EDB Explorer only ever opens database files for reading; it never writes to, repairs or modifies an ESE file. Exports and reports are written to paths you choose.
The MCP server gives an AI agent the ability to open and read files on the host. When you run it, restrict what the agent may open:
edb-explorer mcp --allow /cases/2026-001/evidence
# or
EDB_EXPLORER_ALLOWED_PATHS=/cases/2026-001/evidence edb-explorer mcpOnly stdio transport is enabled by default; HTTP transports bind to 127.0.0.1 unless you
pass --host. Put a reverse proxy with authentication in front of it before exposing it on a
network. The Docker image restricts opening to the /evidence mount.
.edbproj project files carry a SHA-256 hash map of every member and an Ed25519 signature over it;
verify the signer's fingerprint through another channel before trusting it (edb-explorer project trust).
A password encrypts the manifest and embedded evidence with AES-256-GCM (scrypt-derived key). Signing
keys live in the config directory (~/.config/edb-explorer, %APPDATA%\EDB Explorer) with mode 600;
portable builds keep them in ./data/config next to the executable - protect that folder accordingly.
Please open a private security advisory on GitHub (Security → Report a vulnerability) rather than a public issue. Include the version, platform and a minimal reproduction. You should receive a response within 7 days.