Can I use Veracrypt to encrypt a folder in my Dropbox folder?

Privacy Questions
1

Hi.

I am using Ubuntu 22.04. I have Dropbox installed and a folder which syncs whatever is in it to Dropbox. If I create a folder on my computer within the Dropbox folder and encrypt the folder using Veracrypt (I think you can do that with the program), would that work?

My idea is to use it to store a LibreOffice document.

I’ve been looking at free cloud options that include word processing, like Skiff, but I worry they could just delete whatever I have at any time.

Thank you for your help, I am new to all of this.

3

If you’re using a cloud storage, i.e. storing files and other data on someone else’s computer, then you can use a few different tools to encrypt your files. You can take a look at either VeraCrypt or Cryptomator as Cyrus pointed out. There are a few key differences between VC and CM that are worth pointing out.

  1. VeraCrypt volumes have a set amount of space, which you can define upon creation of a VeraCrypt volume, for example 3 GB.
  2. VeraCrypt let’s you choose the algorithm(s).
  3. VeraCrypt supports keyfiles and hardware keys, such as Yubikey or Onlykey.
  4. Cryptomator has flexible storage. Instead of defining the size of a volume upfront, it’ll adjust the volume size depending on the contents, which is much more convenient.
  5. VeraCrypt allows you to create a hidden volume. In the rare event of extortion, you can give out the password to the visible volume instead of the hidden one.

In the end it doesn’t matter which one you use, but I do recommend encrypting any files before uploading them to a cloud storage provider. Cloud storage providers may retain your files even after deletion for an unspecified time, you never really know whether your data is gone, and they can also access your data.

If you are more paranoid, I’d suggest using VeraCrypt with both a password and a keyfile or a hardware key. There is an edge case where they may hold onto your data indefinitely or share it with some government agency. They may not be able to hack their way into your container right now, but they may be able to do so in the future. If you use a keyfile or a hardware key, it’ll make it nearly impossible to break into your encrypted volume. Only issue here is that you need to store your keyfile safely and separately or ensure you keep your hardware key safe and backed up.

My suggestion is to give both options a try and see which one you prefer.

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4

I second this option.

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5

Wow, thank you both so much.

And Satoshi thanks for the detailed information. Now I am concerned because I’ve used Gmail and Google Drive for so long.

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6

No worries, we’ve all had to face the transition ourselves at one point or another. Kicking off a privacy journey is a step by step process making incremental improvements over time. Good luck and let us know how it goes :slight_smile:

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7

Hey, so I installed cryptomator and created a vault with just one folder on Dropbox to test it out first. It was very easy to do and to access the folder. Will I be able to access this folder from another computer, if I install cryptomator? Or would that only be accessible on my current computer?

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You can access on other computer if you install Cryptomator and input the correct password to unlock the vault.

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