIPS 140-2 validation is mandatory for all components, as support is limited
Legacy Windows systems without modern build tools, due to experimental MSYS2 support

Pros & Cons

Pros

Unified Multi-Platform API

Offers identical cryptographic APIs across 14+ platforms like iOS, Android, and WebAssembly, simplifying development for cross-platform apps as highlighted in the README.

Developer-Friendly Abstraction

Provides high-level cryptosystems like Secure Cell and Secure Message that abstract away complex details, reducing implementation time and errors for common use cases.

Strong Security Foundations

Built and regularly audited by cryptographers with automated testing, ensuring reliability for compliance with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA, as noted in the security docs.

Cons

Limited Low-Level Control

The high-level APIs restrict access to underlying cryptographic parameters, making it unsuitable for advanced customizations or novel algorithms beyond the 90% of use cases it targets.

Windows Support Challenges

Windows support is labeled as experimental via MSYS2 in the README, which can lead to integration difficulties and instability in production environments compared to more mature platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

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#secure-messaging

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#objective-c

#secure-storage

#data-encryption

#end-to-end-encryption

#zero-knowledge-proofs