2 Free and Secure Services to Encrypt Cloud Files

Would you trust your friend or an associate with an official file or with a private photo from a vacation? I am sure, the answer will be a big NO. So if we can’t trust our associates or friends, how we trust cloud services with GBs of data from our personal and professional lives? If you haven’t thought about it yet, I recommend, you should.

There are a lot of services which offers cloud encryption of files on services like Dropbox and OneDrive. But most of them are complicated and come with a price tag. In our strive to bring you the best, here are two services that are free, cover major desktop and mobile platforms and are easy to use.

Windows Drive Encryption? This is how how you can go about it using Truecrypt.

Cloudfogger

Cloudfogger is a free service for personal use using which files on any cloud service can be encrypted. The app is available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. And if you wish to use the service on more than one device, you must create an online account with Cloudfogger the first time you configure it after installation.

Now all you need to do is, add the drive that you sync to do is sync the directory that you use to sync the files with the online servers. The encryption will occur instantly, but you will not see any changes in the folder of your computer.

The files on the online cloud service will be encrypted though, and that’s the best part about the app. There is no need to manually decrypt the files when you need to open them on the computer. Cloudfogger encrypts files with AES 256 Bit (Advanced Encryption Standard), an industry-grade encryption standard. If you wish to know in-depth about the security, read their page where even the minute details are explained.

You can also share the encrypted files with users using email. However, to access the files, the receiver must have the software installed on the device. That’s all about Cloudfogger, let’s now have a look at Viivo.

Viivo

Viivo is another service just like Cloudfogger and is available for all major platforms. Just like Cloudfogger, you will have to create an online account if you need to work on multiple devices.

When compared to Cloudfogger, the files that are encrypted by Viivo remains encrypted on your computer too. But they are associated with Viivo and double clicking on them open the data location where the original file was stored.

The only reason you might want to use Viivo is for additional features in the pro version. After upgrading, you get features like compression and two-factor authentication. Viivo also integrate to the right-click context menu so that you can add the files easily to the folder.

Viivo secures your documents before they are synchronized to your Dropbox, Box, Drive and OneDrive. Our servers never see copies of your data or your passphrase. You have the keys to securing the data, not the cloud provider. Viivo security uses industry standards such as RSA 2048 and AES-256 to lock down data regardless of hackers, data snoopers or mistakes.

To read the details on how the security works in Viivo, you can follow this link.

Conclusion

For a normal end user who just needs to work on one or maybe two cloud services to encrypt files, I would really recommend Cloudfogger. Without any seconds though, I can vouch that it has one of the simplest UIs. Viivo can be useful if you have to manage multiple cloud services and need additional layer of security and features.