Mega’s compromise is a . Instead of scanning files (which it can’t), Mega relies on users reporting "decryption keys." If a copyright holder provides a valid key proving a file is illegal, Mega deletes the key , rendering the file inaccessible—even though the encrypted data may still linger on their servers.
But the real story of Mega isn't about encryption algorithms—it’s about one man, a yacht, and the biggest online piracy takedown in history. Before there was mega.nz , there was Megaupload . Founded by the flamboyant German-Finnish entrepreneur Kim Dotcom (born Kim Schmitz), Megaupload was once the 13th most visited website on the entire internet. It was a digital Wild West where users shared everything from vacation photos to leaked movies.
Then, on January 19, 2012, the U.S. government struck back.