Cloud services like Dropbox, Microsoft Skydrive, Box.net and others are a great way to store and access data online and make them available to all the devices configured with it. Nowadays storing files is not just limited to one device but a user may have 2 desktop computers, cell phones and other gadgets. In such a case, manually copying the files to all devices is a boring task. Why do the hard work when we can use cloud storage services. The number of cloud services have increased over the last few years and users have started to store more and more data online. But have you imagined what if the service that stores your data gets hacked or someone has able to get access to that data? That’s why its important to protect the data.
Enter Cloudfogger which is a windows program that manually encrypts and then uploads the data online to the cloud service of your choice.
How Cloudfogger Works
Cloudfogger works with Dropbox, Box.net, Skydrive, and various others. During the installation, the application requires you to create an account. During this process, you will be provided a Cloudfogger ID that will be used to fog (encypt) and defog (decrypt) your files. Enter a password, checkmark “save password locally” and click on Next.
Now you’ll need to select a folder that stores your encrypted files. Configure the settings as per your cloud service and you’re done. After installing Cloudfogger on your system you will see a new drive in Windows Explorer, usually drive X:, if that drive letter is available.
Cloudfogger also adds options to decrypt and encrypt files to the Windows Explorer context menu (right click menu). To add files to Cloudfogger, just copy (or drag and drop) them to this newly created drive and those files will be automatically encrypted. Also you’ll notice a new icon in system tray for Cloudfogger. Right click on it and then click on “Lock” to lock the files.
When the process of uploading files to your online cloud storage is complete, you’ll only be able to access them if you use Cloudfogger. Without it, you’ll be able to download the files (from online) but they’ll be encrypted and of no use to you. When locked, you cannot open or copy the files to other locations. If you want to do this, then you’ll need to enter the password. Now that’s what we call protecting or encrypting files the right way.
With Cloudfogger all files are encrypted before they get to your favorite cloud service like Dropbox. The program is available for free and can be downloaded from below link. It works on 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Guest Reviewer says
Cloudfogger; which was first released on Jan 2 2012, according to the developer’s website, is basically a file encryption tool that you can use to encrypt local files and/or files that you are synchronizing with online cloud storage services such as Dropbox, Box.net, SkyDrive and others.
I just thought I would let folks know that a potentially HUGE Security risk comes with installing and using this Cloudfogger software program. If you decide to try it out; prior to installing it, make sure that you take a few moments to read through the entire license thoroughly, but especially “Item number 10”
I’d strongly suggest a very careful reading of the enclosed EULA license that comes with this Cloudfogger product. Especially item 10 where you; the user give the developer ‘Cloudfogger GmbH’ (from Germany BTW); as well as all of their ‘subsidiaries and affiliates’ your permission to gather ‘personally identifiable information’ from 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? I mean what would this accomplish; other than allowing the developer, their subsidiaries and affiliates to know personally identifiable info within the contents of all of your system?