Where do you store your most sensitive of files?

[bagelred]

Basic question, but what do you use for protecting your most sensitive of files? Stuff that you would want no one ever to access.

It seems the answer is the encrypt with TrueCrypt or what have you....makes sense.

But what about this? How bout simply storing all sensitive documents in GMail Gspace? This way if someone breaks into my home or tries to get to my sensitive stuff, they are all in cyberspace in an unknown Email/Password combination only I know.

I guess the question is: Who is accessing that Gmail? Are people from google checking it out? Is it easier to hack Gmail? Would Gmail snoop at your files? What is you have files that might be illegal? Would they tell someone?

Before I go the encryption route, I was exploring that possiblity as I thought maybe "in space" might be the safest. Thoughts?

 

[Jayce]

I have mixed thoughts on this. Personally, I like my data stored in my computer so I know where it's at. Although I find Google to be a very commendable company, one of the few out there actually, I just don't have the same mindset with my data out in cyberspace as I do at home. At home, I know where it is. Period. Done. It's on my computer, no where else.

I've never gotten into encrypting folders or anything like that, but <linux talk> when I install the next Ubuntu, I plan to check out the encrypt home directory feature </linux talk>. Aside from that, I just make it a really good practice to lock my computer WHENEVER I walk away from it and use a password that is actually practical and somewhat complex.

 

[JeffO]

Depends on the nature of the data, it seems. Bitlocker is nice, as far as I'm concerned.
You have a nice plan, using the Internet. I guess there are free services we could use to store lots of data. I wouldn't want anything too sensitive out there, though.

I also have a USB stick that requires both a password and a fingerprint to get into. The interface sucks - it won't let you browse with Windows Explorer. But it let's you take your data with you everywhere. Nothing needed to install on computers. I tried it on Windows 7 and Windows XP.
There are several brands of secure USB stick available. Some are password-only and some are password+fingerprint.
From what I've read, these things are so tough there's no chance anyone outside of the NSA that's gonna break it. If you lose it or it gets stolen, the only way they'll be able to use the stick is to reformat - losing the decrypt algorithm and all data.

Thing is, I don't trust USB sticks. I've had several stop working over the years. So if it's important, never have it on only one stick. You could lose your data.

Another thing I started doing many years ago is to write some things down, but they're only hints that only I would have a clue about. It could look just like a shopping list, or a to-do list, but I can have hints to myself about what certain passwords or numbers are for various accounts. I never write down my passwords or account info in a way that anyone could possibly figure out. So typed that way, storing out on places like Google would be safe and accessible.

 

[bagelred]

Depends on the nature of the data, it seems. Bitlocker is nice, as far as I'm concerned.
You have a nice plan, using the Internet. I guess there are free services we could use to store lots of data. I wouldn't want anything too sensitive out there, though.

So typed that way, storing out on places like Google would be safe and accessible.

I guess that's my question. Is it a good plan? I mean, then my personal sensitive files are "somewhere out there" "where dreams come true".

Seriously, who knows who can actually see my GMail stuff? And is Google hackable? Just the unknown...i like the idea in theory, that's why exploring it.

 

[Jorsoft]

If you're too worried to use Google, you can just use a solution such as Mozy to backup your files. You can configure an auto backup but you can just store specific files as well. So it's stored remotely and isn't accessed by anyone but you.