Proton Drive iOS and Android Apps Now Available for Encrypted Cloud Storage

[MacRumors]

Swiss-based privacy startup Proton today announced the availability of mobile apps for its Proton Drive cloud storage service, providing users with an easier way to securely upload, store, and share files from their iOS and Android devices.

All files and folders uploaded to the storage service are protected by Proton's open-source, publicly-audited end-to-end encryption, which uses on-device encryption keys ensuring no one else – not even Proton – has access to the contents. That includes associated metadata, such as file and folder names, real file size, file extensions, thumbnails, and more.

Data uploaded and stored on Proton's servers reside in data centers in Switzerland and Germany, giving users strong legal and hardware protections (the company claims it falls outside US and EU jurisdiction and isn't subject to intelligence-sharing agreements). There are no file size limits, so users can share and transfer large files securely.

The apps also offer offline access to files and folders so they can be accessed without an internet connection. If offline access is activated for a file or folder, they are encrypted and saved on-device so that they can only be accessed through the Proton Drive app.

In addition, users can generate secure file-sharing links from the Proton Drive app that can be shared with others, even if they don't have a Proton account. Shared files are similarly delivered in an encrypted environment and can be downloaded securely by recipients.

Proton Drive offers a free version with 1GB of cloud storage, while users subscribing to 500GB of encrypted storage ($9.99/month) via the Proton Unlimited plan also get Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, and Proton VPN. There's also an individual Proton Drive subscription that offers 200GB of storage for $3.99 a month.

"People have historically had very few options for secure personal cloud storage," said Andy Yen, founder and CEO of Proton. "While there have always been apps to upload and store files on your phone, they provide poor privacy, and data leaks from mobile devices are common. Proton Drive brings end-to-end encrypted file storage to iOS and Android and aligns with Proton's mission to ensure that privacy tools are easy to use and freely available."

The Proton Drive app is available as a free download from the App Store and Google Play Store. Proton says a Proton Drive Windows app will be available in beta shortly, followed by an app for macOS.

Article Link: Proton Drive iOS and Android Apps Now Available for Encrypted Cloud Storage

 

[contacos]

There is also a "end of year" sale right now with up to 40 % off on the Proton Unlimited subscription

Proton Mail Black Friday deals 2024 | Proton

Protect your privacy for less with Proton’s Black Friday sale. Get great deals on secure, end-to-end encrypted email with premium features.

proton.me

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

I'm trying to figure out what is "unlimited" in the Unlimited plan. Maybe should be called Proton Max or something...

 

[xxray]

Super excited for this. Proton is still developing a lot of basic features, but it’s actually a lot cheaper for me than paying for iCloud and a separate VPN, and I never have to worry about anyone being able to access my files but me. No stressing about Apple starting to invade my privacy with their iCloud photo scanning.

 

[6787872]

any reccomendations for other cloud storage providers, specifically onedrive? boxcryptor is basically dead following dropbox buying them.

 

[xxray]

any reccomendations for other cloud storage providers, specifically onedrive? boxcryptor is basically dead following dropbox buying them.

Not a cloud provider, but you can use Cryptomator to make your files E2EE on most cloud providers.

 

[andreagrandi]

Not a cloud provider, but you can use Cryptomator to make your files E2EE on most cloud providers.

I came to suggest exactly this

I've been using, for example, pCloud + Cryptomator for over 3 years now. It also has a nice iOS client and Files integration.

 

[GoonerSid]

I guess there is no desktop/OSX app for this or integration with finder etc ?

 

[andreagrandi]

I guess there is no desktop/OSX app for this or integration with finder etc ?

Not for Proton Drive at the moment (but there is for Cryptomator)

 

[Mac_tech]

I guess there is no desktop/OSX app for this or integration with finder etc ?

If you read the article the MacOS app is coming soon.

 

[Mac_tech]

There is also a "end of year" sale right now with up to 40 % off on the Proton Unlimited subscription

Proton Mail Black Friday deals 2024 | Proton

Protect your privacy for less with Proton’s Black Friday sale. Get great deals on secure, end-to-end encrypted email with premium features.

proton.me

It’s a great deal. I subscribed at the end of November. Excited to be a part of the Proton community and to de-googlefy my life.

 

[Shirasaki]

Switzerland and Germany. Outside of US and EU jurisdiction. No data-sharing agreement.
Sounds too good to be true for me.
Does price the storage based on size. Maybe their datacenter is not large enough yet.

 

[contacos]

Switzerland and Germany. Outside of US and EU jurisdiction. No data-sharing agreement.
Sounds too good to be true for me.
Does price the storage based on size. Maybe their datacenter is not large enough yet.

That is what I do not understand. Germany is in the EU?

 

[JippaLippa]

That is what I do not understand. Germany is in the EU?

Exactly.
Germany pretty much IS the EU

 

[antiprotest]

Apple should upgrade their fake e2e encryption to true e2e so that they themselves do not have the encryption key.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

That is what I do not understand. Germany is in the EU?

Exactly.
Germany pretty much IS the EU

Germany has different rules, and guidance. Believe it or not, it is actually allowed in the EU for member states to deviate. Data-at-rest in Germany is very important to a lot of companies and people and one of those wonderful individual quirks within the EU

 

[now i see it]

Makes Apple’s privacy stance seem weak & watered down

 

[Apple_Robert]

any reccomendations for other cloud storage providers, specifically onedrive? boxcryptor is basically dead following dropbox buying them.

Sync.com is end to end encrypted. You should consider getting a small NAS. That way, you control access and know it is secure.

 

[Apple_Robert]

It’s a great deal. I subscribed at the end of November. Excited to be a part of the Proton community and to de-googlefy my life.

Getting away from Google is a great step into the light.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

I see Proton critically. They say that they are all about privacy, but it is very hard to sign out for their services without giving them your mobile number.

And then of course their was this scandal:

ProtonMail logged IP address of French activist after order by Swiss authorities | TechCrunch

ProtonMail, a hosted email service with a focus on end-to-end encrypted communications, has been facing criticism after a police report showed that French

techcrunch.com

Of course a service based in Switzerland is still better than anything in the US, but you should never access any Proton services without Tor or a VPN.

 

[contacos]

Germany has different rules, and guidance. Believe it or not, it is actually allowed in the EU for member states to deviate. Data-at-rest in Germany is very important to a lot of companies and people and one of those wonderful individual quirks within the EU

I think we have upload filters in Germany since august 21? Honestly, I still don’t know how companies implemented that or who actually falls under that requirement

 

[Apple_Robert]

I see Proton critically. They say that they are all about privacy, but it is very hard to sign out for their services without giving them your mobile number.

And then of course their was this scandal:

ProtonMail logged IP address of French activist after order by Swiss authorities | TechCrunch

ProtonMail, a hosted email service with a focus on end-to-end encrypted communications, has been facing criticism after a police report showed that French

techcrunch.com

Of course a service based in Switzerland is still better than anything in the US, but you should never access any Proton services without Tor or a VPN.

I don't see a scandal. I see a company having to comply with local law enforcement.

 

[6787872]

Not a cloud provider, but you can use Cryptomator to make your files E2EE on most cloud providers.

ah, i see Cryptomator looks to be very similar to what boxcrypter does, thanks.

Sync.com is end to end encrypted. You should consider getting a small NAS. That way, you control access and know it is secure.

i do have a nas but there's just some files i prefer to have secured on a cloud provider i don't have to manager the infrastructure for. looks like Cryptomator is a good complement to my onedrive

 

[bluecoast]

Apple needs to work harder on protecting user privacy as their presentation of what is encrypted and truly private is often very misleading.

For example, in iOS and on the Mac there is just one toggle to turn Safari sync on/off using iCloud.

However (and correct me if I'm wrong) although History, Tab Groups and tabs are E2E, Bookmarks are not.

And of course, although they shout loudly about iMessages being E2E, messages are kept unencrypted in iCloud Backups (which of course is turned on on any new activation of a device without the user ever being made properly aware of this).

So although you may be not using iCloud back-up, unless you are sure the the people that you message don't use iCloud back-up either, iMessage is effectively not truly private at all.

 

[Apple_Robert]

ah, i see Cryptomator looks to be very similar to what boxcrypter does, thanks.



i do have a nas but there's just some files i prefer to have secured on a cloud provider i don't have to manager the infrastructure for. looks like Cryptomator is a good complement to my onedrive

Cryptomator works well.