Dropbox Launches Password Manager, File Vault, and More Across iPhone and Mac

[veggiespam]

Box and Dropbox used to be small apps that did one thing and did it well. Now, they are adding unneeded features and bloat which I just don't need. Dropbox is eating about 0.5GB of memory just to share some files. And now I'm running a password manager that I do not want? Can we please get a "Dropbox Light" app for those that don't want the upsell.


Someone earlier ask if we need yet another password manager. The answer is "yes". Current ones are lacking and missing features I'd like to see. Some colleagues and I are pondering creating one to solve a few personal and corporate issues with managers, vaults, and the ilk that we have to deal with daily. I'd like to see more innovation in this range of software, but bolting it onto a glorified share drive is not the answer.

Edit: shrank image size, floated right.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Do we really need another [name literally any consumer product for which numerous competing options exist]?

Depends on the product. Password managers? Nope.

 

[Expos of 1969]

When did the election take place that resulted in Cocky Jeremy being designated spokesperson for all current and potential password manager users? I must have been on the toilet and missed it

 

[MacBH928]

I am not sure how Dropbox is surviving in the middle of Google, Apple, and Microsoft offering not to mention their Box competitor. I think they are wrong for not offering a complete encrypted cloud storage solution, that will be a real competitive advantage that other big tech are not willing to offer.

Do we really need another password manager?

competition is good

 

[manu chao]

I'm not aware of a perfect cross-device way of using/sharing encrypted files. For example, on a Mac you can use an encrypted .dmg, but you can't open that on an iOS device. So this is kinda cool, but I'd like to be able to access the vault from the Finder on a Mac. Not sure why I should have to go through a web browser on the Mac but not on iOS.

For a couple of individual documents, they can be stored as attachments in apps like 1Password.

I think one problem is that the Dropbox folder on a Mac is just a plain folder that all apps can access (all apps with access to the file system which has become more locked down since at least Catalina). On iOS, any app that wants to access the Dropbox storage via the Files app needs to be individually authorised via the Dropbox app. There is no such mechanism for giving individual apps access to a specific Finder folder on the Mac, at least not one that could use the Dropbox app as a gatekeeper.

 

[ignatius345]

Depends on the product. Password managers? Nope.

Thanks for letting us all know!

 

[Tech198]

I guess passwod manaager and cloud backup would be a game changer. With Lastpass on top, perhaps Drpobox can be 2nd.

 

[jonnysods]

Unless the cloud service you choose is a zero-knowledge solution, there's always the possibility that someone might get your data. It's probably very unlikely. However, certain Dropbox employees can access your Dropbox account. Dropbox confirms this on their site. I'm sure they have all sorts of safeguards in place, but the fact that it's possible means that it's also possible for a hacker to get in (theoretically). If the solution isn't zero-knowledge from the ground up, you're never totally secure.

Gosh you’re driving my paranoia up in spades now. I need to take a serious look at this.

Wow even OneDrive isn’t. At least I can store my data in Canada which has some privacy laws. Maybe I should switch.

Even iCloud aren’t!

 

[Tech198]

Gosh you’re driving my paranoia up in spades now. I need to take a serious look at this.

Wow even OneDrive isn’t. At least I can store my data in Canada which has some privacy laws. Maybe I should switch.

Even iCloud aren’t!

Dropbox does verify you account even when getting support, often must be set from the same email listed on the account.. Account verification must match, and if all that fails.. you must prove a recent uploaded file to your account was done within the last few months..

I've been there done that..


so ya, I think the whole "Eff has your back" (old, but still reverent i think) is right on the money here.

 

[rwxx]

Gosh you’re driving my paranoia up in spades now. I need to take a serious look at this.

Wow even OneDrive isn’t. At least I can store my data in Canada which has some privacy laws. Maybe I should switch.

Even iCloud aren’t!

None of the major cloud providers is zero-knowledge. Not Dropbox. Not Microsoft. Not Google. Not Apple. As far as Apple is concerned, they advertise end-to-end encryption (ie: zero-knowledge) for Messages, but if you backup to iCloud, that iCloud backup contains the encryption key, so the Messages can be decrypted.

No major tech company is going to go all-in on privacy. To do so would be to invite the wrath of multiple world governments. Apple is more serious about privacy than the other big tech companies, but it's also very much a marketing strategy for them. The whole "What happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone" thing is basically spin.

 

[jonnysods]

None of the major cloud providers is zero-knowledge. Not Dropbox. Not Microsoft. Not Google. Not Apple. As far as Apple is concerned, they advertise end-to-end encryption (ie: zero-knowledge) for Messages, but if you backup to iCloud, that iCloud backup contains the encryption key, so the Messages can be decrypted.

No major tech company is going to go all-in on privacy. To do so would be to invite the wrath of multiple world governments. Apple is more serious about privacy than the other big tech companies, but it's also very much a marketing strategy for them. The whole "What happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone" thing is basically spin.

Everything you say is on the money.

I've heard good things about these guys - may be a time to give them a shot: https://www.sync.com

 

[rwxx]

Everything you say is on the money.

I've heard good things about these guys - may be a time to give them a shot: https://www.sync.com

I have been using Sync.com for about a year now and have been very happy with them. I'm not a heavy user of cloud storage but I've been paperless for about 10 years, so I like having my digital filing cabinet in my pocket. If I'm going to have things like financial records, tax returns, bank statements, etc. in the cloud, the storage solution must be zero-knowledge. I tried SpiderOak before Sync but it was flakey. Sync has been great for me so far.

 

[jonnysods]

I have been using Sync.com for about a year now and have been very happy with them. I'm not a heavy user of cloud storage but I've been paperless for about 10 years, so I like having my digital filing cabinet in my pocket. If I'm going to have things like financial records, tax returns, bank statements, etc. in the cloud, the storage solution must be zero-knowledge. I tried SpiderOak before Sync but it was flakey. Sync has been great for me so far.

I've been using G Suite for my business financials and some personal budget stuff, and Dropbox as a backup tool for my client website backups, and working files etc. I've just been feeling a little ill about it all lately and wanting to tighten up security and mitigate my risks.

For now I'm using OneDrive for client files as I already have a 365 subscription, and will stop using dropbox for backups.