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NordPass users looking for a quick and easy way to access vital documents can now store them online. In a Tuesday blog post, NordPass introduced Documents, a new storage option that uses an encrypted vault to house digital copies of physical documents in the cloud.
In its post, NordPass cited passports, IDs, and driver’s licenses, but you can store any type of physical document that can be scanned or saved electronically. Offering you up to 3GB of space, Documents does require a $1.49-per-month Premium plan or a $2.79-per-month Family plan.
Documents is actually a new feature for the NordPass Vault, which normally holds your passwords and passkeys. Other password managers also let you securely store different types of items. NordPass is not only following suit but is kicking in a few extra perks.
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Beyond simply storing your documents, you can create important reminders for them. For example, you could set a reminder to alert you if your driver’s license or passport is expiring and due for renewal. You’ll receive the notifications via email and in the NordPass app itself, so you won’t miss them.
After you scan the documents you want to store, NordPass helps you upload them. You can even set up custom fields to save key details on each document so you can quickly find and reference any of them. You’re able to upload files saved as JPGs, PNGs, PDFs, or specific formats with their own built-in security. But your file must be less than 40MB in size.
NordPass also touted the benefits to families. Couples can scan and store such physical documents as marriage certificates, birth certificates, and insurance papers. Parents can add and manage documents for their children, including medical records and school reports.
NordPass is available on the web, as a Windows and Mac app, and as an iPhone and Android app. That means you can access your scanned documents not just from your computer but from your mobile device when you’re on the go.
Are your documents safe?
This all sounds convenient. But what about security and privacy? Are your online documents safe from hackers and prying eyes?
To secure the files in your vault, NordPass uses the XChaCha20 encryption algorithm. Touting XChaCha20 as “the future of encryption,” the company uses this to encrypt and decrypt data through different key lengths, with the 256-bit encryption being the strongest.
Also: How to encrypt any email – in Outlook, Gmail, and other popular services
NordPass gives the nod to XChaCha20 over AES-256, which most password managers use, saying that it’s around three times faster, is simpler to set up, doesn’t require hardware support, and will be supported on a wider scale in the near future. As with any type of online storage, there are always risks. But NordPass also offers multi-factor authentication to prevent unwanted access to your personal information.
“People struggle to securely store and manage their physical documents — such as passports, driver’s licenses, and ID cards,” Chandra Challa, head of core product at NordPass, said in a press release. “These essential documents are often misplaced, hard to access when needed, or forgotten until they expire, leading to missed renewals and unnecessary stress. With the new update, we are helping our users to fix this issue by providing a safe, encrypted, and easy-to-use vault within the NordPass application.”
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