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I don't see why you'd trust any company with your unencrypted data. Use encrypted disk images. TrueCrypt is free and cross-platform: http://www.truecrypt.org/

I don't see why you'd trust any company with your unencrypted data. Use encrypted disk images. TrueCrypt is free and cross-platform: http://www.truecrypt.org/ http://www.truecrypt.org/ If you're only on Mac, encrypted disk images are very easy to make and use: http://matthew.mceachen.us/blog/free-easy-encrypted-storage-for-mac-142.html http://matthew.mceachen.us/blog/free-easy-encrypted-storage-...

kijin 15y ago
Yes, you can put a TrueCrypt volume in your Dropbox, and Dropbox is even smart enough to upload only those bits that you change. But it means you lose the benefits of syncing individual files between multiple devices. Good luck trying to mount the same TrueCrypt volume in two devices at the same time. Instant conflict! The same problem happens with every encryption solution that uses a large container. The only viable solution is filesystem-based encryption schemes that work with individual files, like EncFS or eCryptFS. By the way, SpiderOak has client-side encryption and two-factor authentication. But it's slow as molasses.
- replax 15y ago
  Seeing as dropbox stores the file local, you will not have any problem with mounting it simultaneously. You couldn't merge the changes, though. The bigger problem would be to access it e.g. on your iphone/from the web. For that reason, the webservice should be able to serve an unencrypted part if you enable that functionality. upon providing the passphrase, of course and waiting for the decryption. that could be a special feature which costs more, but would definitely add something special, which others do not provide as of now.
  - kijin 15y ago
    In most cases, merely mounting a filesystem causes a few bits to change, unless you take special care with your mount options. I'm not even sure if you can tweak mount options with TrueCrypt. So I still think that per-file encryption systems like EncFS work better with cloud storage than container-based systems like TrueCrypt.
briandon 15y ago
Putting encrypted files into a "cloud" service seems more likely to lead to a situation where the file owner is placed in a windowless, soundproofed room somewhere and offered a choice between decrypting those files or being sodomized with a mop handle by an employee of a nameless government agency than if the file owner kept those files on their own devices rather than advertising their existence to the world at large.

kijin 15y ago

Yes, you can put a TrueCrypt volume in your Dropbox, and Dropbox is even smart enough to upload only those bits that you change. But it means you lose the benefits of syncing individual files between multiple devices. Good luck trying to mount the same TrueCrypt volume in two devices at the same time. Instant conflict! The same problem happens with every encryption solution that uses a large container. The only viable solution is filesystem-based encryption schemes that work with individual files, like EncFS or eCryptFS. By the way, SpiderOak has client-side encryption and two-factor authentication. But it's slow as molasses.

replax 15y ago
Seeing as dropbox stores the file local, you will not have any problem with mounting it simultaneously. You couldn't merge the changes, though. The bigger problem would be to access it e.g. on your iphone/from the web. For that reason, the webservice should be able to serve an unencrypted part if you enable that functionality. upon providing the passphrase, of course and waiting for the decryption. that could be a special feature which costs more, but would definitely add something special, which others do not provide as of now.
- kijin 15y ago
  In most cases, merely mounting a filesystem causes a few bits to change, unless you take special care with your mount options. I'm not even sure if you can tweak mount options with TrueCrypt. So I still think that per-file encryption systems like EncFS work better with cloud storage than container-based systems like TrueCrypt.

briandon 15y ago

Putting encrypted files into a "cloud" service seems more likely to lead to a situation where the file owner is placed in a windowless, soundproofed room somewhere and offered a choice between decrypting those files or being sodomized with a mop handle by an employee of a nameless government agency than if the file owner kept those files on their own devices rather than advertising their existence to the world at large.