Messaging

This page keeps the public voice consistent across docs, release notes, UI copy, and PR descriptions.

Product Promise

Local secrets. Verifiable trust.

paranoid-passwd is a local-first password manager and generator. It keeps secrets out of unnecessary runtimes, makes recovery posture visible, and makes release integrity something operators can check instead of assume.

One-Sentence Description

paranoid-passwd is a Rust-native password manager and generator with a scriptable CLI, terminal TUI, desktop GUI, encrypted local vault, explicit recovery paths, and verifiable release artifacts.

Voice

  • Direct: explain what the tool does and what it does not do.

  • Evidence-led: prefer checks, artifacts, and named assurance claims over confidence language.

  • Local-first: emphasize that secrets stay on the user’s machine.

  • Calmly paranoid: reduce trust boundaries without sounding theatrical.

  • Operator-friendly: make recovery, backups, transfer, and release verification easy to find.

Preferred Terms

Use

Avoid

local-first password manager and generator

password generator only

encrypted local vault

vault foundation

security assurance protocol

vague review process

tracked-open assurance claim

approved crypto/statistics review

federal-ready operating profile

FedRAMP certified

DoD IL5-compatible evidence package

DoD authorized

FIPS-validated crypto module path

OpenSSL means FIPS

typed ops protocol

GUI talks to TUI

structured audit event

primitive log line

seal / auto-unseal lifecycle

unlock helper

native CLI/TUI/GUI surfaces

web app replacement

docs and downloads site

application website

verifiable release artifacts

trust us

Standard Bullets

Use these when a short product summary is needed:

  • native CLI, terminal TUI, and desktop GUI

  • OpenSSL-backed generation, hashing, and vault encryption paths

  • encrypted local vault for Login, SecureNote, Card, and Identity records

  • recovery through password, mnemonic, device-bound, and certificate-wrapped keyslots

  • backup, restore, and selected-item transfer packages

  • vendored offline builds, pinned workflows, checksums, attestations, and payload inspection

  • claim-led security assurance with deterministic gates

Claims To Avoid

Do not claim:

  • “unbreakable” security

  • “military-grade” encryption

  • independent cryptographic approval without a linked disposition

  • production approval for tracked-open assurance claims

  • FedRAMP authorization or DoD IL5 authorization without an actual assessed boundary

  • FIPS-compliant product behavior without a validated module, approved mode, and configuration evidence

  • cloud sync, browser extension, autofill, or multi-user collaboration

The strongest brand position is not hype. It is that the project exposes its trust boundaries clearly and keeps them small.