Encrypted online backups with FreeFileSync?

Discuss new features and functions
Posts: 16
Joined: 27 Nov 2022

azure55

Is there a way to create encrypted online backups with FreeFileSync, whether alone or in combination with another program?

I know that this isn't the main goal of the app, that there are apps designed for that purpose. However, I noticed that such apps are often not user-friendly, having CLI instead of a GUI, and even those with GUI have reduced functionality and still require a lot of research to use properly. There are paid options with support, but I don't have money nor are they worth it as I only need to back up a small amount of files, less than 10 GB, just that they are often updated so it would be tedious to manually upload them regularly. Also, I have been using FreeFileSync for a long time for local backups and so far only encountered 1 issue which was quickly addressed by the developer, so aside from ease of use, I have a big trust on the reliability of this app.

I noticed that FreeFileSync has an option to connect to some cloud providers, but there doesn't seem to be a way to encrypt my files before being uploaded. Or did I miss that option? Or if there really isn't, could it be connected to an app that can encrypt them before uploading? Or if it really can't, does anyone have any recommendations on what apps I could try out? Or even something outside-of-the-box, as my main goal is not necessarily online backups, but rather offsite backups to follow the 3-2-1 backup method (though I don't have another location to keep my backups so an offsite physical backup isn't an option).
Posts: 1037
Joined: 8 May 2006

therube

10GB isn't really much (these days), so if you synced from local drive to (local) encrypted drive,
then synced (local) encrypted drive to cloud?

Maybe:
https://www.veracrypt.fr/en/Home.html or
https://cryptomator.org/downloads/

(Not familiar with either, though I had used, long past, truecrypt [predecessor to veracrypt].)
Posts: 16
Joined: 27 Nov 2022

azure55

Thanks for replying, though I have checked both but none satisfies my needs.

For VeraCrypt, the problem is it's a single file. Syncing a 10GB file is quite fast on a local drive, but may take hours to a cloud storage. I can break it down over several containers, but that would be tedious to update.

Cryptomator resolves that problem by uploading encrypted files individually. Unfortunately, currently it has an issue of being considered as ransomware by OneDrive, the cloud storage I wish to do those encrypted backups on.

LeoW


Cryptomator resolves that problem by uploading encrypted files individually. Unfortunately, currently it has an issue of being considered as ransomware by OneDrive, the cloud storage I wish to do those encrypted backups on. azure55, 09 Jun 2023, 19:59
I just created a vault on my Windows 11 Onedrive account. I did not receive any warnings about ransomware. I'm using the built into Windows Onedrive client. I sometimes mount onedrive with another program called rclone. without needing the windows software for Microsoft Onedrive you can use this software to mount your onedrive as either a drive letter or a file folder mount point like it is done in Linux.

Bing AI Chat bring up some references to Microsoft considering encrypted files by third party software as ransomware. And, they mentioned Cryptomator by name.

Cryptomator appears to work fine.

I will monitor the folder on onedrive and see if Microsoft complains about it at some point.

How long did it take and how did Microsoft alert you that there was something wrong with your files and it was going to remove them from the server?

LeoW

Unfortunately, currently it has an issue of being considered as ransomware by OneDrive, the cloud storage I wish to do those encrypted backups on. azure55, 09 Jun 2023, 19:59
Also, I have seen the Android version of the software, and it has MS Onedrive built in as a connector.

If it couldn't be done I doubt it would be part of the app.
Posts: 16
Joined: 27 Nov 2022

azure55

I haven't tried Cryptomator yet, only read discussions about its latest file extension, .c9r, being considered as ransomware by OneDrive. Though thanks for letting me know your experience, I may try it in the future.

Btw I currently settled on using password-protected 7z archives instead, using 7-Zip's feature of "synchronize files". So far it works really well for my use case where I only sync files to OneDrive around once a week. It also has an additional benefit of better compatibility as there are much more apps that can open password-protected 7z archives than Cryptomator's vault (though I read that turning Cryptomator's vault into a standard is in the works).

LeoW

Well,

My cryptonator is still working on Onedrive without any issues.