Can we decrypt Monocle assessments ourselves instead of calling an API?
Yes — this is already supported at no extra cost. Every Monocle application has both a Secret Key (for the hosted Decryption API) and a Private Key (for manual backend decryption) available in the Monocle Dashboard. Backend decryption lets your own server decrypt the Monocle Assessment locally using the Private Key, without making a call to Spur's Decryption API.
Similar questions
Why did I get a Monocle health email?
A Monocle health email means one of your Monocle applications has gone longer than its health threshold without traffic, which usually means Monocle is no longer installed or running correctly on that site or app. Only organization admins get these emails. Check that the integration is still in place, or, if the application is simply quiet, set a longer threshold under Alert after on the application's Settings page. Admins can turn the email off for an application in the same Notifications section, or for themselves on their Profile page. See Understanding Monocle Application Health Status.
Do I need a backend to use Monocle?
No. You can use Monocle to gain visibility into traffic intelligence via the Monocle UI without acting on it. With a supported integration like Cloudflare, traffic can be enforced directly from the UI based on policy configuration. A backend is only required if you want to decrypt assessments or apply custom enforcement logic.
What is the difference between using Monocle to monitor vs. enforce traffic decisions?
Monitor is passive: Monocle provides visibility into how users connect to your application without impacting users or taking any blocking action. Enforce applies actions such as blocking or allowing traffic based on Monocle's assessments. Most users start with a monitoring phase before configuring and enabling enforcement.
What is the difference between Raw Assessment and Policy API?
With Raw Assessment, you decrypt and evaluate traffic yourself for full control. With the Policy API, Monocle evaluates traffic and returns a decision directly, which is simpler to implement.
What is a Monocle assessment?
A Monocle assessment is an encrypted payload generated for each session. It contains information about how a user is connecting, such as VPN usage, proxy detection, and anonymized status. You can decrypt and evaluate this data in your backend, or analyze it directly in the Monocle UI.
Related guides & explainers
Expanding IP and Service Rows in the Explorer
Click any IP or service row in the Monocle Explorer's breakdown tables to expand an inline detail panel, without leaving the table.
Understanding Monocle Application Health Status
Each Monocle application shows a health status dot indicating whether it's actively sending traffic. Learn what each color means, how to set each application's health threshold, how health alert emails work, and what to check if an application goes quiet.
Why the Organization Field Isn't Available the Same Way Across Spur's Data Feeds
The Context API's per-IP organization field isn't guaranteed in every data feed. Each feed has a different schema and covers a different slice of IP space, so field availability varies by feed.
Context API Chrome Extension
Install Spur's Context API Chrome Extension to look up IP enrichment data directly from any web page — highlight an IP and get results inline, without leaving your browser. This is a developer-mode tool, not a Chrome Web Store listing.