How to Use CryptSync to Encrypt Cloud Storage Contents

The cloud storage services like Dropbox, box.net, Google Drive, OneDrive,and many others have completely changed the way we store our files like videos, pictures and other documents. Before the cloud storage we used to buy a big hard disk, blank optical disks (CDs or DVDs) etc., to store our important files, but not we can just store them on the cloud and access from anywhere we want. Although cloud storage comes with great convenience, it is also laden with many perils. For example, a dedicated hacker can break into your cloud account, access your intimate pictures or videos and blackmail you. But if you encrypt your files before uploading them to the cloud, then even if the hackers lay their hands to these files they won’t be able to decipher them – such files would be utterly useless for them.

Previously we have discussed about using the Cloudfogger software to automatically encrypt your files on the cloud storage services provided by Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive. But there is another brilliant software called CryptSync that can be used to encrypt the files of almost any of the cloud storage service.

Basically what CryptSync does is encrypt the contents of the “source” folder and copies the encrypted files to the “destination” folder. Thus if you choose the destination folder as the cloud storage sync folder, any files you copy to the source folder will be encrypted and copied to the cloud folder which would sync them to the online cloud storage account. For this you must have installed the desktop client for the cloud services on your Windows PC.

As you launch CryptSync, you are presented with a window where you have can add a new source-destination folders pair. You can click on the New Pair button to start adding a new pair.

CryptSync Cloud Encryption

In the window that opens, you can specify a source folder, a destination folder, the encryption password, and set many more options. Among other options you can choose to mirror original folder (source) to the sync folder (destination), use GnuPG instead of 7-Zip, and enter a list of files that you do not want to be encrypted. Finally, you can click on the OK button to add the folder pair.

In the following screen capture, we have selected the Dropbox folder as the sync folder and a random folder as the original folder. Whenever we have to upload files to the Dropbox account, we are going to copy the files to the original folder. CryptSync will encrypt them and copy to the Dropbox folder; and the Dropbox client would sync them to the cloud storage.

CryptSync Cloud Encryption

After the folder pair has been added, you are taken back to the main window where you can choose to run it in the background or sync the files before exiting. If you decide to run it in the background, then it will keep checking for the files every 30 minutes and sync them if necessary. Alternatively, you can also right-click on the CryptSync system tray icon and choose to sync it anytime.

CryptSync Cloud Encryption

Conclusion: The CryptSync program can be used to encrypt the contents of your cloud storage service accounts be it Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, box.net or any other service. If a cloud storage service provider offers desktop client software for Windows, then CryptSync can be used along with it to encrypt your files over the cloud storage.

You can download CryptSync from https://code.google.com/p/cryptsync/.