Edit encrypted files directly from the cloud

Development continues on our Windows client for DigitalBucket.net, and we still need beta testers! Read on.

We've made some significant changes to the DigitalBucket.net client that make editing files in the cloud nearly as simple and seamless as editing them on your computer. Our focus is three-fold: (1) universal access, (2) ease of use, and (3) privacy for your data.

Here's a screenshot of the client. You can download it to any number of computers and access the files in your DigitalBucket.net account. The client doesn't even need to be installed. Just download and run it.

All the files above are encrypted, as you can see by the locked icon and the .cpfenc extension. This means that even though they are being stored 'in the cloud', they cannot be accessed by anyone other than yourself.

All files are encrypted before leaving your computer. So your sensitive data never enters the cloud without being made completely private first.

We've concentrated on making the behavior of the client as close as possible to using My Documents on your computer, while not sacrificing privacy or access. You can:

(1) Drag files onto the client to encrypt and upload them.

(2) Right-click any file to download it. If the file is encrypted, it will be downloaded first, then decrypted -- sensitive data is always encrypted while in the cloud.

(3) Double-click to edit documents. When you are finished making changes, they will automatically upload to DigitalBucket.net. This is just like working with files in My Documents. You don't have to take extra steps to upload or download.

Here's an example of editing the encrypted file Budget.xls.cpfenc. I double-clicked the file, and it opened in my spreadsheet application. I made some changes, saved the file, and closed it. It was automatically re-encrypted and uploaded to DigitalBucket.net.

Want to be a beta tester?

If you want to try out this client, we are looking for beta testers to provide us with feedback and help work out the bugs. We're nearing release and feedback is more crucial than ever. The client requires Windows XP/Vista/7 and the .NET Framework 2.0. Download it here:

http://www.completelyprivatefiles.com/dbnet/b/02/dbnet.exe

Important! If you participated in the previous beta, you must decrypt all your files first before using this client. This client will generate a different key than the previous client and cannot decrypt your files.

There is no installation. Just download the above file and run it. You will first need an account with DigitalBucket.net, of course.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts. Send them to support at completelyprivatefiles.com.

Early Beta Testers Wanted

You may or may not have heard of digitalbucket.net. Like Box.net, they provide easy, web-based file management, as an alternative to FTP.

We are in the process of creating a .NET client for digitalbucket.net that adds encryption to the upload/download process, and we'd like to get feedback as early as possible.

Here's a screenshot of the client:



Essentially, it allows you to do everything you would expect in a file manager, like upload, download, create folders, update or delete files, etc. But keep in mind that you're making changes remotely, and those changes can be seen from any other place you log in, including the web interface digitalbucket.net provides.

If you'll notice, there is an additional button called Upload Encrypted. This button allows you to select a file on your computer, and before uploading it, encrypt it using 256-bit AES encryption. To decrypt a file, you just select it for download, and the reverse happens -- it gets downloaded to your computer and then decrypted. No file ever leaves your possession without being encrypted first.

We've designed the client to be as convenient to use as possible:

• There is no installation. You just download the client EXE and run it
• We store your encryption key on our servers, so you can run the client from any number of machines.
• It's based entirely on your digitalbucket.net account, so you don't have to sign up twice (with them and with us).

What's occurring when you use this client is what we call Third Party Key Holder (TPKH) encryption. digitalbucket.net stores your encrypted data, but has no access to your encryption key. We store a key, but we never have access to your data. You're the only one able to bring these two pieces of information together.

As stated, this is an early beta which means that while it's been tested and works, features may change. In fact, getting tester feedback is an important part of determining the best features and how to improve the product.

If you're interested in being an early beta tester, please contact us using our contact form, or simply send an email to support@completelyprivatefiles.com.

You can sign up with digitalbucket.net for a free account, and while we eventually intend to charge for our client and service, beta testers who give good feedback will probably get a free account for life.

Showcasing our encryption service

We have recently added a free service that lets you send an attachment of up to 1MB in size to any mailbox as an encrypted file.

We wanted a way that let people see what our service offers, and what better way than providing a secure means to transfer sensitive documents over that medium we all love, email?

This is basically how it works:

Your file is sent to our servers over SSL, so it's transferred from your computer to our server over a perfectly secure transmission channel.

Then, we randomly generate a 256-bit key, and use it to encrypt your data.

We never see your data, because it's encrypted as it's received, that is, while it's in memory. We don't save any of your data to disk.

You will receive two emails, one with the encrypted attachment, and another with a link to a page that will let you decrypt the attachment.

When you follow the link to decrypt, you will be presented with a form that allows you to upload the attachment, and will return the file to you decrypted. Again, we only access the file 'in memory', and never save it to disk.

This is a great way to send a private file to a colleague or friend, or store a file securely in your Inbox until you need to access it again.

Encrypting your Web Docs in Box.net

When I first began thinking about encryption for the cloud, I was using Google Docs to develop some ideas. The convenience and productivity of having a document that is accessible from any connected location is undeniable. However, the ideas in development were proprietary, and I began to wish that Google Docs had a Save + Encrypt button.

Box.net continues to add great value to their service. A recent addition is the ability, like Google Docs, to edit simple documents in your browser and store them directly to your Box.net account. Log on from anywhere, and start editing. It's great.



We provide an add-on service for Box.net that allows you to select any file in your Box, and with just a click, encrypt or decrypt it.

As well as a service provider and developer, I am also a user of Box.net, and, of course, our encryption service add-on. With Box.net's addition of the Web Doc, my desire for a work flow that provides easy 'anywhere' editing coupled with deep privacy, is now fulfilled. I simply:

- log on to Box.net,
- click to decrypt the Web Doc I'm working on,
- make some changes,
- save,
- and click to encrypt.

I find Web Docs + encryption incredibly helpful for storing accounts and passwords online where I can access them whenever I need them. If you're like me and have a lot of web accounts, you've got to remember a host of account logins and passwords, some of which are impossible to keep identical. A Web Doc lets me view my account information without having to download, and encryption gives me the assurance that the data is completely confidential.

Box.net continues to improve and add features to their service, and we look forward to finding new and interesting ways to enhance and deepen your privacy in the cloud.