Really enjoying Zorin OS so far. I have a quick question regarding the backup functionality. If I choose to require a password for restore access when setting up a backup, are those backup files encrypted at that point and safe to upload to a cloud service provider? I want to make sure my data is protected and just need to know if choosing to require a password for a backup restore is sufficient, or if I should take another step after the backup is complete by placing it in an encrypted archive or using something like Crytomator.
Hi Shema, if you're talking about the default backup (Déjà Dup), yes, the password is used to encrypt the backup and you should be able to safely upload it to a cloud service provider.
There are no cloud services that support Ext4 anymore, or rather GNU/Linux. You are better backing up to an external device. I avoid encryption altogether. In my early days of GNU/Linux while installing SuSE Linux 9.3 Professional when the option to encrypt the file system there was a stark warning that there could be a loss of data and because of that experience I never ever use encryption. When I worked my Manager wanted her secretary's machine to have data encryption. This was Windows XP. 3 days later the machine crashed and the data had gone but fortunately there was a backup. You have been warned!
Having read about supported cloud services only Google drive and Microsoft's one drive would you really trust backups with them? Let's be honest Google and M$ are effectively spyware. I would always prefer local storage for backups rather than any cloud service. I only use the cloud to share items that are generally not personal.
Hi Bruno, that's exactly what I'm referring to. Thank you. Do the backups generated from this tool have a history of failing when passwords are used as swarf mentioned?
I've only had to restore files from such backups a couple of times and had no problems whatsoever.
For context, anything "critical" I've got uploaded/synchronized in my own managed and end-to-end encrypted Nextcloud instance, with a manual copy every few months to Proton Drive.
I have Déjà Dup backing up my local files to an external drive (on another machine running Zorin too), on my local network (and still encrypted), just in case I need something "faster" to get my computer setup.