Protecting your passwords and data with encrypted containers

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[TechTango]

With all the info on protecting passwords and data lately, I haven’t seen any mention of encrypted containers. Containers create a virtual encrypted disk within a file that mounts as a real disk.

I don’t consider myself an advanced user, but I’m a fan of VeraCrypt (spinoff of TrueCrypt) and maintain three different encrypted containers.

Containers can be created with multiple encryption methods such as AES-256 and Twofish. Very long passwords of gibberish work fine.

You can make a double container with one encrypted container hidden inside another container. Containers are not “opened”, they are mounted as a real disk similar to image backups.

You can copy encrypted containers you create on a local drive into the cloud for storage. They are seen as a single unidentified object, not a file in the usual sense.

Does anyone use encrypted containers?

https://veracrypt.fr/en/Home.html

• This topic was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by TechTango.
• This topic was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by TechTango.

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Sueska, Fred

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PGP encrypted “containers” from “Symantec Encryption Desktop”,
and sometimes
Truecrypt containers too

* _ the metaverse is poisonous _ *

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TechTango

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TechTango wrote:

Does anyone use encrypted containers?

Although it’s no longer officially supported (or even officially available) I use TrueCrypt, because I’ve always used it, and it still works in Win 10. I’ve not investigated all the implications, but I’ll probably move over to VeraCrypt when I move to Win 11

For me it’s a simple and straightforward method for protecting sensitive data of all kinds

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TechTango

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Password manager updates are very frequent in our work and the passwords must be easily backed up off site.

We are heavy users of Veracrypt disks to protect confidential data.

When we do intermediate backups to the cloud, we upload Veracrypt disks, via scripts. Although our cloud claims “zero knowledge” and “full” encryption, we don’t 100% trust any cloud.

For passwords, we use a local only password manager that produces an encrypted local vault file. That file is placed inside a Veracrypt disk. Then the disk is uploaded to the cloud. So our passwords end up encrypted by three separate encryption systems in the cloud.

Instead of using Microsoft’s file sharing, we use the cloud to exchange Veracrypt disks, via scripts, so password encrypted vaults can be exchanged between users securely. We don’t exclusively depend upon Microsoft technology to keep our secrets private. We substitute with good free encryption programs.

Windows 10 22H2 desktops & laptops on Dell, HP, ASUS; No servers, no domain.

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AlphaCharlie, TechTango, Fred

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We are heavy users of Veracrypt disks to protect confidential data.

Your entire post very interesting and helpful.

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Been using VeraCrypt seems like since Lincoln was president.  No docs on the PC.  All in VeraCrypt containers.  No way I’d upload *anything* to the cloud without enclosure in an encrypted container.

Some would belly ache that this is terribly inconvenient, and my security vs. convenience tradeoff has always weighted heavily toward inconvenient.  Even though tech providers of all stripes vomit constantly the “we take privacy and security seriously” tripe, I trust not a one of them.

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wavy, TechTango

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Nation Full Of Grifters wrote:

Even though tech providers of all stripes vomit constantly the “we take privacy and security seriously” tripe, I trust not a one of them.

AMEN to that! nice to read someone else that prefers tried and trusted awkward over lazy smart fart research 🙂

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Alex5723

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Password Safe Portable 3.62.0

“Password Safe allows you to safely and easily create a secured and encrypted user name/password list. With Password Safe all you have to do is create and remember a single “Master Password” of your choice in order to unlock and access your entire user name/password list. Security starts with you, the user. Keeping written lists of passwords on scraps of paper, or in a text document on your desktop is unsafe and is easily viewed by prying eyes (both cyber-based and human)…”

https://pwsafe.org/

How many passwords do you have to secure?

Start your safe and simplified digital life
Free open source software
Installs in minutes on Windows 7 and later
Designed by renowned security technologist Bruce Schneier
Over 5 million downloads..

Linux : https://github.com/pwsafe/pwsafe/releases?q=non-windows&expanded=true

Android : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jefftharris.passwdsafe

iOS : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pwsafe-2-password-safe-compatible/id938922963?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

macOS : https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pwsafe-password-safe-compatible/id520993579?ign-mpt=uo%3D4&mt=12

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