Safe file sharing, syncing and online backup
Ever needed to have access to that file in your computer … when you are not close to your computer?
Or recover a corrupted file … when you don’t have your external backup disk handy?
Or perhaps you needed to share with others that file that email managers consider too big to handle.
Well, there are many online tools on the cloud that help you to achieve all of the above and sometimes more. Perhaps the most popular of those is Dropbox and that would be because of its simplicity. To set up Dropbox you can start opening a free account that gives you 2 GB of cloud space, download their app to your computer (Windows, Linux and Mac available) and select a folder (a drop-box) where all the files that you want to
- backup
- share with other people
- sync with another of your computers/mobile devices
will go.
As a friend pointed out to me the other day, you could even have files and folders syncing outside of your Dropbox folder with some extra steps.
However …
With all its beautiful simplicity, the main criticism to Dropbox is its lack of encryption in the transmission of your data. This means that if someone ever intercepts your data, they can read it and use it as they please.
Fortunately there is a solution for Dropbox lovers conscious of their data!
If you are concern with the private transmission of your information through Dropbox you can add BoxCryptor to it (or Cryptkeeper if you use Linux). They work wonderful together!
Or … try something new!
For example, open a free account with SpiderOak which has encryption integrated and where you can choose which folders to sync. Or a free account with Wuala, which is so secure that you you don’t want to loose your password … because not even their staff can retrieve it. Update: Wuala shut down on November 15, 2015 and on their page they recommend Tresorit as a zero-knowledge (only one can access the account) solution. Here is a review.
Or tell us … what is your solution for secure file sharing, file sync and online backup?
By the way, if you decide to try SpiderOak or Wuala let me know and I can send you an invitation that will increase your default free storage. I have already maximized mine.
Here is more on Dropbox and SpiderOak and for even more comparisons and reviews for file sharing, syncing and online backup solutions check here.
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