Most of the Privacy Vault app doesn’t ensure data recovery in case of device change or device damage. During the device change, my friend lost all his encrypted photos saved in a gallery vault app.
To start with Boxcryptor, the service has an end-to-end encryption protocol for all of its file’s storage. Which means all the files are encrypted from your local drive up to the cloud. So even if an intruder intercepts your files while in motion, they cannot do anything with them. Boxcryptor is a popular, free encryption application that allows you to easily sync your encrypted files with more than 30 cloud storage, EFSS and online backup providers. Unlike most free. MEGA is a popular file hosting web site which allows for different levels of cloud storage. MEGAsync is the official client offered by the company. With MEGAsync, you are given a tool to synchronize your PC with your file storage hosted at MEGA. As a cloud service, you may also use it to share files with the world for free. Boxcryptor encrypts your sensitive files before uploading them to cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Box and many others. Additional details about BoxCryptor. Secure File Storage and collaboration. Microsoft BitLocker. Boxcryptor is the solution to secure your data in the cloud of your choice. With Boxcryptor you choose safety – no matter what storage provider you prefer.
Gallery lock apps
Usually, an Android user uses an App Lock application to protect your files and applications. This app lock comes generally built-in in most of the Smartphones. Well, it doesn’t matter you use a system integrated app lock software or installed from Google Play. The important thing is that this app lock software doesn’t encrypt your files and if someone is able to access your files and transfer them in their phone, your app lock software will not be there to guard.
In simple words app-lock applications just prevent invaders at the device level. For instance, if you apply app-lock on your phone gallery, the app-lock prevents access to the gallery and not the files. If someone is successful to install any other photo explorer in your phone, he could be able to see your photos.
If you have highly sensitive data whether it is in regard to your professional life or personal life, you will not want to expose it to others – locally or remotely.
Now I tell you different scenarios when your app-lock fails to protect your data
- If someone knows your phone password, they can access the phone and install his own file manager via apk file and view and transfer your applock protected files easily
- If you have not protected your Google Play, they can uninstall your applock program and your files gets exposed
- They can disable system applock if they know the phone password and your files get exposed
- If your phone is lost. Your phone’s external storage can easily be accessed easily.
Attention – An encryption vault program needs to be chosen carefully. There are many apps listed as gallery vault/file vault etc. and they offer a free vault where you can keep your confidential data such as photos/videos/passwords and more. But they don’t have any way to transport data from one to another device. If accidently you uninstall the app or want to change your phone, you may get set to loss all your confidential data – a disastrous situation for some time.
Taking it all into account we have researched on encryption vault apps that not only offers powerful encryption but also, they provide enough protection against data loss.
What measures should you take before opting for a secret vault/secret gallery/photo hide app
- The app must utilize AES encryption to protect your files
- The app must come from a trusted company or developer
- The app must have an option to restore your data from one to another device with the password that you have used to encrypt your vault
- It would be an icing on the cake if it works on the different platforms/OS
To make your files 100% safe, you need to guard them with AES encryption.
Beware – The XIAOMI company is playing with the security of their users sensitive content. The company simply hides files by renaming them and calling it encryption. This type of pseudo encrypted files are easily discovered on internal storage and can be viewed directly with suitable programs. There is a strong recommendation not to use the file manager's built-in encryption tool in MIUI.
Google, Microsoft, Dropbox and most of the online data storage services have access to your stored files. And your stored files can be access in different circumstances like –
- by a fraudulent admin who have access to encryption keys stored on the cloud
- If court directs cloud storage company to give access to specific users' account to particular government agency
- if an attacker gains access to the encryption keys
Protect your sensitive data with zero knowledge before sending them to cloud
Zero Knowledge Encryption is the only way that provides 99.99% protection to your sensitive data saved offline or online. In this case only the client has access to encryption keys and without client's permission, no-one can have access to files stored online or offline.
Boxcryptor – The best way to protect your data offline or online
Boxcryptor is the most trusted service to encrypt your online and offiline data. With the help of Boxcryptor you can encrypt your Android device files (any kinds of file). Generally, Boxcryptor is used to encrypt files before sending to cloud storage like OneDrive/GoogleDrive/DropBox etc. But I want to tell you that we can even encrypt local device files on Android too. And on top of everything Boxcryptor is cross device compatible software I.e. you can access your files on Windows/Mac that are encrypted on Android and vice versa.
Boxcryptor provides end to end encryption and even Boxcryptor guys can’t access your data.
How to use Boxcryptor
- Install Boxcryptor and signup for free or I would recommend to go for a paid plan that lifts all free plan limitations.
- After signup, you can add your local storage device as a “location” . Note that with free plan, you can add not more than one location. So better to consider Boxcryptor’s premium plan which is pretty affordable.
FAQ regarding Boxcryptor
Is my data 100% safe with Boxcryptor
Boxcryptor offers 256bit AES end to end encryption and that is why they don’t know about your master password and even CEO of Boxcryptor can’t get his hands on your files. In my opinion Boxcryptor is the best method to encrypt files locally or on the cloud storage.
What happened if I forget my Boxcryptor password?
As they don’t store passwords or encryption keys. There will be no way to recover password if somebody forget it. So be cautious and store your Boxcryptor password in a safe place.
What happened if I want to transfer my encrypted files from one to another Android device
Simply copy your encrypted files to new device. Install Boxcryptor and sign in with the same Boxcryptor account. Add a “location” in Boxcryptor app and then put all your encrypted files to that folder.
How to access encrypted files in Windows/Mac PC
Install Boxcryptor in PC and sign in with the same Boxcryptor account
Put your encrypted files in a folder somewhere in your PC
Now go to app settings and add that folder as a location. And there you go. You will be able to decrypt your file via Boxcryptor virtual drive.
Mega.nz
Mega.nz offers a cloud vault with military grade unbreakable encryption. Mega.nz offers up to 30GB free storage in its encrypted vault. As far as I know, no other cloud storage provider offers so much storage for free. The great thing regarding mega is that you can access your secret vault not only on your Android devices but even you can access it on PC and in browsers as well. In other words, there is no single chance to lose your data until you have your mega.nz password. 2 step authentication makes your mega.nz cloud vault even more secure and almost unbreakable.
Features of mega.nz encryption vault
- 30GB free 100% secure cloud storage with zero knowledge encryption, client side encryption
- Military grade AES encryption for both free and paid users
- Optional 2FA
- Capture photos and videos direct from mega.nz Android app
- Sync your device videos and photos to your cloud
- Keep your confidential files in an encrypted cloud vault
- Cross platform access Android/PC/Web browsers
“Keep on the device feature” keeps desired files on the device (for offline access) but in encrypted form and accessible exclusively via mega.nz app.
How to use Mega.nz
- Install mega.nz android app.
- Create a free account
- Create a strong password for your account and never dare to forget it otherwise you will lose everything that you will store on your mega.nz vault. Note that it is just for your security so that no one can lay their hands on your data. So, don’t get it wrong way.
What if I lose my device, what will happen to my secret mega.nz vault?
Your data will remain safe as it is saved on the cloud and you can access it from anywhere using your mega.nz username and password. If you don’t have your mega.nz password, you must have mega.nz account recovery key. Recovery key is a key something like a Windows fame Bitlocker recovery key. It is highly advisable to download and keep the recovery key backed up in a safe place. If you don’t have a recovery key, your data will not be recoverable (this is because your data is end-to-end encrypted)
I want to change my Smartphone. How to transfer my secret vault to a new device?
All you need to do is to log out mega.nz app on old device and install the app on the new device. Then, log in. You can access your cloud vault there.
SGallery – A true Encryption vault for Android – Free
SG Gallery is a Google Play verified file hide and true encryption app that can create a vault in your phone and store your encrypted files safely in the vault. With the help of SGallery app, you can encrypt your files through AES encryption algorithm, and no one can lay their hands on your encrypted files inside or outside your phone even when he/she has copies of your encrypted files.
SGallery protects your file vault using your own supplied password and all encrypted data remains stored on your device.
What will happen to your encrypted data if you uninstall SGallery app
SGallery let you secure your encrypted data through your own defined password or patter protection. If you uninstall and reinstall the application, you need to provide the same password or pattern, otherwise you will not be able to recover.
- If you are transferring phone data from one to another, make sure to take a backup of .privacy_safe folder to somewhere else. For instance, on your PC or a cloud account (Onedrive/GoogleDrive)
- In the case of a phone change or data transfer between devices, this app is pretty safe to use to restore encrypted data.
- Please be aware that SGallery does not store any of your data on the cloud. So be sure to keep your “.privacy_safe” folder backed up regularly on any of your cloud storage accounts such as Google Drive or OneDrive. My recommendation would not be to use Dropbox free as their account deletion policy is harsher than that of others.
LockMyPix – Free Encryption vault app for Android
Another much similar app to SGallery but one step better. LockMyPix offers to create a backup of all your stored files in the encrypted vault. This backup can be restored only if it is given the encryption password that was set when the backup was taken. LockMyPix vault offers true AES encryption and you can be 100% sure of the privacy of your encrypted files inside and outside of your device.
Boxcryptor Account
What if my device is lost?
Boxcryptor Apple M1
If you don’t have a backup of your LockMyPix data folder or you have not saved a backup of your encrypted vault to your PC or on a cloud storage, your data will be lost. No one, including can access it. If you have backup, you can do the following steps
If you have backup of your encrypted data;
- Install LockMyPix on your new device
- Set the same pattern/password that
SSE – Secret Space Encryptor
Secret Space Encryptor is a bulletproof tool that can encrypt even a single file in more portable way. This app is available for both Windows and Android and if you encrypt a file or an entire directory on Android, you can decrypt it on Windows PC too. SSE is specially developed to secure highly sensitive data. You can encrypt any single file and you can put it anywhere, either on your cloud or any other device. All you need to decrypt it is to have SSE installed on the device and the password you have set for that file.
But wait. This app is not meant for you if you are looking for a hidden gallery or a vault where you could browse your photos/ videos with thumbnail and other files using a single password unlock. SSE encrypts file/folders and they can’t be viewed until you decrypt those files. Even you can’t see a thumbnail without decryption. So, SSE provides a secure and pure form of encryption to protect any file with embedded encryption key in itself. No additional configuration file is required.