The Vault - File Encryption

Discussion in 'privacy technology' started by softtouch, Jun 4, 2009.

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  1. HAN

    HAN Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Just to make sure I understand, now that it is no longer NTFS dependent, you no longer rely on ADS tags when using it in NTFS? I agree that this is becoming MUCH more interesting...
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2009
  2. softtouch

    softtouch Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Yes, it does not use ads any longer. It should now run on almost any windows version.
     
  3. softtouch

    softtouch Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files


    Drag and Drop might cause issues, because of Vista...

    It only works when my app runs with the same security level than the drag source... I am still looking for a way around it.

    Vista Drag n' Drop:
    For security reasons in Windows Vista, drag/drop is disallowed between windows with different security permissions.
    This means that any application that processes drag and drop by handling the WM_DROPFILES message may not be able to receive files dragged and droppped from another window if the security permissions are not compatible.
     
  4. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    softtouch - What about the rest of the list? How feasible is it?
     
  5. softtouch

    softtouch Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    New version: V1.0.0.7, incompatible to versions prior 1.0.0.7!

    Hm... still debugging that. Note that this will not turn off warning or error messages, because they are important to see.

    Done

    Done

    Yeah... very ugly at the moment...
    I temporary changed it to black (mostly)

    Done

    Done

    Done

    They have to be saved, no way around it, but I will encrypt them...
    This is not yet done.

    Done

    What do you mean?

    Done
     
  6. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files


    Just simply to verify the encryption. Meaning, how can users be sure that the data cannot be viewed by other and is indeed encrypted? Not that I or other user shouldn't trust you, but safety is very important and is the basis for encryption software in general

    Holy Hell....this is just awesome.

    With the 07 version I am no longer getting the message I referred to above. But I am getting a successful opening message that'd I'd like to have the option to disable.

    By context menu I was referring to Windows context menus; the ability to add files from the menu. But I am not so sure that is a good idea anymore.

    After using the vault manager to create more vaults I am asked to designate a password which I am not prompted to enter to open. In fact, I am never prompted to enter a password for any vault even if I close and restart the program. The Vault password seems to be the encryption password. I was under the impression that one was used to gain access to the program, and its configuration, and the other was used for individual vault passwords. The latter seems to be being ignored.

    I would like a little more information of the Secure Erase method used. Since it currently does not use any third party command line tools I think it important to understand how thing works; is slack space erased (cluster tips), how many passes, etc.

    I would add an option secure erase confirmation, possibly including details on what has been erased.

    Lastly, I cant seem to be able to used the delete key in the auto lock time space. Editing can only be done by selecting everything in the field and writing over it


    Nice work.....
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2009
  7. softtouch

    softtouch Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    I see what you mean. Yes, will add some code for that.
    Maybe a menu entry in the popup menu which show the content of the selected file as it is, encrypted, in a hex viewer.

    Beside this, the vault file itself (the .vlt file) is protected (independent of the users password), and all files inside this file are encrypted based on the users password and encryption used. I generate for each file a random salt.
    With this, I believe, the files are quiet safe.


    The vault password are not the program startup password. The vault encryption password are part of the key used for the encryption.
    The startup password is what you set in options. This is what the program will ask you when you start the program, to disallow unauthorized use.

    Do you really want that it ask always for the encryption password when you open a vault? Would that not annoy the user?
     
  8. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Yes, I think that would be a good idea. That way vaults can have different passwords. As it is right now it makes no difference whether or not a particular vault has a password, as the user is never prompted.

    Also, I would change the timeout from seconds to minutes, but not allow anything over X (I'd say 60)

    I know I'm being needlessly picky but I'm trying to prevent a user from saying "I don't want to use this because...." or "I don't want this on my flash drive because...." As I'm sure we've all seen that encryption should be a part of our everyday lives because of the data we share and use. The portability of reliable encryption software is vital, as flash drives and other hardware devices become smaller and smaller and more prominent.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2009
  9. softtouch

    softtouch Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    V1.0.0.8

    2 more entries in the popup menu:
    - Show file content (encrypted)
    - Show file content (decrypted)
    This will show them in a hex editor, so user can see that the encryption is working.

    Autolock Timeout changed from seconds to minutes

    User will be asked for vault password when he open a vault

    vault.ini now encrypted

    o_O When do you get that success message and what is the text?
     
  10. HAN

    HAN Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Trying out 1.0.0.8. Very nice! :D

    One suggestion that comes to mind. When the program is running in it's normal sized window, I cannot customize the window size by using my mouse. I'm thinking that would be a nice thing to change, especially if I wanted to drop and drag desktop files into the vault that's open (I could make the window temporarily smaller while looking for files to drag and drop.)

    And I too would be interested in more info on the secure erase of the temp files.

    **EDIT**
    Found a bug. If you use Open Vault from the main menu, it requests the password as it should. But if you use the Vault Manager and open the vault from there, it opens with NO request for the password.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2009
  11. softtouch

    softtouch Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files


    Current version: V1.1.0.0

    - Bug is fixed.

    - The window can now be resized to a much smaller area.

    - About the erase function, it overwrite every single byte of the file first with 0, and delete it after that. I tried to recover such a file, but I only get the file filled with 0's.
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2009
  12. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    I can confirm that this bug is still present in version 1.1.0.0. Actually, if you were just to remove the option to open vaults from within the vault manager that should solve this problem, right?

    Also, secure erasing using random data would be more secure and less suspicious.

    Here it is. I get this after executing a .doc file from within a test vault.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. HAN

    HAN Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Hmmm... I've tested it on an NTFS drive and a FAT32 Flash drive and it's gone for me. o_O

    For me, I would hate to lose the ability to open a vault from the manager. Kind of handy for me. :)
     
  14. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files


    It does seem to be fixed now. I download it this morning, it says it was version 1.1.0.0, and the bug was there. But that I tested it before softtouch posted here that the bug was fixed. I redownloaded it, again saying it was version 1.1.0.0, and now the bug appears to be gone. Weird. o_O
     
  15. HAN

    HAN Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    After using The Vault for a while, I feel it has progressed quite nicely. You have done an excellent job in a short time. :thumb: I plan to give it more of a workout in the coming days.

    Feature-wise, the only other thing that I have thought would be nice is the ability to encrypt/hide entire folders. Based on The Vault's current design, I know this would probably not be something that would be easy to accommodate but I still thought I'd throw the idea out there... :)
     
  16. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files


    I second this idea. That would be really handy. I would also like to see more setting sand information for the secure erasing feature, and the ability to generate and use key files.

    Anyone else think that the files initially generated by The Vault should be hidden by default?
     
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2009
  17. sfi

    sfi Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Could you post the link, or did I miss it somewhere in the previous posts?
     
  18. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    The Vault
     
  19. LockBox

    LockBox Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Do you have a link to the source code?
     
  20. LockBox

    LockBox Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Be honest....you are developing encryption software and have never heard of TrueCrypt?
     
  21. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    Honestly, what do you actually expect to hear after that comment, "Yeah, I was just lying to everyone?" Quit trying to cause trouble. This is not about TrueCrypt. Quit trying to direct this thread that way.
     
  22. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    The Vault is not open source

     
  23. LockBox

    LockBox Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    The developer of an encryption product says he's never heard of TrueCrypt. Pointing that out is not relevant? That's causing trouble? Does credibility mean anything to you? Encryption software should be written by cryptographers. Period. Here's the proof:

    My "encrypted vault" as seen in good old Notepad. I only had to go three lines to see the name of one of my files. Eventually, I found them all. Is it causing trouble to point out that so-called "encryption and hiding software" gives away the names of your files in its so-called "encrypted" state?

    VAULT_INI_^•·!ØèÎcßoÈ4íá„DHkIˆ
    ®ÛÒÑ»ÉÀïÈ
    *ÉôËÇÂ4Track-3-80.mp3[1].

    Go ahead, open your own "vault" and see for yourself.

    Shining light is all. If you see it as "trouble", I am sorry.
     
  24. n8chavez

    n8chavez Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    I said that because you are asking things that have already been previously explained in this thread. You would have known that had you bothered to read it, but you did not. The Vault is not True Crypt, and True Crypt is not The Vault. Neither of them should try to be the other. Why do you feel that a comparison is warranted?

    Even if the filenames can be displayed in notepad that does not mean that the file itself can be accessed. Is that not the point?
     
  25. dantz

    dantz Registered Member

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    Re: The Vault - Hide your Files

    You're saying that you must keep your source code a secret because if somebody manages to obtain it then they might be able to mount a successful attack against your encrypted data. Don't you see that this is a flawed approach? Strong encryption relies on the strength of its mathematics, not on a hidden methodology which must be kept secret. Secrets can (and generally will) be discovered.
     
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