So far as mainstream cloud providers go, many Linux customers argue that Dropbox is among the greatest. The rationale? They (regardless of some mishaps in latest months) assist Linux customers, provide up a local syncing shopper and total it really works properly. Nonetheless, for as helpful as Dropbox will be on Linux it has some questionable privateness practices which might make customers who care about their data on-line nervous.
In the event you’re dedicated to utilizing Dropbox on Linux however are searching for a fast and easy manner to encrypt Dropbox data, it’s possible you’ll be focused on CryFS. It’s a helpful program that lets customers create vaults to lock up their data on Linux.
Use a VPN with Dropbox
On this information, we’ll train you the way to encrypt Dropbox data on Linux with CryFS. For essentially the most half, the CryFS software does a wonderful job of defending your privateness and data for Linux. Nonetheless, no program is 100% efficient, and points can happen. To make sure that your privateness is all the time protected, even when utilizing encryption instruments like CryFS, we suggest utilizing a VPN.
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Set up CryFS
The encryption software we’ll be utilizing to encrypt Dropbox data is CryFS. It’s a easy software that lets customers create vaults. In these vaults, every thing is encrypted and locked away, protected from staff at Dropbox, or anybody wanting to get entry to your personal data within the cloud.
The CryFS software is solely command-line based mostly. Nonetheless, because it’s not the usual encryption program on Linux, it doesn’t come pre-installed out of the field. Fortunately, CryFS is kind of straightforward to set up. To get it going on your setup, launch a terminal window and comply with the directions that correspond to your distribution.
Ubuntu
sudo apt set up cryfs
Debian
sudo apt-get set up cryfs
Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S cryfs
Fedora
For some cause, the CryFS software isn’t within the Fedora Linux software program repository. Due to this fact, should you’d like to use it, you need to construct it from supply. Step one within the construct course of is utilizing the DNF command to set up the CryFS construct dependencies.
sudo dnf set up git gcc-c++ cmake make libcurl-devel boost-devel boost-static openssl-devel fuse-devel python -y
With the construct dependencies taken care of, use the Git software to seize the supply code.
git clone cryfs
Transfer the terminal into the code listing utilizing CD. Then, construct CryFS from supply on your Fedora Linux machine.
cd cryfsmkdir cmake && cd cmake cmake .. make
End up the method by putting in CryFS with make set up.
sudo make set up
OpenSUSE
sudo zypper set up cryfs
Creating vault folders
Utilizing CryFS requires two directories: the vault folder that holds the recordsdata when they aren’t in use and the mount folder, the place the vault will probably be accessible when not encrypted. On this part, we’ll go over how to create the vault listing.
In a terminal, use the CD command and transfer the session from the house listing (~/) into your Dropbox sync folder on Linux.
cd ~/Dropbox
Run the ls command and try your Dropbox sync folder. Decide the place you’d like to preserve the CryFS vaults.
ls
Once you’re certain about the place to put the folder, use the mkdir command. Ensure to add the -p swap as it should be certain that the folder retains the identical permissions because the mum or dad Dropbox listing.
mkdir -p cryfs-vault
Create the mount folder
After caring for the CryFS vault folder in your Dropbox listing, it’s time to make one other one. This listing is the place you’ll mount and entry your data, so ensure not to put this one in Dropbox too. As a substitute, place it someplace in ~/ or ~/Paperwork.
cd ~/ mkdir -p cryfs-mount
Or, should you desire to mount through the Paperwork folder, do:
cd ~/Paperwork mkdir -p cryfs-mount
Mount CryFS
Now that the folders are performed, it’s time to create and mount a vault. Within the terminal, execute the cryfs command and specify each the vault folder and the mount folder.
Observe: all the time keep in mind to put the mount folder final! In the event you specify the Dropbox vault folder first, your vault data is not going to sync!
Observe: you need to mount your CryFS vault every time, earlier than attempting to encrypt any recordsdata.
cryfs ~/Dropbox/cryfs-vault ~/cryfs-mount
Or, for individuals who desire the Paperwork folder:
cryfs ~/Dropbox/cryfs-vault ~/Paperwork/cryfs-mount
Encrypt your data
As soon as the vault is mounted through CryFS, encrypting is kind of straightforward. To do it, open up your Linux file supervisor and browse to “Home,” then “cryfs-mount”. Or, in case your mount is within the Paperwork folder, go “Home,” then “Documents,” and “cryfs-mount.”
Drag the recordsdata you’d like to encrypt in Dropbox into the mount folder. Then, if you’re performed utilizing the vault, unmount it with the next terminal command.
Observe: ensure to swap out “username” within the command beneath with the consumer identify on your Linux PC.
fusermount -u "/home/username/cryfs-mount"
Or:
fusermount -u "/home/username/Documents/cryfs-mount"
When the vault is unmounted, Dropbox will start to begin importing your encrypted data to the service.
