About
Hereditas (Latin for 'inheritance') is a free, open-source tool designed to solve a critical but often overlooked problem: what happens to your digital life if you suddenly die or disappear? It lets you build a fully encrypted, static HTML5 'digital legacy box' that can be securely hosted anywhere — for free — and accessed by your designated loved ones only under specific conditions. The system is built on three core principles: trustlessness, simplicity for recipients, and zero ongoing maintenance. The encryption key is split between a user passphrase given to your heirs and data stored in an authorization provider (Auth0), ensuring no single party — including Hereditas itself — can access your data unilaterally. When an authorized user tries to unlock the box, a countdown timer starts and you receive an immediate notification. If you're alive and well, simply log in to stop the timer. Only after the waiting period (configurable, default 24 hours) expires without your intervention can the recipients unlock the box using their passphrase. Your designated users authenticate via existing social accounts (Google, Facebook, Microsoft), so they don't need to create new credentials. The output is a plain static HTML5 app deployable to any hosting provider, requiring no servers, subscriptions, or ongoing patches. Built with Node.js for the CLI and HTML5 for the web app, the full source code is available on GitHub under GPL v3.0.
Key Features
- Fully Trustless Encryption: The encryption key is split between the user passphrase and the authorization provider, meaning no single party — including Hereditas — ever has standing access to your stored data.
- Configurable Waiting Period: Authorized users must wait a configurable period (default 24 hours) after first login before unlocking the box, giving the owner time to abort the process if they're still alive.
- Static HTML5 Output: Generates a self-contained static web app that can be hosted for free on virtually any platform, with no servers, databases, or ongoing maintenance required.
- Social Login for Recipients: Heirs authenticate using existing accounts (Google, Facebook, Microsoft) — no new accounts or passwords needed, making access simple even for non-technical users.
- Instant Owner Notifications: The box owner is notified immediately when a user attempts to access the box, enabling rapid intervention to stop the timer if the access attempt was unauthorized.
Use Cases
- Storing passwords, cryptocurrency wallet keys, and 2FA backup codes for loved ones to access after the owner's death.
- Leaving sensitive legal or financial documents (e.g., wills, insurance info, account details) in a secure, time-locked digital vault.
- Providing a trusted family member access to home automation credentials, server access keys, or domain account details in an emergency.
- Creating a personal digital estate plan without relying on expensive or proprietary third-party services.
- Developers and privacy-conscious individuals self-hosting a fully trustless secret inheritance system under their own control.
Pros
- Zero Ongoing Cost or Maintenance: The static output can be hosted for free indefinitely and requires no patching, subscriptions, or server management over time.
- Truly Trustless Design: No company or third party holds complete access to your data — the architecture ensures that even Hereditas itself cannot decrypt your legacy box.
- Easy for Non-Technical Heirs: Recipients only need a web browser, a user passphrase, and their existing social account — no technical knowledge required to access the box when needed.
- Fully Open Source: Available under GPL v3.0 on GitHub, allowing anyone to audit the code, verify security claims, and contribute improvements.
Cons
- Technical Setup Required: Creating a Hereditas box requires CLI knowledge, an Auth0 account configuration, and deploying a static site — not ideal for non-technical users.
- Depends on Auth0: The trustless encryption model relies on Auth0 as the authorization provider, introducing an external dependency that must remain available and operational.
- No Managed Hosting Option: Unlike SaaS alternatives, Hereditas requires self-hosting the generated static site, which adds a small amount of setup and infrastructure responsibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I lose the user passphrase I gave my heirs?
The user passphrase is a critical part of the decryption key. Without it, the box cannot be unlocked. It is essential to store this passphrase safely and ensure your heirs have access to it when needed.
Can Hereditas or Auth0 read my data?
No. Hereditas uses a split-key design where the decryption key is divided between the user passphrase (held by your heirs) and Auth0 (used as an authorization provider). Neither party alone can decrypt your data.
How do I stop my relatives from accessing my box if I'm still alive?
Once a user logs in and starts the waiting timer, you receive an immediate notification. Simply log into your own Hereditas box within the waiting period (default 24 hours) to reset the timer and block access.
Where can I host the Hereditas static web app?
You can host it anywhere that serves static files — including GitHub Pages, Netlify, Vercel, AWS S3, or any traditional web host. Many of these options are free.
Is Hereditas free to use?
Yes. Hereditas is fully open source under the GNU GPL v3.0 license. The tool itself is free; you may incur minor costs depending on your choice of Auth0 plan or hosting provider, though free tiers are available for both.
