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Cipher v1.3.2 — Release Notes

Date: 2026-05-16 Tag: v1.3.2 Platforms: Windows (.exe), Linux (.AppImage + .deb)

Context

Cipher is the first client to integrate Eidolon's post-quantum vault identity system. This release fixes the critical path that was blocking Eidolon keybundle authentication against the remote bridge. Without these fixes, importing a vault keybundle into Cipher would systematically fail with a 401 error.

What changed

Eidolon keybundle import — fixed end-to-end

The previous flow was broken at three points:

  1. The Electron client sent a local Windows file path (C:\Users\...\.psnx) to the remote Fly.io bridge. The bridge tried to read the file from its own disk → file not found → 401 "Cannot verify PSNX file". The client now uploads the .psnx file content (base64) so the bridge can compute the SHA-256 hash itself. The bridge stores only the hash (64 hex chars), never the file bytes.

  2. The Eidolon Connect session flow returned "invalid signature" on every attempt. The probeEidolonConnect IPC handler treated the POST /connect/apps/register HMAC rejection as fatal. It now falls through gracefully, matching the frontend's eidolonConnect.ts behavior. More importantly, the Electron client no longer needs Eidolon Connect at all for vault authentication — it uses direct PSNX hash proof instead.

  3. The bridge's Path B verification checked psnxPath (local file) before psnxFileBase64 (upload). When both were present, it hit the local-file branch first and failed. The priority is now: stored hash → uploaded file → local file read.

Bundled Python venv — keybundle CLI works out of the box

The keybundle_cli.py Eidolon script requires numpy and cryptography. Previously, these had to be installed globally on the user's machine. The build now bundles a minimal Python venv with these dependencies inside the Electron package (resources/Eidolon/venv/). The resolveEidolonPython() function prefers this venv when available.

Bridge deployed

The Fly.io bridge (cipher-bridge.fly.dev) is updated with all auth changes. No action needed on your end.

What works now

Flow Status
Import .eidolon_keybundle in Cipher (Electron) Works
Authenticate with remote bridge via PSNX hash proof Works
First registration: client uploads .psnx, bridge computes hash Works
Return visits: bridge verifies against stored hash Works
Local bridge: bridge reads .psnx from disk (unchanged) Works
Quick Unlock with password (BIP-39 accounts) Works
1-to-1 E2EE messages Works
Group conversations (2–10, e2ee-v2) Works

What does NOT work yet

Flow Status Why
Eidolon Connect session flow Broken (HMAC secret not configured on bridge) Bypassed — PSNX hash proof is used instead
macOS packaged build Not shipped CI matrix removed — no test capacity
Code signing (Windows/macOS) Not active Azure Trusted Signing not yet provisioned
Mobile (CipherMobile) In design React Native + Expo, same crypto core

How to test

If you already have an Eidolon vault

  1. Open Eidolon, export your vault as a .eidolon_keybundle file.
  2. Open Cipher v1.3.1. On the login screen, choose "Import keybundle".
  3. Select the .eidolon_keybundle file.
  4. Cipher extracts the .psnx + .blend_data, derives your vault key, registers the vault, and authenticates with the bridge.
  5. You should land on the conversations screen with your Eidolon-linked username.

If something fails, note the exact error message and the step where it happens. Open an issue at https://github.com/Oykdo/cipher/issues with:

  • OS + Cipher version
  • The error text
  • Whether your vault was created with Eidolon's GUI or CLI
  • Whether PQ was enabled during key generation

If you don't have an Eidolon vault yet

  1. Clone the Eidolon repo (../Eidolon from the Cipher checkout, or https://github.com/Oykdo/eidolon).
  2. Install Python 3.10+ and pip install -r requirements.txt.
  3. Run the key generator: 
    python -m src.cli genesis --name <your-name> --surface granite
    This creates a .psnx + .blend_data pair in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Eidolon\keys\.
  4. (Optional) Create a keybundle for portability: 
    python scripts/public/keybundle_cli.py export --vault-id <your-vault-id>
  5. Import the keybundle into Cipher as above.

Edge cases worth testing

  • Vault file moved after import. Move or rename the .psnx file, then restart Cipher and try to log in. The stored hash should still authenticate — the bridge doesn't need the file again.
  • Re-import the same keybundle on a second device. The machine-lock rule prevents a second registration — Cipher should surface the existing vault identity and still authenticate.
  • Bridge fallback. If the Fly.io bridge is temporarily down, the Electron app should show a clear connection error, not a silent hang.

Architecture note

The PSNX hash proof flow:

First registration:
  Client                          Bridge (Fly.io)
  ──────                          ───────────────
  reads .psnx from disk
  computes SHA-256
  sends file bytes (base64)  ───► computes SHA-256 itself
                                  stores hash in user_settings
                                  discards file bytes
  receives session tokens    ◄─── returns JWT + refresh token

Return visits:
  Client                          Bridge (Fly.io)
  ──────                          ───────────────
  reads .psnx from disk
  computes SHA-256
  sends hash only            ───► compares against stored hash
                                  if match → authenticate
  receives session tokens    ◄─── returns JWT + refresh token

The bridge never stores the .psnx file content. Only the SHA-256 hash is persisted. The file upload is ephemeral and exists only to prove possession on first registration (no trust-on-first-use).

For the next release

  • Eidolon Connect HMAC secret provisioning (eliminates the bypass)
  • Azure Trusted Signing for Windows binaries
  • macOS build + Apple Developer signing
  • CipherMobile alpha