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Any chance of covering this at one of the meets?<br>
I never seem to get there but this is a subject that I have thought about for some time but lack the know how. <br>
If we could perhaps make the session one of discovery and could come up with a workable and flexible solution?<br>
<br>
Paul J<br>
<-----Original Message-----> <br>
>From: Chris Edmunds [chris.edmunds@gmail.com]<br>
>Sent: 12/5/2012 9:23:52 AM<br>
>To: sussex@mailman.lug.org.uk<br>
>Subject: Re: [Sussex] Dropbox like system<br>
><br>
>Also, apologies. I'm new to the list and haven't introduced myself (and haven't <br>
>hit a meet yet). I'm Chris, a Linux / FOSS user for the last 15 years (since <br>
>Redhat 5.2ish) and live in West Sussex. I work in information, data and systems <br>
>security.<br>
><br>
>Very much looking forward to attending my first LUG (ever!), hopefully in the new <br>
>year.<br>
><br>
>Chris<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
>On 5 December 2012 09:17, Chris Edmunds <chris.edmunds@gmail.com> wrote:<br>
><br>
>Hi all (please forgive the top posting and jumping around),<br>
><br>
><br>
>I did something like this recently (albeit on a single user basis) using <br>
>owncloud / s3 / encfs / my home NAS. Owncloud has multiple sync clients (win/mac/<br>
>linux), the ability to mount multiple storage points (nas, s3, gdrive, dropbox) <br>
>and the source is available.<br>
><br>
><br>
>"Just set up a secure connection between the server and the client to secure the <br>
>data during transmission. VPN software is the way to go here"<br>
><br>
><br>
>It's been a while since I set up my instance of owncloud, but it uses a web <br>
>service to transfer data, so SSL can be used to protect the session rather than <br>
>setting up a VPN (although I did manage to get it working with OpenVPN). Even an <br>
>SSH tunnel would simpler IMHO.<br>
><br>
><br>
>"If the server is located in a safe place (your home)"<br>
><br>
><br>
>This of course assumes that you're comfortable with the risk of compromise via <br>
>burglary.<br>
><br>
><br>
>"If the server is not trustworthy then you will need do encryption/decryption <br>
>client side only. The server just stores the encrypted data it is sent."<br>
><br>
><br>
>If you can mount the remote server as a filesystem (a la s3 via s3fs) then encfs <br>
>works reasonably well as client from my limited testing.<br>
><br>
>Chris<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
>On 5 December 2012 08:47, John Crowhurst <info@johnscomputersupport.co.uk> wrote:<br>
><br>
>Hi Steve,<br>
><br>
><br>
>On 5 Dec 2012, at 08:17, Steve Dobson <steve@dobbo.org> wrote:<br>
><br>
>> Hi John<br>
>><br>
>> On 04/12/12 22:38, John Crowhurst wrote:<br>
>>> Hello,<br>
>>><br>
>>> I'm thinking of setting up a Dropbox like system for my backups. I have<br>
>>> some software that can do synchronisation on Windows and Mac computers<br>
>>> but have a couple of stumbling blocks that will need to be addressed.<br>
>><br>
>> What software is that? I ask because it might be useful to me as a<br>
>> cloud storage system for my Android devices.<br>
><br>
><br>
>I was using SyncBack for a while, I'm now using something called syncovery. <br>
>However, it's proprietary and not free.<br>
><br>
>I just wondered how Dropbox like services work and whether it is easy to setup on <br>
>a remote host.<br>
><br>
><br>
>><br>
>>> How do I organise the storage? Is there a file system that does account<br>
>>> based encryption/decryption on the fly? Does it have a facility to show<br>
>>> how much a user has used or is that managed through quota?<br>
>><br>
>> I don't think that account based encryption/decryption is the right<br>
>> solution here. If the server is doing encryption/decryption then that<br>
>> suggests that the data is being transmitted over the ether in plain text<br>
>> - a security hole.<br>
>><br>
><br>
>If the user uses SSH, then the link is encrypted.<br>
><br>
>>> I looked at ecryptfs but that is an encryption layer that encrypts the<br>
>>> partition by encrypting file contents but that doesn't stop someone who<br>
>>> has root access from seeing their files.<br>
>><br>
>> File system encryption is a good fit if the storage device is not<br>
>> secure, and where the key can be kept safe when the data is not being<br>
>> used. Laptops are a good example here.<br>
><br>
><br>
>I think that depends on what you are wanting. I've noticed that ecryptfs works as <br>
>an intermediary layer and encrypts the file contents, rather than the whole <br>
>drive. Without the layer, the files are useless.<br>
><br>
>I would have thought something like a true crypt or tcfs volume would be a better <br>
>choice for a laptop as nobody can see inside the drive but the person with the <br>
>key.<br>
><br>
>><br>
>>> I hope someone has ideas to point me in the right direction.<br>
>><br>
>> The first question is: Whom do you trust?<br>
>><br>
>> If the server is located in a safe place (your home) and you trust<br>
>> everyone that has access to that location (your family) then there is no<br>
>> need to encrypt on the server. Just set up a secure connection between<br>
>> the server and the client to secure the data during transmission. VPN<br>
>> software is the way to go here<br>
><br>
><br>
>A home setup probably wouldn't need a VPN since everyone is effectively trusted, <br>
>and wouldn't need encryption either.<br>
><br>
>> .<br>
>><br>
>> If the server is not trustworthy then you will need do<br>
>> encryption/decryption client side only. The server just stores the<br>
>> encrypted data it is sent.<br>
>><br>
>> Security is all about key management. You need to keep the key safe and<br>
>> only on systems that are trustworthy.<br>
><br>
><br>
>I wondered how Dropbox does it, the connection is obviously encrypted but is it <br>
>client side encryption or server side?.<br>
><br>
>Best,<br>
><br>
>John<br>
><br>
>--<br>
>Sussex mailing list<br>
>Sussex@mailman.lug.org.uk<br>
>E-mail Address: sussex@mailman.lug.org.uk<br>
>Sussex LUG Website: http://www.sussex.lug.org.uk/<br>
>https://mailman.lug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/sussex
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