S.S.E. Password Vault - Format Specifications
(format version 3)

note: obsolete version, current version can be found here
Password Vault Format

*A - Compression: XZ format (LZMA2 compression);
*B - Encryption: Chosen algorithm in EAX mode; Tag size - chosen blockcipher block size or 256bit max;
*C - Salt: Chosen blockcipher block size or 256bit max;
*D - Algorithm Codes:
• 0 = AES (256 bit)
• 1 = RC6 (256 bit)
• 2 = Serpent (256 bit) : (Bouncy Castle "Tnepres" implementation)
• 3 = Blowfish (256 bit)
• 4 = Twofish (256 bit)
• 5 = GOST28147 (256 bit)
• 6 = Blowfish (448 bit)
• 7 = Threefish (1024 bit) : (for PRO version)
• 8 = SHACAL-2 (512bit) : (for PRO version)
• 9 = Paranoia C4 (2048 bit) : (for PRO version - cascade of Threefish–Serpent–AES–SHACAL2))
*E - Custom KDF parameters: related to Argon2id; lower 4 bits for t parameter multiplier; higher 4 bits for m; t = tbase * 2^multiplier;
*F - Hash: SHA-3 (256 bits) hash of the "DB Format" section; Used only for import purposes;
Notes:
• For cascaded algorithms - the last layer is processed in EAX mode, the others in CTR.

Key Derivation Function

• STEP 1: HKDF(password)
(Skein-1024 based HKDF; Stored in device's RAM during session; 2048 bits;)
• STEP 2: Argon2id(STEP 1, salt)
(New run (new salt) for every single encryption operation; 2048 bits;)
• STEP 3: 2 x HKDF(STEP 2)
(SHA3-512 based HKDF; For encryption key and nonce;)
Notes:
• For cascaded algorithms, a longer key and nonce is generated in step 3, which are then split to get unique key and nonce for each algorithm.
• Characters that are not from ASCII range 32-126 are converted to unicode code point numbers (for example: password "contraseña" equals "contrase241a").
Argon2id Base Parameters:
t = 10
m = 10240 kB
h = 4

S.S.E. 2.0+ Argon2id Parameters Modifiers:
t: 0000b ⇒ t = 10 * 2^0 = 10
m: 0001b ⇒ m = 10240 * 2^1 = 20480 kB


S.S.E. Password Vault - XML File Format

Basic Structure:
<Vault>
   <Folder>
      <Name>Password Folder 1 Title</Name>
      <Comment>Password Folder 1 Comment</Comment>
      <Position>1</Position>
      <IconCode>-256</IconCode>
      <Items>
         <Item>
            <Name>Password Item 1 Title</Name>
            <Password>PASSWORD 1</Password>
            <Comment>Password Item 1 Notes</Comment>
            <Modified>2014-07-14T10:32:32</Modified>
            <IconCode>-256</IconCode>
         </Item>
         <ExtendedItem>
            <Name>Extended Item</Name>
            <Account>Paranoia Works</Account>
            <Password>password</Password>
            <URL>https://paranoiaworks.mobi</URL>
            <Comment>note</Comment>
            <Modified>2020-01-08T06:05:44</Modified>
            <IconCode>-5635841</IconCode>
            <CustomElements>
                <Element>
                    <Name>Element Title A</Name>
                    <Value>Element Value</Value>
                </Element>
                <Element>
                    <Name>Element Title B</Name>
                    <Value>Element Value</Value>
                </Element>
            </CustomElements>
         </ExtendedItem>
      </Items>
   </Folder>
</Vault>

Notes:

Implementations



Version 4 Notes


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