Security & Access Guide

Every Aegis account is protected by time-based one-time passwords. During first-time setup, the wizard displays a QR code. Scan it with any TOTP app, enter the 6-digit code to confirm, and 2FA is active.

Admins can also require 2FA for everyone, so no user can opt out. If a policy requires MFA for a specific resource, the verification step is enforced at access time, even for users who normally log in with just a password.

• TOTP codes are generated on your device; Aegis never sees the secret after enrollment.
• If you lose your authenticator, contact your admin to reset 2FA — there is no self-service recovery by design.
• Use standard apps like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy.

When your organization allows it, you will see a Remember this device checkbox after a successful 2FA. Checking it skips the second factor for that browser on that device for up to the configured number of days.

This is convenience, not a relaxation: changing your password revokes every trusted device immediately, and your administrator sets the maximum lifetime.

• Only check the box on devices you personally control.
• Trusted status is tied to the browser; clearing cookies revokes it.
• A password change invalidates all trusted sessions everywhere.

Access control in Aegis is deterministic. Shield policies define what each user or group may do, on which resources, and are evaluated on every request — so the same person can have different rights in different folders.

Sensitive actions can additionally require a second factor: the policy asks for MFA at access time, and the verification step appears before the action is allowed.

• Deny always wins when an Allow and a Deny match the same action.
• Rules can target folders, individual files, or administrative functions.
• Changes take effect on your next request — no caching delay.

Beyond organization-wide policies, a folder can carry its own access rules: specific people or groups are granted or denied individual actions, sometimes with an expiry date.

Rules inherit down the folder tree by default. A folder can also start fresh with its own rule set when it truly needs different treatment.

• A deny always overrides an allow — if something is blocked for you, it was a deliberate decision.
• Temporary grants expire on their own; you do not need to ask for removal.
• Ask your administrator to review a folder's rules if your access looks wrong.

Documents are rendered on the server and reach your screen as sealed pixels, watermarked with your identity. Aegis also applies layered client-side deterrence, and every view is recorded in the audit log. For anti-abuse reasons, the exact controls are not published.

What you can do with a document — read it, select text where available, download the original — is decided by policy, not by your device.

• The forensic watermark ties every view to a user and session.
• Download rights are explicit and audited — never implicit.
• All activity is recorded; nothing about a view is anonymous.
• Because rendering happens server-side, the original file never lives on your endpoint.

Your master password is the key to your account. Choose a long passphrase or use a password manager. Aegis stores passwords with modern, salted hashing, so even a database compromise would not reveal usable credentials.

If you suspect your account is compromised, change your password immediately. That action revokes all trusted devices and active sessions, forcing a fresh login everywhere.

• Do not reuse your Aegis password on other sites.
• A password change is the fastest way to kill a stale session.
• Admins can force password resets from the Users tab if they detect suspicious activity.

Views, searches, downloads, uploads, and administrative changes are recorded with the actor, time, and resource. The record exists for accountability — and it is preserved even when a user or document is removed.

If the platform shows a read-only alert, the license needs attention and your administrator can restore normal operation. If a verification prompt appears mid-session, a policy is asking for a stronger check on that specific action.

• Contact your administrator if you believe a record is wrong.
• Audit records are part of the security model, not an optional log.

Security in Aegis is a partnership between server policy and your own behavior. Keep your authenticator safe, trust only your own devices, and report anything unusual. To see the full model in action, request a demo.