Data Encryption on client side

[leonderosario]

Hello, I think this feature was already requested for encrypting files on client side before transfer to the server but I don´t know if it is going to be release it or not. I need this feature for sensitive data that administrator should not be able to see in the server.

Thanks,

Nelson

[haertig]

Do you, as the client, have the ability to set what paths on your computer are backed up? If so, then you can install something on your client computer like Cryptomator. https://cryptomator.org/ This is free and open source software, available for Windows, Linux and Mac.

This software was designed for protecting things that get uploaded to the cloud, but it would work for your backup scenerio as well. What it does is maintain two directories of your stuff. One directory is open and unencrypted, the other is an image of it, except encrypted. Every change you make in the unencrypted directory is automatically reflected in the twin encrypted directory. What you would do is tell UrBackup to NOT backup the open/unencrypted directory, but DO backup the encrypted copy of it. This is why I originally asked if you, as the client, have the ability to specify what on your computer gets backed up and what does not. If your UrBackup server administrator has reserved this privilege only for him/herself, then you’re out of luck since you can’t set your own backup paths.

[haertig]

p.s. - The link below is another post I entered, in a different thread, about the same thing (client side encryption). I point out a few problems with trying to use encryption to foil a rogue UrBackup server administrator who you don’t want seeing your stuff.

Encrypting files on the client before backup

Wait, I just happened to think - if the UrBackup administrator takes an IMAGE of the target computer, then that image would include BOTH the encrypted and unencrypted areas of Cryptomator. Also, realize that UrBackup runs with administrator privileges when it accesses the client computer. So in theory, UrBackup could be hacked to do anything it wants on the target client computer. Including working around your attempts at encryption. And another thing to think about, and realize when I menti…

[leonderosario]

Thanks for your comments. I´ve tried to implement encryption before backup using several programs but I had some problems:

• encryption takes time and it needs a macro to process all the requested files.
• every time you encrypt a file it is like a new file for UrBackup so incremental backups are not working. For this reason, a high amount of disk space is used every time you backup an encrypted file.

Reading old posts, I saw a discussion about this feature. A few programs has this ability, like Burp, and incremental backups works fine.

For my case, I am the server administrator and I need to provide a security feature for the people who is doing backup in my server.

Thanks,

Nelson