Swiss company Proton, known for developing privacy-protection apps, has added new features: the ability to create, edit, and collaborate on documents via its secure cloud.
The launch of Proton Docs integrated into Proton Drive comes after the acquisition of secure note-taking app Standard Notes in April.
Proton Drive, the end-to-end (E2EE) encrypted cloud storage service, launched in September 2022 with web support and expanded to mobile devices later that year. New collaborative document editing features enhance the company’s robust security, making it a critical productivity tool for both professionals and individuals.
Read also: Proton Pass: The password manager comes to Mac and Linux
Proton is pitching Docs as a secure and privacy-focused alternative to Google Drive and Google Docs, highlighting the absence of the zero-knowledge architecture of competing products. “This significant addition to our privacy-enhanced product suite offers a powerful alternative to existing document editors, ensuring privacy and security without sacrificing core features,” the company wrote in a blog post.
encryption ensures that Proton doesn’t have access to users’ content, as it doesn’t own the encryption keys. This allows Proton to offer a clear differentiation from data-driven business models like Google’s. “Docs provides the same level of encryption as Proton Drive, meaning all content is protected by E2EE,” a company spokesperson confirmed to TechCrunch. “Even changes, such as file names and paths, are encrypted.”
Creating collaborative documents with E2EE is a technically challenging process, something no other company on the market has achieved. It involves exchanging keys and synchronizing key information, as well as the ability to invite people to collaborate and revoke those permissions, as well as private document sharing.
Proton says it will update its website in the coming weeks to provide more details about how Docs works behind the scenes. The company notes that it had already launched improved sharing features in Proton Drive a few weeks ago in anticipation of this launch.
See also: Proton's Encrypted Mail Desktop App now available for Mac
According to Proton, Docs in Proton Drive includes popular and "essential" features, such as full support for markdown and rich text, code blocks, and checklists. It also confirmed compatibility for multiple file types, including Microsoft .docx, and the ability to embed images in documents.
Collaboration features include the ability to add and reply to (and resolve) comments, and see who else is viewing a document in real time with “collaborative runners.” Invitations to collaborate on documents are also supported. Participants without a Proton account will be asked to create a free account to gain access, which could help increase enrollment and spur its growth.
Under Proton's freemium model, the new Documents features are accessible for free through Proton Drive, which offers up to 5GB of free storage. After that limit, users who want to take advantage of the Documents features will need to upgrade to a paid tier of Drive.
More features are in development. Proton said its roadmap will aim to improve user experience and productivity, starting with more powerful collaboration tools for teams. Given Proton’s security promise, it’s promoting Docs in Drive to businesses that are subject to high compliance requirements for protection , such as those in industries like healthcare, media, finance and legal.
The company confirmed that the code for the documents will be open sourced “soon,” allowing independent scrutiny and verification of its security claims.
In a further reassuring step for users, Proton last month announced a transition to a non-profit foundation structure model, with the new foundation becoming the major shareholder in the (for-profit) business. It said this governance change is designed to safeguard its pro-privacy mission in the long term, allowing it to be self-sustaining and independent of other commercial agendas.
Read about: Proton Drive Android: Automatic backups and photo management
The app maker, which was founded a decade ago as an E2EE email service (ProtonMail), has grown its reach over the years, expanding to offer a range of privacy-friendly apps that focus on productivity, including a cloud storage service, along with a calendar app, VPN and password manager.
Proton now reports more than 100 million user accounts in total, with 500 employees maintaining all of its technology.
Source: techcrunch
