What is the LOCKER file format?
A .locker file is an encrypted archive created by NordLocker, the file-encryption app from Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN. The app first shipped in November 2019. Each .locker file is a container that holds one or more files and folders you have added to a locker, all sealed together as encrypted data.
NordLocker encrypts everything on your device before it ever leaves, an approach the company calls zero-knowledge encryption. Under the hood it combines AES-256 with the XChaCha20-Poly1305 cipher, generates keys with Libsodium, and derives your secret key from your master password using the Argon2 function. The result is a file that looks like random bytes to anyone without the password.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA .locker file is encrypted data and does not run code on its own, so the file itself is safe to store or move. The real risk is losing access: without the correct master password the contents cannot be recovered, since NordLocker uses zero-knowledge encryption and cannot reset it for you. Only install NordLocker from nordlocker.com to avoid fake or tampered clients.
Format details
in a nutshell- App / game lock files - Some applications and games write a plain lock or state file named with a .locker extension to mark a resource as in use; unrelated to NordLocker encryption.
- Ransomware output - Certain ransomware families rename hostage files with a .locker suffix. These are not NordLocker archives and cannot be opened by it.
Programs that open LOCKER files
Windows1 app
NordLocker
Freemium Install NordLocker, sign in to your account, then open or import the locker and enter your master password to decrypt and browse the files inside. 
macOS1 app
NordLocker
Freemium Download NordLocker for macOS, log in, and open the locker; after entering your password you can drag files out to decrypt them.
NordLocker Web Access
Freemium Sign in to NordLocker in a browser to reach lockers that were synced to NordLocker cloud storage and download decrypted copies of your files. Technical details
deep spec| Encoding | Proprietary encrypted container |
| Container | Single encrypted archive holding one or more files and folders imported into a locker |
| Compression | None documented; the format is built for encryption rather than size reduction |
| Encryption | AES-256 (AES-256-GCM) for file data combined with XChaCha20-Poly1305; key wrapping uses the user's master password |
| Key Derivation | Argon2 derives the secret key from the salted, hashed master password |
| Signing | Ed25519 (EdDSA) used for authentication within the scheme |
| Asymmetric | 4096-bit RSA and elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC) used in the key hierarchy |
| Crypto Library | Libsodium generates a random 256-bit key that is then encrypted with XChaCha20-Poly1305 |
| Architecture | Client-side, zero-knowledge encryption; files are encrypted on the device before any cloud sync |
| Typical size | Varies with the imported content, from kilobytes to many gigabytes |
| Structure | A locker is an encrypted folder-like container. Files and folders are added into it, and the whole locker is stored and synced as encrypted data. |
| Integrity | Poly1305 authentication tags protect against tampering and corruption |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS |
| Notes | NordLocker pairs local encryption with optional end-to-end encrypted cloud storage. Free accounts include a set amount of cloud space; larger quotas require a paid plan. The password is required to decrypt; there is no vendor recovery of forgotten master passwords. |
| Released | 2019 |
| Specification | en.wikipedia.org |
LOCKER conversions
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about LOCKER files.
