Comments on: Encrypting Your Dropbox Seamlessly and Automatically http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/ Just another WordPress.com weblog Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:43:13 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: COdy http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-237 COdy Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:44:37 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-237 yea, I see what you are saying. I do not automount my TC volumes as they are sensitive files that I would not want someone to access without a secure pass-phrase. When I unmount the TC volume dropbox syncs just the changes to the single volume and not the entire volume so it works perfectly for me. yea, I see what you are saying. I do not automount my TC volumes as they are sensitive files that I would not want someone to access without a secure pass-phrase. When I unmount the TC volume dropbox syncs just the changes to the single volume and not the entire volume so it works perfectly for me.

]]> By: bnsmith http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-236 bnsmith Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:20:05 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-236 @Cody: If you set up PAM mount to automatically mount the TC volume when you log in, and then automatically unmount it when you log out, then that means that the TC volume is mounted whenever you are logged in. The Dropbox client is also only running whenever you are logged in. So if Dropbox won't sync a mounted TC volume, then there's no time for syncing to take place, since the volume is mounted during the whole time that the Dropbox client is running. That was what happened to me, anyway. Either Dropbox or TC may have made some change that fixes this problem in the intervening months. @Cody: If you set up PAM mount to automatically mount the TC volume when you log in, and then automatically unmount it when you log out, then that means that the TC volume is mounted whenever you are logged in. The Dropbox client is also only running whenever you are logged in. So if Dropbox won’t sync a mounted TC volume, then there’s no time for syncing to take place, since the volume is mounted during the whole time that the Dropbox client is running. That was what happened to me, anyway. Either Dropbox or TC may have made some change that fixes this problem in the intervening months.

]]> By: Cody http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-235 Cody Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:40:05 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-235 I will confirm this in the mourning. As far as I know, when you make a change to the encrypted volume it has changed and dropbox starts syncing the changed file from the local dropbox folder backup to the dropbox server. The one part of your question I don't understand is the login/logout with no time to sync? Are you referring to the dropbox webpage or disable the desktop client? Cody I will confirm this in the mourning. As far as I know, when you make a change to the encrypted volume it has changed and dropbox starts syncing the changed file from the local dropbox folder backup to the dropbox server.

The one part of your question I don’t understand is the login/logout with no time to sync? Are you referring to the dropbox webpage or disable the desktop client?

Cody

]]> By: bnsmith http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-234 bnsmith Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:05:25 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-234 It's possible that things have changed since I first tried it months ago. So are you saying that if you mount the Truecrypt volume, and then put some files in it while mounted, Dropbox will sync the volume even while it's still mounted? You don't have to unmount first to start the syncing? If that's true, then perhaps that might be a workable option. It’s possible that things have changed since I first tried it months ago. So are you saying that if you mount the Truecrypt volume, and then put some files in it while mounted, Dropbox will sync the volume even while it’s still mounted? You don’t have to unmount first to start the syncing? If that’s true, then perhaps that might be a workable option.

]]> By: Kumar http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-231 Kumar Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:19:57 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-231 Vembu Home http://home.vembu.com, provides an alternative to DropBox: 1. You have the option of setting your own encryption password. 2. You also have the option of backing up to your local disks. You can backup online (to Amazon S3) or you can backup to your own disks locally. The choice is yours. 3. You don't have to move your files to a particular folder to back them up. 4. Provides a web interface (and a soon to be released mobile interface) to access all your backed up files. 5. Easy to use interface. Vembu Home is currently in limited beta. You can use the invitation code BACKUPSCANBEFUN to create an account. I would be delighted if you could try it out and let me know your opinion. Kumar, Vembu Technologies. Vembu Home http://home.vembu.com, provides an alternative to DropBox:

1. You have the option of setting your own encryption password.
2. You also have the option of backing up to your local disks. You can backup online (to Amazon S3) or you can backup to your own disks locally. The choice is yours.
3. You don’t have to move your files to a particular folder to back them up.
4. Provides a web interface (and a soon to be released mobile interface) to access all your backed up files.
5. Easy to use interface.

Vembu Home is currently in limited beta. You can use the invitation code BACKUPSCANBEFUN to create an account. I would be delighted if you could try it out and let me know your opinion.

Kumar,
Vembu Technologies.

]]> By: chanux http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-230 chanux Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:10:36 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-230 I was planning to do this. Now I can just follow your howto. This is the reason why howto writers go to heaven O:). Anyway I prefer having an encrypted directory inside DB to have sensitive data. Not encrypting everything. I was planning to do this. Now I can just follow your howto. This is the reason why howto writers go to heaven O:).

Anyway I prefer having an encrypted directory inside DB to have sensitive data. Not encrypting everything.

]]> By: COdy http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-229 COdy Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:47:53 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-229 bnsmith, Dropbox doesn't sync? I have never had an issue with it not syncing, I mount the volume directly from the Dropbox folder and any changes always sync back up to the server. bnsmith,

Dropbox doesn’t sync? I have never had an issue with it not syncing, I mount the volume directly from the Dropbox folder and any changes always sync back up to the server.

]]> By: bnsmith http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-227 bnsmith Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:02:28 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-227 That's a good thought. In fact, that was actually my first thought in how to make this work. Unfortunately, whenever the truecrypt file is mounted, the file is locked and Dropbox won't synchronize it. So if you mount your truecrypt volume when you're logged in, and then unmount it when you log out (automatically), then there won't be any time available when Dropbox can sync it. That’s a good thought. In fact, that was actually my first thought in how to make this work. Unfortunately, whenever the truecrypt file is mounted, the file is locked and Dropbox won’t synchronize it. So if you mount your truecrypt volume when you’re logged in, and then unmount it when you log out (automatically), then there won’t be any time available when Dropbox can sync it.

]]> By: COdy http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-226 COdy Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:55:30 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-226 There is a much simpler solution for encrypting dropbox files with box windows/linux. Truecrypt. Create a encrypted volume and assign a secure passphrase. Install truecrypt on any pc you need to access dropbox or even upload the Truecrypt standalone client. just mount the truecrypt volume as any drive. Done. There is a much simpler solution for encrypting dropbox files with box windows/linux. Truecrypt. Create a encrypted volume and assign a secure passphrase. Install truecrypt on any pc you need to access dropbox or even upload the Truecrypt standalone client. just mount the truecrypt volume as any drive. Done.

]]> By: bnsmith http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/2009/05/10/encrypting-your-dropbox-seamlessly-and-automatically/#comment-224 bnsmith Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:44:40 +0000 http://pragmattica.wordpress.com/?p=82#comment-224 @Alain: I think that they've been talking about adding that feature for a while now. I guess they're just swamped trying to scale up to demand and haven't had time. @Alain: I think that they’ve been talking about adding that feature for a while now. I guess they’re just swamped trying to scale up to demand and haven’t had time.

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