Locally encrypt Dropbox folder

Question

I would like to encrypt the local copies of my Dropbox files, but not the online versions.

I have log on password protection (not BIOS) on my Windows 7 Ultimate laptop but that's easily circumvented by removing the hard disk and mounting it in another computer. If I lose my laptop, I want to make sure that any client information in my Dropbox doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

I'm not worried about the security of files in the cloud. I trust Dropbox to do a better job at securing my data than me. I also want to be able to access my files from my phone or from the web so encrypting files before uploading is not an option.

My question is: if I simply choose to encrypt the folder using Windows BitLocker encryption (in Folder properties > Advanced), does this fit my requirements? It seems to work but I haven't tried hacking it so I'd appreciate an informed opinion.

Answer 1

BitLocker only encrypts the local copy. When the DropBox sync client goes to read the file, it's decrypted before DropBox can "see it", so the encrypted version is not transmitted to DropBox.

On a side note for anyone reading this, to expand and clarify the reasoning for using BitLocker (Windows Encryption). If you're not using any file encryption, an attacker could remove your Windows password (easy to do with the right tools) or mount your drive in another system and gain full access to your files without needing your account information. By using BitLocker, you defend against said actions and can still easily access your files without a ton of extra work.

Encrypting your files with an application like Veracrypt is in most cases way overboard and required both a lot of extra work and a lot of bandwidth as Dropbox and other cloud storage systems will have to download the entire container with every change. Veracrypt is a great tool but when dealing with files that don't require that kind of security it is overkill to use it. Bitlocker works just fine for protecting your files on your Windows OS.

Answer 2

you can simply turn on bit locker encryption for the drive in which dropbox resides (if bitlocker is available atall with your version of windows 7 or you may try truecrypt) this way you will have a second layer of protection not only for the files in dropbox(local) but also other files in windows 7.this scrambles the data making it meaningless to anybody without a proper key.

and if you like you may use this link to add an extra layer of security to yor dropbx (online). better safe than sorry.

Answer 3

Switch your concept: First the encrypted folder, then the synced dropbox folder.

What you want is a Truecrypt folder, lets say D:\Non-encryptedfolder. All files inside that folder are encrypted and not viewable without a password. When someone stole your hard drive, he cannot just mount the drive and see your dropbox files.

Inside this TrueCrypt folder you save your Dropbox folder e.g D:\Non-encryptedfolder\Dropbox. After you have logged on, TrueCrypt de-crypts your Dropbox folder and so the Dropbox application sees all files without any encryption. This way, the synced online files are also non-encrypted.