Boxcryptor closing - sort of

Carey Brown · Jun 22, 2023

Boxcryptor is an encryption program designed to work with cloud file servers like dropbox. You designate dropbox folders to encrypt and any file put in the folders will be encrypted, so when they are up-loaded to the cloud they are in encrypted form. To decrypt them you login to Boxcryptor on your PC and it creates a temporary virtual drive that gives you a decrypted view of the files. Any changes to the decrypted files are re-encrypted back to the dropbox folder.

What was handy for me was that it also worked with Qsync cloud that came with my QNAP NAS box. So I've been shelling out a yearly subscription fee for a number of years to keep this all working.

Today that has come to an end. Boxcryptor has been sold to Dropbox and will be incorporated into their product (they haven't announced how yet). I have 1-1/2 months to come up with a new plan.

1. Forget encryption and risk leaking data.
2. Use only Dropbox+Boxcryptor, forget Qsync (bumps up annual cost)
3. Find a replacement product - is there any??
4. Write my own encryption software - involves a bunch of research and time.

zebal · Jun 22, 2023

Carey Brown said:
1. Forget encryption and risk leaking data.
2. Use only Dropbox+Boxcryptor, forget Qsync (bumps up annual cost)
3. Find a replacement product - is there any??
4. Write my own encryption software - involves a bunch of research and time.

5. Use gpg4win to encrypt your files and upload them manually to dropbox (or onedrive, google drive etc.)

Gpg4win - Download Gpg4win

gpg4win.org

My one drive is full of encrypted data no-one, not even MS can read them.

Carey Brown · Jun 22, 2023

zebal said:
5. Use gpg4win to encrypt your files and upload them manually to dropbox (or onedrive, google drive etc.)

Gpg4win - Download Gpg4win

gpg4win.org

My one drive is full of encrypted data no-one, not even MS can read them.

I've avoided OneDrive so far. Does it keep a file on your local drive that is encrypted or decrypted? Or, are the files ONLY kept in the cloud? Do you have to give OD a password every time you want to edit a file, and then again to save it (that's what gpg4win requires)? After you encrypt & save a file does it delete & ERASE the decrypted copy?

zebal · Jun 22, 2023

Carey Brown said:
Does it keep a file on your local drive that is encrypted or decrypted? Or, are the files ONLY kept in the cloud?

You can make files local or could only or both, if you want them online only you can upload files via web browser and there is no need to install onedrive on your computer.

Carey Brown said:
Do you have to give OD a password every time you want to edit a file, and then again to save it (that's what gpg4win requires)?

you access one drive like any other cloud service, with an account that you set up.

and for encrypted files you specify password each time you modify file, however file modification is possible only locally on your computer, after which you need to re-upload it to cloud.
it's not possible to decrypt files in the browser and modify them there.
if you install one drive on computer your modifications are auto-uploaded and synced with the cloud so all you have to do is specify pwd for encrypted file.