diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 14f8cc72..c5d2a88a 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ type Crypter interface {
 ### Data Flow
 1. User submits message + PIN via web UI or API
 2. Server validates input (PIN size, expiration limits)
-3. MessageProc hashes PIN with bcrypt, encrypts message data
-4. Encrypted message saved to storage engine with UUID key and expiration
-5. For retrieval: validate PIN attempts, decrypt if correct, delete after successful read
+3. MessageProc hashes PIN with bcrypt; API messages are encrypted server-side, UI messages arrive already encrypted by the browser and are stored as-is
+4. Encrypted message saved to storage engine with 12-character base62 key and expiration
+5. For retrieval: validate PIN attempts, then delete and return; API messages are decrypted server-side first, UI messages are handed back as stored ciphertext for the browser to decrypt
 
 ### File Message Format
 File messages use a distinct storage format with encrypted metadata:
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ When `--allow-no-pin` / `ALLOW_NO_PIN` is enabled, secrets can be created withou
 - **rest.RealIP middleware** - Extracts client IP from headers for CDN/proxy compatibility (from go-pkgz/rest v1.20.6+)
   - Header priority: X-Real-IP → CF-Connecting-IP → leftmost public IP in X-Forwarded-For → RemoteAddr
   - Filters private/loopback/link-local IPs automatically
-- **HashedIP middleware** - Anonymizes client IP using HMAC-SHA1 hash (12-char hex) for audit logging
+- **HashedIP middleware** - Anonymizes client IP using HMAC-SHA256 hash (8-char hex) for audit logging
   - Must run after rest.RealIP middleware (reads `r.RemoteAddr` set by RealIP)
 - **Logger middleware** - Logs requests with masked sensitive paths (PINs) and anonymized IPs
   - Must run after HashedIP middleware (reads hashed IP from context)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9238969f..1249fc47 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ The service uses **hybrid encryption** based on how you access it:
 ### Security Architecture
 
 **Encryption:**
-- Server-side: AES-256-GCM for message encryption
+- Server-side: NaCl secretbox (XSalsa20-Poly1305) for message encryption
 - Client-side (web UI): AES-128-GCM via Web Crypto API
-- PIN hashing: bcrypt (cost 14)
-- Random key generation: 32-byte cryptographically secure
-- Server rejects unencrypted content from web clients (ciphertext format validation)
+- PIN hashing: bcrypt (`bcrypt.DefaultCost`, currently 10)
+- Random generation: 128-bit client keys and 12-character base62 message IDs, both from a CSPRNG
+- Server checks that content from web clients has the shape of a ciphertext envelope (base64url, at least IV plus tag)
 
 **HTTP Security Headers:**
 - `Content-Security-Policy`: restricts scripts, styles, fonts to trusted sources; `frame-ancestors 'none'`; `form-action 'self'`
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ $ curl -X POST https://safesecret.info/api/v1/message \
 
 {
   "exp": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
-  "key": "f1acfe04-277f-4016-518d-16c312ab84b5"
+  "key": "u2yKL07dDtRR"
 }
 ```
 
@@ -395,10 +395,10 @@ GET /api/v1/message/:key/:pin
 ```
 
 ```bash
-$ curl https://safesecret.info/api/v1/message/f1acfe04-277f-4016-518d-16c312ab84b5/12345
+$ curl https://safesecret.info/api/v1/message/u2yKL07dDtRR/12345
 
 {
-  "key": "f1acfe04-277f-4016-518d-16c312ab84b5",
+  "key": "u2yKL07dDtRR",
   "message": "my secret"
 }
 ```
diff --git a/app/messager/crypt.go b/app/messager/crypt.go
index 876bf7a5..1b3bbd39 100644
--- a/app/messager/crypt.go
+++ b/app/messager/crypt.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (c Crypt) Decrypt(req Request) ([]byte, error) {
 	return decrypted, nil
 }
 
-// MakeSignKey creates 32-pin bytes signKey for AES256
+// MakeSignKey creates 32-pin bytes signKey for secretbox
 func MakeSignKey(signKey string, pinSize int) (result string) {
 	if len(signKey) >= 32-pinSize {
 		return signKey[:32-pinSize]