Payload encryption

This is an optional feature and requires configuration parameters from Resistant AI.

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How it works (high level)

1. You create a submission (standard flow).
2. The API returns a presigned upload URL.
3. You create a JWE compact encrypted payload from the original file bytes.
4. You upload the encrypted payload to the presigned URL (same upload step, different request body).
5. Resistant AI fetches the encrypted payload from object storage, decrypts it, and processes the file.

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Encryption format and algorithms

• Key management: RSA-OAEP-256
• Content encryption: A256GCM (AES-256-GCM)

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JOSE header requirements

{
  "alg": "RSA-OAEP-256",
  "enc": "A256GCM",
  "zip": "DEF",
  "kid": "<RESISTANT_AI_RSA_KID>"
}

• alg (required): fixed to supported algorithm (RSA-OAEP-256) 
• enc (required): fixed to supported encryption (A256GCM) 
• kid (required): key identifier used for key rotation (provided by Resistant AI) 
• zip (optional): compression algorithm applied before encryption; recommended to speed up transfer 

Header values must correspond to the actual JWE message; incorrect values can prevent decryption. 

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Supported endpoints

• Data upload via presigned URL (only the upload request body differs; other parameters remain the same). 

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Key rotation (kid)

• You must send the kid that matches the public key you use for encryption. 
• When keys rotate, you must update both:
  • kid
  • the public key used for encryption 
• Resistant AI provides:
  • new kid
  • new public key
  • timeline and transition period (old + new key valid for a period). 

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Configuration required from Resistant AI

• Public key (public part of the asymmetric key)
• Key ID (kid) corresponding to that public key
• Key spec of the asymmetric key

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Example implementation (Python)

from authlib.jose import JsonWebEncryption

jwe = JsonWebEncryption()
RESISTANT_AI_RSA_KID = "TODO: input here"

with open('resistant_ai_rsa_public.pem', 'rb') as f:
    key = f.read()

with open('testing_file.pdf', "rb") as fp:
    payload = fp.read()

protected = {
    'alg': 'RSA-OAEP-256',
    'enc': 'A256GCM',
    'zip': 'DEF',
    'kid': RESISTANT_AI_RSA_KID
}

encrypted_upload_request_payload = jwe.serialize_compact(protected, payload, key)

# send encrypted_upload_request_payload to the presigned upload URL as request body

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Operational impact

• API submissions only — all document uploads must use the Documents API with JWE-encrypted payloads
• Web UI disabled — users cannot upload documents via the Web UI
• Offline iFrame viewer — remains available for viewing results, but submission must be via API
• Integration requirement — you must implement JWE encryption in your integration before enabling this feature

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Operational guidance

• Treat payload encryption as a per-environment configuration (testing/prod keys differ). 
• Log only non-sensitive metadata (submission_id, timestamp, kid, environment). Do not log ciphertext or keys.
• Plan a key rotation procedure (update public key + kid during the transition window).