How safe is encryption actually?

wongataa

I use Backblaze for cloud backup (in addition to local backup on external hard drives).  The initial upload of all the data was slow but after that only files that have changed or a new are uploaded so keeping the backup up to date is a lot faster.  Backblaze was the best deal I could find and any file type can be backed up.

getmore4less

If you have narrowed down a NAS container to a few options  buy the drives(next day delivery) and create some backups on those.

Consider self encrypting if that bothered about the actual content in case someone breaks in and nicks them

When you do get round to buying the NAS and have the time to set it up juggle your content to free up the NAS drives and then reload the NAS with what you want.

Sort out your backup for the NAS so it is ready to kick in as soon as you are set up.

JustAnotherSaver

Well aware of how many threads I've created in this forum recently. I don't want to make another.

Quick one for anyone in the know...

Basically I wired up under the floorboards when we bought the house so that the living room would have a wired connection point. Thinking about it I should've done some other rooms in the house too but hey-ho.

Anyway, I remember opting for Cat6 as that was the advice at the time. (2014-15).

I'm having to do a bit of re-jigging so hopped online to buy a new Cat6 cable and saw mention of Cat6E.

Did a bit of reading to find there's no such thing but then saw mention of Cat6A.

As I'm a bit of a hoarder, I still have in the shed the reel that I used when I put everything together.

Now I'm going to guess since it says Cat6 then it's Cat6 and not Cat6A (unless Cat6A cabled don't mention the A, which would be a bit daft).

Can anyone confirm based on the markings on that cable whether it's 100% Cat6 as I suspect or whether it's Cat6A?

I don't even remember 6A being a thing when I put this in place as unless the price difference was considerable, I'm sure I'd have done it. Must've been a reason I didn't. Either way I'm not about to lift carpet & floorboards any time soon.

getmore4less

If that is long enough just use it.

Is this one of those so important jobs that needs doing with strict time limits?

JustAnotherSaver

Are you a politician?

Ergates

JustAnotherSaver said:

Well aware of how many threads I've created in this forum recently. I don't want to make another.

Quick one for anyone in the know...

Basically I wired up under the floorboards when we bought the house so that the living room would have a wired connection point. Thinking about it I should've done some other rooms in the house too but hey-ho.

Anyway, I remember opting for Cat6 as that was the advice at the time. (2014-15).

I'm having to do a bit of re-jigging so hopped online to buy a new Cat6 cable and saw mention of Cat6E.

Did a bit of reading to find there's no such thing but then saw mention of Cat6A.

As I'm a bit of a hoarder, I still have in the shed the reel that I used when I put everything together.

Now I'm going to guess since it says Cat6 then it's Cat6 and not Cat6A (unless Cat6A cabled don't mention the A, which would be a bit daft).

Can anyone confirm based on the markings on that cable whether it's 100% Cat6 as I suspect or whether it's Cat6A?

I don't even remember 6A being a thing when I put this in place as unless the price difference was considerable, I'm sure I'd have done it. Must've been a reason I didn't. Either way I'm not about to lift carpet & floorboards any time soon.

You don't need Cat6A unless you're running a datacentre or have a ludicrously large house (needing cable runs of 100m)  Cat6 *more* than enough for any realistic domestic use case and even small businesses.

However, that cable looks to be have been exposed to quite a bit of damp - I'd suggest terminating and testing it before installing

JustAnotherSaver

I know I'm bad for overthinking and overcomplicating things but it looks like it's rubbing off on to you lot as well. 

It really is just as simple as the basics of the question. Nothing more than that, nothing less than that. 

You're thinking way too much with it, which is saying something coming from me but that's how it is. 

Ergates

JustAnotherSaver said:

Ok I started reading your post & thought I'll actually respond to it so stopped reading. I'll reply on the go...

Deleted_User said:

VeraCrypt isn't ideal either, you need to put your files into containers that are encrypted.

Ok this one is beyond me for now. What do you mean by that?

One tiny bit of corruption and the whole container is useless rather than just losing one file.

I understand that bit so I assume "put files into containers" means something else?

Are you saying (for example...) you have 10 files. Instead of creating an encrypted file & lumping all 10 in the 1 file, you would create 10 encrypted files for the 10 files you want to encrypt?

A container is a "file" that contains other files - the most common one that people encounter is a .zip file.

Packaging up files before encrypting them has advantages - it's quicker, they can also be compressed (saving space) and you have fewer files to keep track of.   However, as tallmansix says - if the .zip (or whatever) gets corrupted you've lost *everything* in it.   If you store and encrypt individual files, then if one file gets corrupted then you only lose that file.
If the software insisted on containers, then you could 1 container for each file - but I imagine that would be a bit of a pain to implement!!


As you're considering a NAS for backup (which counts as local), and as you're clearly not averse to networking up your house - one additional useful security feature of them is that they don't have to be located next to your computer.   You can put them anywhere you can get network and electricity to (and if you use network over power adaptors can be the same source for both), meaning you hide them away quite easily.

JustAnotherSaver

Ergates said:

JustAnotherSaver said:

Ok I started reading your post & thought I'll actually respond to it so stopped reading. I'll reply on the go...

Deleted_User said:

VeraCrypt isn't ideal either, you need to put your files into containers that are encrypted.

Ok this one is beyond me for now. What do you mean by that?

One tiny bit of corruption and the whole container is useless rather than just losing one file.

I understand that bit so I assume "put files into containers" means something else?

Are you saying (for example...) you have 10 files. Instead of creating an encrypted file & lumping all 10 in the 1 file, you would create 10 encrypted files for the 10 files you want to encrypt?

A container is a "file" that contains other files - the most common one that people encounter is a .zip file.

Packaging up files before encrypting them has advantages - it's quicker, they can also be compressed (saving space) and you have fewer files to keep track of.   However, as tallmansix says - if the .zip (or whatever) gets corrupted you've lost *everything* in it.   If you store and encrypt individual files, then if one file gets corrupted then you only lose that file.
If the software insisted on containers, then you could 1 container for each file - but I imagine that would be a bit of a pain to implement!!


As you're considering a NAS for backup (which counts as local), and as you're clearly not averse to networking up your house - one additional useful security feature of them is that they don't have to be located next to your computer.   You can put them anywhere you can get network and electricity to (and if you use network over power adaptors can be the same source for both), meaning you hide them away quite easily.

Hmm, this is becoming quite relevant then. 

Drifting away from the topic of uploading anything online & concentrating totally on these containers & corruption... 

Why would one of these containers become corrupt? I'm going to assume that one possible reason could potentially be nothing more than 'just because'?

If that's the case then I may need a re-think as I have probably somewhere around 1TB-1.5TB of files all kept within 1 container. I assumed this safe. Well, as safe as the physical drive. 


Let's also talk about backing up encrypted containers... 

In its most simplest form, to back something up, make a copy, you just drag and drop. Copy a file from 1 drive to another. 

To back up an encrypted container is it the same? Do you simply drag & drop and it retains all its encryption plus contents - so you open the newly created file, input your password and voila? 
Or do you need to mount it, create an encrypted file in the new drive & copy over to that?


And yes, been measuring up as to where to locate the NAS. Favourite spot was by the router, especially as its in the hall and cooler, BUT it'll make the stand top heavy so only other spot will be behind the TV. It'll still be out of sight. 
Have done a bit of re-jigging with the living room & cables etc this week (one of the jobs certain members seem to be liking to make fun of at the mo). Got a switch mounted behind the TV stand so everything is now ready & more importantly to me.... tidy. 

k_man

JustAnotherSaver said:

But literally the only way I could forget the password to this is if I took a bump to the head & had severe memory loss. I have 4 variations of this 1 password. If I don't get it with the first attempt then it will be got in 1 of the other 3, no question.

This comment suggests you reuse the same password (or 1 of 4 variants) for different things.
If so, then any encryption, or security reliant on these passwords, is not safe (passwords get leaked and compromised).