Web-based cryptography is always snake oil

A piece making rounds on Hacker News takes a hardline stance: web-based cryptography is snake oil—fundamentally flawed as a security mechanism. The argument centers on inherent limitations of browser-based crypto APIs, their exposure to common web attacks, and the gap between theory and practice when cryptography runs on JavaScript. While controversial, the position reflects legitimate concerns in the security community about whether in-browser encryption can truly protect data or merely provides the appearance of protection.

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