Hi all. A user of BoxCryptor since 2012 here. Have multiple classic and family licences as well as a company license for many years.
I recall v1 to v2 transition was a pretty rough one. Switched fully to v2 in around 6 months after release or so. Eventually all the major issues were fixed, thanks to the support team and engineers who took the critical feedback seriously.
At the moment v3.9.264 feels like a major step back, compared to v2.
System specs:
MacBook Pro 14
macOS Monterey v12.6
Short description on how I use BoxCryptor on my Mac:
- Have one local folder in “Documents” called BC, where I store all work and personal sensitive data. *This folder is regularly being backed up on an external SSD and NAS, from where files can be decrypted directly as well if needed.
- Have one personal folder on Nextcloud.
- Have one personal folder on Google Drive and iCloud.
- Have multiple shared folders on Nextcloud.
- In all instances file name encryption is turned on.
- I turn on BoxCryptor only when I work or need access to encrypted files. Password is entered manually from password manager each time the app is launched and I get access to files.
I am fully satisfied with v2 at the moment, since it does cover all the things I want in an encryption software:
1) Ability to have a separate layer of security, other than full disk encryption, provided by OS.
2) Ability to quickly make a secure copy of my encrypted files without having a second thought about it.
3) Ability to work securely together with collegues on certain shared files in the cloud.
Issues with v3 at the moment:
1) Encryption of local files.
This is by far the biggest issues with BoxCryptor v3 in my book. Encryption of files got much slower and there is a lot of confusion about working with local files in general.
- On the blog post about release of v3 you guys write that Boxrcyptor “still offers local storage support” but later state that “The File Provider API provides no option for local encryption through third-party apps like Boxcryptor”.
- In real life, after installing v3, when I open “BC” folder via Finder/Documents -> all nested folders are encrypted (as before with v2). Just as before, if I open “BC” folder via BoxCryptor alias in Finder -> I see all the content as unencrypted.
- At the same time, all locally stored files/folders in BoxCryptor v3 have a cloud icon next to them (which is very confusing and for sure massively confusing for new users). Preview of the files does not work, unless a file/folder is “downloaded” (preview of files in v2 work just fine). It is unclear why there is a cloud icon next to locally stored files and what is being “downloaded”.
- “Downloading” of local files changes nothing in regards to opening encrypted “BC” folder via Finder/Documents. All folders and files are showed as encrypted (with their names encrypted too). This just makes the whole description of v3 release massively confusing. From the blog post “The New Boxcryptor App for macOS is Here” from 08.09.2022 it really seems like the only encryption that Boxcryptor v3 does now is of files on cloud storage, however – this behavior shows that local files are in fact still encrypted despite the description of the v3 in the blog post.
- Question: What exactly is the deal with the cloud icon and the new version of Boxcryptor?
- Locking and unlocking Boxcryptor results in all the locally stored folders shown as “in the cloud” again, despite being “downloaded recently”. The expected behavior is: have all the files automatically being “downloaded” on the background as soon as Boxcryptor is unlocked, so as all the file previews are working as expected (and so that the confusing cloud icon is not visible in the first place).
2) Separate alias in Finder for each added Boxcryptor location.
- Opening v2 resulted in only on Boxcryptor location visible in Finder and all the encrypted locations were visible in it.
- Current implementation makes Finder look messy even if you have 3 different locations used in Boxcryptor. If it is 5+ -> it looks terrible.
3) Quitting Boxcryptor app does not lock Boxcryptor automatically.
- It is only expected to authorize when Boxcryptor is opened. At the moment, it is required not to forget to “Lock” Boxcryptor before quitting it for full protection.
- Again, “locking” does not seem to provide “encryption” according to the blog post from 08.09.2022… so – it is really confusing that on one side when Boxcryptor v3 is locked and switched off – all files and folders in “BC” folder are encrypted, but… in fact there are not?
4) Hard to distinguish which location you are working with in Boxcryptor v3 compared to v2.
- After adding multiple locations only names of Encrypted folders are visible. I keep names of encrypted folder short and usually it is “BC” or “BC” etc. In v2, when I open Boxcrypted folder in Finder I conveniently see locations: “BC” (local folder), iCloud, Nextcloud – company 1, Nextcloud – company 2, Nextcloud – personal etc. All this level of visibility is gone and all I see in Finder is “_BC”, “BC” and another “BC” without being able to quickly say which exactly folder do I need to go to.
My wishes in regards to upcoming Boxcryptor updates and general support:
- Please bring on full support of v2 on macOS Ventura. Fix and polish v3 until whatever OS Apple releases in October 2023 so that transition is smooth without any issues for all users. If somehow it is technically not possible at all to run Boxcryptor v2 using the “workaround” of allowing “user management of kernel extensions from identified developers” at all… well – that is sad news for sure.
- Please bring clarity of what exactly is being encrypted / decrypted in regards of locally stored files and how. An additional blogpost would be great to have.
In general, v3 feels like a rough product. It is not as terrible like 1Password v8 for sure though (still cannot move to it from v7 almost after 1 year from release since it lacks a lot of fundamental features that were removed).
I would like to end my feedback by saying that I fully support Boxcryptor team. You guys are doing a great job. The motives for brining v3 are clear of sure and make sense. I believe you will be able to bring v3 to the high standard of current v2 release while at the same time providing support of new APIs, macOS releases and even better functionality, ease of use and polish on top of that.
To all the users – keep tight guys and please provide all the feedback so that the team knows the issues you are facing and thus can find solutions for them to make the best Boxcryptor for all of us.
Have a nice day everyone!🙂
