Burn After

Burn After is a privacy-focused web application for sharing sensitive files through single-use links that disappear after opening.

The idea came from a simple frustration: we routinely email tax documents, IDs, contracts, and other sensitive files using systems that were never designed for temporary, privacy-conscious sharing. Once sent, those files often sit indefinitely in inboxes and cloud storage.

Burn After solves this by generating secure, temporary links that automatically expire after first access and permanently remove the file shortly after.

Files are end-to-end encrypted in the browser before upload, meaning Burn After never has access to file contents or decryption keys. Recipients do not need an account, just a secure link.

Built as a serverless AWS application using infrastructure-as-code, the platform combines secure object storage, short-lived access patterns, authentication, automated expiration workflows, and browser-based cryptography to provide a lightweight but security-conscious sharing experience.

Key features include:

• End-to-end encrypted file uploads
• Single-use links that expire after first access
• Automatic file deletion and cleanup
• No account required for recipients
• Lightweight, minimal sharing experience
• Infrastructure managed with AWS CDK

Burn After launched publicly on Product Hunt, finishing in the top 10 products of the day. More valuable than the placement itself was the feedback: users consistently emphasized trust, which led to a rapid iteration toward browser-based end-to-end encryption.