Self-Destructing Messages: Complete Guide

Self-destructing messages, also known as ephemeral messages, are communications designed to automatically delete themselves after being read or after a set period of time. They're useful for sharing sensitive information that shouldn't persist in digital records.

What are self-destructing messages?

Unlike regular messages that remain in inboxes, chat histories, and server logs indefinitely, self-destructing messages have a built-in expiration. Once the conditions for destruction are met (viewed, time elapsed, or both), the message is permanently erased.

There are three main types:

• Burn after reading: Message is deleted immediately after being viewed once.
• Time-based expiry: Message automatically expires after a set duration (hours, days).
• View limited: Message can be viewed a specific number of times before deletion.

Why use self-destructing messages?

Traditional communication methods create permanent records. Every email you send, every Slack message, every text sits on servers waiting to be discovered in a data breach, legal discovery, or by a curious administrator.

Self-destructing messages solve this by ensuring:

• No lingering sensitive data: Passwords, API keys, and credentials don't sit in email archives for years.
• Reduced breach impact: If a system is compromised, historical secrets have already been destroyed.
• Compliance benefits: Minimizing data retention helps meet regulatory requirements.
• Peace of mind: Know that sensitive information has a defined lifecycle.

Common use cases

Password sharing. Share login credentials with colleagues or clients without leaving a permanent record. The password link expires after viewing, ensuring it can't be accessed later.

API keys and tokens. Send API keys, access tokens, or other developer credentials securely. Once the developer retrieves them, the secret is destroyed.

Confidential documents. Share sensitive files that should only be accessed once. Contracts, financial data, or personal information can be shared with automatic deletion.

Temporary access codes. Share WiFi passwords, door codes, or temporary access credentials with guests or contractors that automatically expire.

How Burn the Secret's self-destructing messages work

Burn the Secret combines self-destruction with end-to-end encryption for maximum security:

1. Encrypt: Your message is encrypted in your browser using AES-256-GCM before being sent to our servers.
2. Store: Only the encrypted ciphertext is stored. The encryption key stays in the URL fragment, never touching our servers.
3. Retrieve: When the recipient opens the link, the encrypted data is sent to their browser for decryption.
4. Destroy: After the allowed views, the encrypted data is permanently deleted from our database.

Best practices

• Use appropriate expiration times: For urgent credentials, use short expirations (1-24 hours). For less time-sensitive items, longer expirations are fine.
• Add passphrase protection: For highly sensitive data, add a passphrase and communicate it through a separate channel.
• Verify receipt: Ask the recipient to confirm they received the message successfully. If they didn't, you know the link was accessed by someone else.
• Use single view when possible: For most credential sharing, one view is sufficient. Multiple views increases the window of exposure.
• Don't rely solely on self-destruction: Remember that the recipient can still copy or screenshot the content. Self-destruction protects the transmission, not what happens after viewing.

Self-destructing vs. encrypted messaging apps

Apps like Signal and WhatsApp offer disappearing messages, but there are key differences. Messaging apps require both parties to have accounts. Burn the Secret works with anyone—just send a link.

With messaging apps, you can't always confirm the message was read before disappearing. With one-time links, when the link stops working, you know it was viewed.

One-time links also work with any communication channel. You can send the link via email, SMS, Slack, or any other platform.

Ready to create a self-destructing message? Get started on Burn the Secret.