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Legal & Compliance

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 5, 2026 Publisher: Navarambha Labs Product: Netra for Android
Summary: Netra operates entirely locally on your device. We enforce a strict, uncompromising Zero-Log Policy. Your traffic, browsing history, and DNS queries never pass through centralized servers owned or operated by Navarambha Labs.

1. Introduction & Core Privacy Philosophy

At Navarambha Labs, we believe that privacy is a fundamental human right. Netra was engineered from the ground up on a simple, non-negotiable principle:

Your network traffic belongs to you and no one else. Netra operates entirely locally on your device and enforces a strict, uncompromising Zero-Log Policy.

This Privacy Policy explains how Netra handles information when you use our Android application. Unlike traditional commercial VPN operators, Netra is a client-side proxy utility and privacy tunnel. We do not operate centralized tracking servers, proxy relays, data harvesting infrastructure, or advertising networks.

2. Information We DO NOT Collect (Zero-Log Policy)

Netra does NOT collect, monitor, log, store, or transmit any of the following:

  • ❌ No Browsing History: We do not log web pages visited, searches conducted, or applications accessed.
  • ❌ No Traffic Payloads: Packet data traversing the local tunnel is never inspected, recorded, or mirrored.
  • ❌ No DNS Query Logs: Domain name lookups intercepted by Netra's on-device DNS engine are resolved in-memory and immediately discarded.
  • ❌ No Connection Timestamps or IP Addresses: We do not log when you connect, when you disconnect, or your originating/destination IP addresses.
  • ❌ No Personal Identifiable Information (PII): Netra requires no user accounts, no email addresses, no telephone numbers, and no payment card data.
  • ❌ No Device Fingerprinting: We do not track IMEI, MAC addresses, Android Advertising IDs (AAID), or hardware identifiers.

3. How Netra Uses Android's VpnService API

Netra utilizes Android’s official VpnService API to establish a local, virtual network interface (tun0) on your Android device.

Why VpnService is Required:

  1. Local Traffic Capture & Routing: VpnService allows Netra to intercept outbound Layer-3 IP packets directly on your device and route them through user-configured proxy servers (SOCKS5, HTTP CONNECT, or Shadowsocks).
  2. On-Device Threat & Tracker Filtering: The local tunnel intercepts UDP port 53 DNS queries to evaluate requested domains against locally stored threat definitions. Matching tracker or advertising domains are blackholed locally to 0.0.0.0 before unwanted connections can leave your device.

Key Architectural Disclosures:

  • 100% Local Loopback: All packet processing, Fake-IP synthesis, and domain filtering occur locally in your device's memory.
  • No Third-Party Routing by Default: In "Direct" mode or when proxy nodes are inactive, traffic flows directly from your device to destination servers via your network provider without passing through Navarambha Labs.
  • User-Defined Relays: Traffic routed through proxies is transmitted only to the specific servers, hostnames, and ports that you explicitly configure or import.

4. Local Storage & Hardware-Backed Credential Security

All configuration data entered into Netra remains strictly on your local device:

  • Hardware-Backed Credential Encryption: Sensitive proxy credentials (usernames, passwords, Shadowsocks pre-shared keys) are encrypted using AES-256-GCM via AndroidX EncryptedSharedPreferences, with master cryptographic keys securely stored in the hardware-backed Android Keystore system.
  • Cloud Backup Exclusion: Sensitive credential vaults are explicitly excluded from Android Auto Backup and automated cloud device transfers (backup_rules.xml and data_extraction_rules.xml) to prevent unauthorized cloud extraction.
  • Manual Backups: If you export your configuration or save a snapshot to your cloud or local storage, the file is transferred directly via Android's Storage Access Framework (SAF) / FileProvider under your direct control.

5. Android Permissions & Justifications

Netra requests only the minimal permissions required to function as an on-device network proxy utility:

Permission Identifier Status Purpose
VPN Service BIND_VPN_SERVICE Core Establishes the local TUN interface for on-device packet filtering and proxy routing.
Internet Access INTERNET Required Transmits outbound traffic to user-configured proxy servers and updates community rule definitions.
Network State ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE Required Monitors Wi-Fi and Cellular network transitions to prevent dropped sockets.
Change Network State CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE Required Allows socket protection to bypass the VPN tunnel for proxy outbound connections (VpnService.protect()).
Foreground Service FOREGROUND_SERVICE Required Keeps the packet processing engine alive in the background while other apps are active.
Notifications POST_NOTIFICATIONS Optional Displays a persistent notification showing active tunnel state and live uplink/downlink speeds.

6. External Connections & Community Definitions

Netra initiates outbound connections to external endpoints only in the following user-directed scenarios:

  1. User-Configured Proxy Nodes: Outbound traffic routed through SOCKS5, HTTP CONNECT, or Shadowsocks connects exclusively to the endpoints you designate.
  2. Upstream Encrypted DNS: If configured, Netra dispatches encrypted DNS queries to standard public DNS-over-HTTPS resolvers (e.g., standard public Anycast endpoints 1.1.1.1, 8.8.8.8, 9.9.9.9).
  3. Community Threat Definitions: When you tap "Update Threat Definitions Now", Netra downloads plain text rule files from reputable open-source community blocklist repositories. Zero telemetry or device identifiers are sent during these downloads.

7. Global Privacy Regulations Compliance

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation - EU)

Because Netra does not collect, transmit, store, or process personal data on remote servers, Navarambha Labs acts neither as a Data Controller nor as a Data Processor under the GDPR. No personal data is transferred across international borders.

CCPA / CPRA (California Consumer Privacy Act)

We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information. Because zero personal data is gathered, there is no personal data to disclose or delete upon request.

COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act)

Netra is a technical network utility and is not directed towards children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children.

8. Developer & Legal Contact

If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or Netra’s architectural privacy safeguards, please contact us: