# Multilayered encryption Autonomi uses several layers of encryption to protect a user's anonymity and privacy. The Network is designed to be as 'zero-knowledge' as possible, to the extent that node operators cannot possibly figure out what chunks from which private file they are storing — even if it's their own. By utilizing multiple levels of encryption, Autonomi provides a platform for applications that is both highly secure and anonymized by design. These layers work together: **Self-encryption:** Content is chunked and encrypted on the user's device before it ever touches the network, using ChaCha20-Poly1305 encryption and BLAKE3 hashing. Each chunk is encrypted using keys derived from its neighbouring chunks, creating a web of interdependencies — tamper with any one chunk and the whole structure breaks. **Post-quantum transport encryption:** All connections between nodes and clients are secured by NIST-standardised post-quantum algorithms (ML-KEM-768 for key exchange, ML-DSA-65 for authentication). The connection is quantum-resistant from the very first byte — before any of your data is exchanged. **Content addressing:** The network address where a chunk is stored is derived from the hash of the encrypted chunk itself. This means the network's routing layer reveals nothing about the content of the data it moves — the address tells you nothing about what's inside. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.autonomi.com/how-it-works/encryption-and-authentication/multilayered-encryption.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.