Greetings,
I'm looking for an App that would provide transparent folder encryption, along the lines of the "Encrypt contents to secure data" option on a Windows folder.
One that works on a SD card, and also treats files transfers via USB cable.
Is there such an App?
I'm posting this for lack of a better place.
If there is, please relocate it.
IDK of such an app.
But on Android 8+ you can protect files with Safe Folder feature, will say you can hide files in your Safe folder and control access with a PIN.
You can encrypt the SD card if you have that option in security. I don't recommend it... as you're the one most likely to be locked out by it.
EDS Lite | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository
Virtual disk encryption
f-droid.org
Related
I'm looking for an app to lock a map where i keep private stuff in, like pictures and docs.
so it's not seen when you open the programm for pictures and video's and album, if you understand me.
something with a password would be great or something to hide it.
and free if possible.
anyone some ideas??
thanks
Encrypt
There is freeware to encrypt stuff, check here:
http://crippin.netfirms.com/index.html
I encrypted some stuff with 256 bit encryption the other day on my HD2, but I can't remember what prog I used, will post when I do.
--> Update, it must have been Resco Explorer (not free).
I think WinMo has encryption built in, but that may be for only the whole sd card.
Encryption Programs to hide files
FreeOTFE is a free, open source, "on-the-fly" transparent disk encryption program for PCs and PDAs.
Using this software, you can create one or more "virtual disks" on your PC/PDA. These disks operate exactly like a normal disk, with the exception that anything written to one of them is transparently, and securely, encrypted before being stored on your computer's hard drive.
http://www.freeotfe.org/mobile_site/index.html
This works great on my HD2.
Okay what I want is a way to encrypt files on my SD Card transparently. For example, when I make a "Compressed Folder" in Astro File Manager called "b" it makes a file called "b.acd"
What I want is a way to encrypt file like that, where it makes a file on the SD Card but like b.acd, it's encrypted (I assume b.acd isn't because I am assuming anyone who has Astro can read it).
So I want the folder to act like any other folder on my phone (and in order to access it I have to unlock my phone, no one who doesn't know my unlock pattern can't use it) and if they take out the card and use a card reader all they see is a file that they cannot open.
I guess whatever app does this will ask me for a key when I install it so then the app will encrypt and decrypt the data as I am using it.
I have searched the market for encryption software, but with the apps I found I had to manually encrypt and decrypt the files myself unlike how Astro uses ACD archives...
Possibly maybe there could be a program I can run on my PC to access the encrypted files when I provide it with the key...
I have a similar requirement
What I did was make a disk image and call it pagefile.sys
Then I mount the image to a folder when I want access
If you use an ext filesystem on the image when you plug it into windows all you see is a 1gig file called pagefile.sys and can't access it.
It is not very secure, but hidden well enough so someone can't stumpble upon it. Unless they are a bit computer savvy.
So it depends what your hiding and who your hiding it from.
Where did you put the file, on your card? How did you mount it to a folder? I want something a little more secure. Should the phone get stolen or something, even if the crackhead that steals it doesn't know how to access the files, they might find someone who can...
Yep. The file can go anywhere on the SD and be called anything.
it is mounted with a terminal emulator to any folder in the same way you would in Linux.
the command would be
# mount -o loop -w -t ext2 filename foldername
If you want something more secure I would look elsewhere.
Truecrypt is excellent. But you won't be able to access your files on your phone. Truecrypt for android would be the nuts if someone wants to port it. It is open source.
Oh so you can get a termnal emulator? Where did you get yours from, the market?
Yep. Connectbot is the best.
It says ConnectBot is an SSH client, so do you have to connect to localhost or something?
That's right. You get 3 options in connectbot.
Telnet
SSH
Local.
You can set a shortcut to local on your homescreen if you like.
Anyways, does anyone here know how to actually encrypt the files?
I found a program on the Market that lets you store text and pictures (in the paid version) and acesss them directly without encrypting and decrypting them. But it would be nice if there was a free app that let you store files like normal...
APG is what you want if you want security.
An android port of GPG, which is basically NSA quality encryption depending on how you set your keys.
Create your filesystem as mentioned above, and then encrypt it using APG. Delete the original. Now you have an encrypted filesystem. When you want to access, decrypt, mount, make changes, unmount, reencrypt, delete original.
A pain in the butt, but you won't be able to be more secure.
Would you have to repeat those steps everytime you change the filesystem?
Hi there,
I downloaded SSE and used it.
I want to know is there anything better than this? I want to install the best one.
Thanks
I like EDS a lot. You can open truecrypt containers you make on the PC with it (must use specific encryption etc...). If you have root you can also mount the volume directly on the device.
Most of these types of programs (that don't mount) cache up a part of, or all of the file locally so you can access it meaning there is an unsecured copy on the devices file system while you access it. With mount you open directly from inside the encrypted container bypassing that insecurity.
I think you have to have the pay version to mount, this is the free one:
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=eds
Also it will leave a notification in your notification area saying EDS is loaded but you can hide that by going to the app in settings -> apps and unticking the show notifications checkbox.
Just to clarify a few things.
- INTERNAL FORMAT.
- will turn your old internal sdcard storage space into regular internal storage space. (meaning it will not show up as an sdcard anymore but will still be available for the phone to use as regular internal storage)
- will encrypt your sdcard. (meaning it will no longer work on other devices) (this sux because ppl use it for backup but i have a fix)
- your new sdcard will appear as an internal sdcard (replacing the default one created using internal storage)(this means it's automatically used and supported by all apps, not just those with custom sdcard settings)
- EXTERNAL FORMAT.
- will function much like sdcard did in android 5.0.
- some builds are experiencing write permission errors. (cm13 for example most apps won't be able to use external card making it almost useless)(es file explorer and many root apps may still work.
If I missed any of the main functionally changes please let me know and i'll update accordingly.
- Solution to the "I want a backup for my data in case my phone breaks, but i like the idea of the internal storage feature."
- The solution i've come up with is a handly little app called syncme wireless.
- Steps to setup SyncMe Wireless to regularly backup your sdcard data onto a PC. (you can also use cloud devices but i am opposed to cloud services so i'll be showing this method here)
- Since i think windows is most popular and it's what i'm on i'll use it as an example. There are many exhaustive file sharing guides for setting up your permissions for network share on the internet available already so I will not be exhaustive, i'll just include basic setup instructions.
1. create a folder you can access easily, the desktop is a good place for it if you don't have administrator rights.
2. right click the folder click share with - > specific people. (if sharing is disabled enable it)
3. make sure you have read and write access. (the windows account you have the password to)
4. once folder is shared install syncme wireless on android device.
5. on windows device push windows key + r at the same time or go to start menu and click run.
6. type cmd and ok.
7. in command prompt type ipconfig.
8. make a note of your computers IP address. (it's ok if your dchp server changes your ips and it's not static syncme will take a note of your mac address and use that to identify your pc in the future after first connect)
9. open syncme wireless on your android device.
10. click ad computer.
11. your computer may show up automatically, if not click the menu icon and click add computer again, here you can manually add your computers ip address. (this is because some routers block scanning)
12. Click on User and type your WINDOWS LOGIN USERNAME that has permission to access the files on your pc.
13. click password and type your WINDOWS LOGIN PASSWORD that applies to the username you used.
14. once your computer is setup the rest is pretty self explanatory, click on the setup computer to add a sync folder, you can sync everything or just specific folders. You can set it to run at night when you're sleeping every night so you always have an sdcard backup on your computer, and if something happens to your phone you can reformat your card and copy the files back.
15. you can manually run folder pairs as well by clicking the folder pair and clicking run. I use this to send files to my phone over wifi, just add files to a folder that is setup in a pair, then run that folder pair sync, and the files will show up on your phone without having to plug in cables.
any suggestions or requests for help i'll try to add and respond to asap but I am not on here every day. Just wanted to help people solve the issue i had with cm 13 so more people can get into using it as a daily driver and support its development.
Hello,
I was searching about a feature to limit the access of apps to certain files or directories.
Use Case: I may have a directory I store music and do not want to share this with (amazon music, ....)
I may have a directory where I store pictures which should not be seen by other applications.
Today I use a of the shelf Samsung A3 2016 Android 7.0, but I used Xposed, CM and rooted devices. in the past. I'm not registered as developer here did never codded Android app or kernel but developed on embedded Devices and Linux in the past. I would be happy if you could share a ready to use setting, app or development idea (even if you did not got it running).
What I investigated and did not work so far:
Option A - .nomedia
I know already there is a possibility to use .nomedia file in the directory to avoid pictures being shown in Gallery, BUT this is a feature of the Gallery app (as far as I see). So the developer of the Gallery app could also access to the pictures in the directories, if they would like. So I'm not happy with this.
Option B - using cryptography
So I could simply put the sensitive data into a container, there are apps out e.g. EDS.
But I found out if the application who should access the data is not providing a "path" where the data is stored or doesn't provide an interface to a cryptography it can not be used. And once I entered the password and the directory is mounted all the applications running are able to access the files.
Option C - restrict media access
The Android allows to restrict the access to media, so I simply could switch off the access in the app I do not want to allow. But this doesn't work if the app need to store data. Android Music should be able to store the music on the phone but should not be allowed to access the other directories on my SD.
In pure Linux it would be quite easy you can use different users and access to files.
But Xposed may provide a solution as I could filter requests to the file system, but is there a example out there.
Thank you for reading all the stuff
I'm looking forward to read about your ideas
gonso
Hello,
no one has an idea or solution? I'm not able to post in the developers section may be one of you
may move the post into the Development part.
If not existing yet I would try to find out how to develop
Regards
gonso