Cloudfogger to Encrypt You Data Before Uploading to Cloud Storage

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image thumb15 - Cloudfogger to Encrypt You Data Before Uploading to Cloud StorageOne of the biggest concern when using those popular online storage service like Dropbox, Box.net, or SkyDrive is the privacy. No matter what claims the service providers put upfront, the truth of the matter is that once the data is gone to the cloud you lost full control of it. The only way to protect private belongings while still using these awesome services is to safely encrypt them before storing them to the cloud. But unfortunately, none of these popular services have the encryption option out of the box.

Cloudfooger is an encryption solution that can be used as a mid-ware to bridge this situation, encrypt your data before uploading them to the cloud. It offers a windows desktop client that you can download and install on your Windows system, free of charge for non-commercial use.

Once it’s installed, you can simply encrypt any type of files right from the right-click context menu in Windows Explorer, and decrypt them in the same way.

image thumb16 - Cloudfogger to Encrypt You Data Before Uploading to Cloud Storage

You can also mount a specific folder as a driver to use on-the-fly encryption. Any file dropped in that drive will be automatically encrypted. And that’s how you can configure to automate the encrypt process to secure the data before storing them to the cloud.

For example, if the folder you specify is a Dropbox folder, all files you drop to your Dropbox will be encrypted on-the-fly before snyc’d to the cloud. And this applies to almost all cloud storage provider, or even your local network/disk storage.

image thumb17 - Cloudfogger to Encrypt You Data Before Uploading to Cloud Storage

However, using Cloudfogger to encrypted data for cloud storage has a big obstacle to overcome. In order to decrypt and use the encrypted data on another devices, you need to install Cloudfogger program with the same username and password. Since Cloudfogger doesn’t seem to have a client for a platform that is not Windows and an mobile app for smartphone, you won’t be able to decrypt and use the data on these devices. It’s extremely useful when you exclusively use Windows.

Cloudfogger encrypts all your files using AES, a method approved by NSA for top secret information. So your data can be considered top secure once encrypted by Cloudfogger.

Sharing Cloudfogger-protected data is also possible in a few ways but I won’t recommend using it at this stage since I found it’s not so intuitive to use sharing method with encrypted data.

18 COMMENTS

    • As I mentioned in the post, sharing files with Cloudfogger isn’t very intuitive to use and I wouldn’t recommend it. Besides, the other party you shared your file with needs to use the same software to decrypt the file you encrypted and shared.

  1. Make sure you read the license thoroughly, but especially “item number 10″…I’d srtongly suggest a very carefull reading of the enclosed license that comes with this Cloudfogger product. Especially item 10 where you give the developer (AND it’s subsidiaries and affiliates) your permission to gather personally identifiable information off your computer! The article goes on to state such information is NOT restricted to purely ‘technical data’ about your PC system despite assurances it is solely for improving their product. Why they would anyone require any information (other than technical data) about your system? What does this accomplish other than allowing the developer, it’s subsidiaries and affiliates to know the contents of all of your data?

  2. I heard back from Mr. Bernd Kammerberger; from the Cloudfogger team (one of the developers, evidentally), in a response to a thread about this program that I posted on another site… It’s always good to hear from any product’s software development team directly!

    I had actually previously downloaded the install file for an older version of the Cloudfogger file encryption software program; just a few months back… which was obviously prior to the most recent update.
    However it is wonderful to hear the news that, beginning with version 1.1.1270; the “Cloudfogger GmbH” company has decided to alter the item question; within the program’s previous EULA licenses!
    As I mentioned earlier; occasionally, in particular ‘newer’ program developers, can sometimes simply design their EULA licenses in haste or without really thinking it through (i.e. being “based on a template, etc.”)
    In retrospect, I probably should have thought to contact the Cloudfogger GmbH folks directly regarding this matter; prior to my posting it here (as well as in a couple of other forums) last night.
    Anyway, I’ll likely download this latest Cloudfogger version 1.1.1270 again and test it out this week; and I’ll also make sure to update and modify my posts in those forums accordingly – with regards to Mr.Kammerberger’s response in the other forum.Side Note: Additionally, I also just now checked out their company blog and; as a huge fan and staunch advocator of ‘safe-to-use’ new freeware programs, I was very happy to hear that Cloudfogger GmbH posted on the blog: “The one thing we know for sure is: Anybody who uses the currently available versions will always be free to use it. So no matter what comes, if you get Cloudfogger now you don’t pay.”

  3. To logon to my Cloudfogger account, I had to use my password that is stored on Cloudfogger server. How does this guarantee security if the same logon password is used to encrypt/decrypt my files?

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