Ackaia recommends avoiding shared or public computers for sensitive CipherDrive™ use.
The reason is simple: client-side encryption protects data from the storage provider, but the computer you use becomes part of the trusted endpoint.
A shared or public device may contain:
malware;
keyloggers;
screen-recording software;
malicious browser extensions;
administrative monitoring;
browser-history collection;
clipboard monitoring;
software that captures downloads;
persistent browser storage left for the next user.
Any of these can expose account credentials, vault secrets, share links, local cryptographic material, or plaintext after decryption.
Zero-knowledge protects the server-side storage boundary. It does not stop a device you are actively using from seeing plaintext that your browser has legitimately decrypted for you.
A compromised endpoint can attack the information before encryption or after decryption.
If there is no safe alternative:
avoid opening highly sensitive files;
do not choose options that remember the device or vault;
avoid saving files locally unless absolutely necessary;
do not save passwords in the browser;
sign out when finished;
remove local downloads you created;
clear CipherDrive site data and local access where the product provides a safe control;
review and revoke the session afterward from a trusted device if possible.
Clearing browser data can also remove local key material. Do not clear a trusted device's only valid vault access without first confirming your recovery path.
Private browsing may reduce local browser history or persistence, but it does not protect you from:
malware;
device administrators;
screen capture;
malicious extensions allowed in private mode;
network or endpoint monitoring;
files you manually download.
For confidential files, use a device you control, keep it updated, minimize extensions, and use strong device authentication.
A public computer can defeat the local side of a zero-knowledge system without ever breaking the encryption stored on Ackaia's servers.