Isn't BoxCryptor useless due to Dropbox's "View Deleted Files" feature?

Abi79

Dragging files to the Boxcryptor(X:)/Dropbox folder automatically syncs them unecrypted to Dropbox.

Once the unencrypted files are uploaded to Dropbox, all that can be done is to use Dropbox's "Permanently delete" option, which according to their privacy policy:
"Please note, however, that there might be latency in deleting information from our servers and backed-up versions might exist after deletion"

Since you can encrypt files only after dragging them to the volume (at least as far as I know), doesn't this essentially make Boxcryptor useless unless you:

1. Drag the files to the boxcryptor volume, outside of the folders for any cloud services
2. Then you encrypt them
3. And then you drag them to Dropbox or Skydrive or whatnot?

dt1807

I think you have to create at first a folder within of Dropbox which you want to use for encrypting.
Then you have to mark it for crypting.
And only after that you start to add new files to that folder.

In my opinion it is an error in design that each folder/file is by default NOT crypted.
And even worse - the root folder (like DropBox) cannot be set as crypted. (at least I didnt see a possibility to change that behaviour)

Abi79

Correction: what I suggested in the first post does not work. The only way to do it is the way you suggested, pasting to a folder marked for encryption. Pasting to a folder not marked for encryption can still upload an unecrypted file before you manage to encrypt it.

This makes me wonder, however: if we have a folder set for encryption, and we paste a large number of files to it, will Dropbox manage to upload any unencrypted files before BoxCryptor manages to encrypt them?

dt1807

If the folder is set for encryption then the files added to the BC-drive will be encrypted on the fly.
I also believe (I did not test it yet) that dropbox can/will sync only files which are 'closed'.
Imagine that you copy a 2 GB file to your dropbox folder - it will take a while. Dropbox should start to sync that file only after you are done with copying.
But as i said - i didn't test it.

The same - if you have for instance DXF-files and you open them with AutoCAD. AutoCAD is known to restrict the access to that open file. Therefore I think that Dropbox can sync that file only after it was 'released' by AutoCAD.

Abi79

Well, I've posted a question over at their desk.com: https://boxcryptor.desk.com/customer/en/portal/questions/1206997-what-happens-when-an-unencrypted-file-is-pasted-into-an-encrypted-folder-?new=1206997

Looking forward to an answer from them :) I do believe however that they've anticipated such situations.

Robert

Hi,

As dt1807 wrote, the recommended way to work with Boxcryptor for new files is to create a new folder, encrypt it using the context menu and then store your files in this folder. Files created or copied to an encrypted folder are automatically encrypted on-the-fly and only encrypted data is then written to disk (and synced to the cloud). (You could call it Encrypt-then-Store.)

As many of our users already worked with cloud storage before - and thus already have their files uploaded to the cloud - we also offer the ability to encrypt already existing files. (You could call it Store-then-Encrypt.)

Best regards,
Robert

Abi79

That clears it up, thanks :)