Shadow Vault Privacy Policy
Effective date: 2026-05-05 Last updated: 2026-05-05
Shadow Vault (“the app”, “we”, “us”) is a notification-archive app for Android. This policy describes what information the app handles, how it is stored, and your rights as a user.
We have built Shadow Vault to be privacy-first. The app does not require an account, does not have a backend server, and does not transmit your notification content to anyone.
1. Who we are
- App name: Shadow Vault
- Package name:
com.shadowvault.shadowvault - Developer: sizzlorox
- Contact: sunnyh@apogeeforge.com
2. Information the app handles
2.1 Notification content (on-device only)
Shadow Vault uses Android’s NotificationListenerService to read notifications posted by other apps on your device. For each notification the app may store:
- The posting app’s package name and label
- Notification title, text, and sub-text
- Sender / conversation identifier (where Android exposes it)
- Timestamp
- Whether the notification has been dismissed or marked read in the source app
This data is stored locally on your device only. It is encrypted at rest using SQLCipher-style encryption (sqlite3mc). It is never uploaded to a server, never shared with third parties, and never sent off the device by the app.
2.2 Authentication data
If you enable a PIN or biometric lock:
- PIN is hashed and stored in Android’s encrypted Keystore via
flutter_secure_storage. The plaintext PIN is never stored. - Biometric authentication is handled entirely by the Android operating system. Shadow Vault never receives or stores your fingerprint or face data.
2.3 Advertising
Shadow Vault is free and ad-supported. Ads are served by Google AdMob.
Shadow Vault explicitly removes the AD_ID permission, so AdMob cannot access your Android Advertising Identifier (AAID). As a result, AdMob serves non-personalized ads only, based on contextual signals (rather than your interests or cross-app activity).
When ads are served, Google may still receive a limited set of data:
- Approximate (coarse) location derived from IP address
- Device information (model, OS version, language)
- App interaction with ads (impressions, clicks)
This data is collected and processed by Google, not by Shadow Vault. The app itself does not see, store, or transmit this information. See Google’s policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
2.4 Network requests
Shadow Vault makes outbound network requests in two cases only:
- Link previews — when a captured notification contains a URL, the app may fetch the page’s metadata (title, description, preview image) directly from that URL. The request goes to the URL’s host; nothing is routed through our servers (we have none).
- Google Fonts — typography assets may be fetched on first use from Google’s font CDN.
No notification content is included in these requests. No analytics or telemetry is sent.
2.5 Installed app list
Shadow Vault uses Android’s QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES permission to read the list of apps installed on your device. This is required to render the per-app capture controls in Settings → App Permissions, where you choose which apps Shadow Vault may capture notifications from.
The list is read locally on demand and is never transmitted, stored remotely, or shared with third parties. Your enabled-app selections are stored in the app’s local SharedPreferences only.
2.6 Information we do not collect
Shadow Vault does not:
- Have user accounts
- Have a backend server
- Use Firebase, Crashlytics, Sentry, or any analytics SDK
- Sync, back up, or transmit your inbox to any cloud
- Track your location
- Read your contacts, SMS, photos, or files
- Share notification content with advertisers or any third party
3. Permissions we request and why
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
Notification access (BIND_NOTIFICATION_LISTENER_SERVICE) |
Required to read incoming notifications and store them in the encrypted inbox. |
| Post notifications | Required so the app’s foreground service shows a status notification on Android 13+. |
| Biometric / use-fingerprint | Optional; used to unlock the app if you enable biometric lock. |
| Foreground service | Keeps the notification listener alive in the background so notifications are not missed. |
| Internet | Used only for ad serving (AdMob), link previews, and Google Fonts. |
| Receive boot completed | Restarts the notification listener after device reboot so capture resumes automatically. |
Query all packages (QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES) |
Used to display the list of apps installed on your device in Settings → App Permissions, so you can pick which apps Shadow Vault may capture notifications from. The list is read on-device only and never transmitted. |
4. Data retention and deletion
- All notification content is stored on your device, in an encrypted local database, until you delete it.
- Uninstalling Shadow Vault removes the encrypted database and all locally stored data permanently.
- You can wipe the inbox at any time from the app’s Settings.
- We retain no copies because we never received any.
5. Data sharing
Shadow Vault does not sell, rent, or share your notification content with anyone.
The only third party involved in app operation is Google AdMob (and indirectly Google Play Services / Google Fonts), which collects ad-related data described in section 2.3. Their use of data is governed by Google’s privacy policy.
6. Children
Shadow Vault is not directed at children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has used the app, contact us — though because we hold no remote data, there is nothing for us to delete on our side; uninstalling the app removes everything.
7. Your rights
Because all data stays on your device, you have direct, full control:
- Access — open the app to see everything stored.
- Delete — wipe individual messages, conversations, or the entire inbox from Settings, or uninstall the app.
- Ads — Shadow Vault already serves non-personalized ads only (the app removes the
AD_IDpermission). You do not need to opt out of ads personalization for this app, but you can confirm or reset your device-wide preferences in Android Settings → Privacy → Ads.
If you are in the EU/EEA, UK, or California, you have additional rights under GDPR / UK GDPR / CCPA (right to access, rectification, erasure, portability, objection). Because we do not hold your data on any server, exercising these rights is done on-device as described above. For any question, email sunnyh@apogeeforge.com.
8. Security
- The local notification database is encrypted using sqlite3mc (SQLCipher-compatible AES encryption).
- Encryption keys are stored in Android Keystore via
flutter_secure_storage. - The app supports biometric / PIN lock to gate access to the inbox UI.
No system is perfectly secure. You are responsible for keeping your device locked and your operating system up to date.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the app evolves. The “Last updated” date at the top will change, and material changes will be reflected in the app’s release notes. Continued use of the app after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
10. Contact
Questions, concerns, or data requests:
sunnyh@apogeeforge.com