Rewrite of Encryption page in user manual

This commit is contained in:
Carla Schroder
2014-10-17 18:27:48 -07:00
parent 12f2b5cb24
commit 17d8835a62
5 changed files with 76 additions and 36 deletions

View File

@@ -1,51 +1,91 @@
Encrypting Files
================
Encrypting Your ownCloud Files
==============================
By default, ownCloud provides an Encryption app. This app enables encryption
of all files stored in your ownCloud. Once enabled by the administrator, all of
your files are encrypted automatically.
ownCloud includes an Encryption app, and when it is enabled by your ownCloud
administrator all of your files are automatically encrypted. Encryption is
server-wide, so when it is enabled all files on the server are encrypted and
you cannot choose to keep your files unencrypted. You don't have to do anything
special, as it uses your ownCloud login as the encryption password. Just log in
and out and manage and share your files as you normally do, and you can change
your password whenever you want.
Encryption and decryption always occurs on the server side. This enables you to
continue to use all other apps to view and edit data. However, **this method of
encryption also means that the server administrator can intercept your data**.
Server-side encryption is thus useful if you use *external storage*. It
ensures that the external storage provider is not able to read your data.
Its main purpose is to encrypt files on remote storage services that are
connected to your ownCloud server, such as Dropbox and Google Drive. This is an
easy and seamless way to protect your files on remote storage. You can share
your remote files through ownCloud in the usual way, however you cannot share
your encrypted files directly from Dropbox, Google Drive, or whatever remote
service you are using, because the encryption keys are stored on your ownCloud
server, and are never exposed to outside service providers.
.. note:: Once the Encryption app is enabled, your log-in password is required
to decrypt and access your data. By default, your data will be lost if you
cannot use your log-in password to retrieve it. If you want to protect yourself
against password loss, store your log-in password in a secure place or enable
the recovery-key feature as described below.
If your ownCloud server is not connected to any remote storage services, then
it is better to use some other form of encryption such as file-level or whole
disk encryption. Because the keys are kept on your ownCloud server, it is
possible for your ownCloud admin to snoop in your files, and if the server is
compromised the intruder may get access to your files. (Read
`How ownCloud uses encryption to protect your data
<https://owncloud.org/blog/how-owncloud-uses-encryption-to-protect-your-data/>`_
to learn more.)
The current version of the Encryption app encrypts all files stored in ownCloud except the following:
Using Encryption
----------------
- Old files in the trash bin (files that were deleted prior to the encryption app being enabled).
- Image thumbnails from the Gallery app.
- Previews from the Files app.
- The search index from the full text search app.
ownCloud encryption is pretty much set it and forget it, but you have a few
options you can use.
.. note:: Encryption keys are stored only on the ownCloud server, eliminating
exposure of your data to third party storage providers. The encryption app does **not**
protect your data if your ownCloud server is compromised. This would require client side encryption,
which this app does not provide. Read
`this blog post <https://owncloud.org/blog/how-owncloud-uses-encryption-to-protect-your-data/>`_
for more details.
When your ownCloud admin enables encryption for the first time, you must log
out and then log back in to create your encryption keys and encrypt your files.
When encryption has been enabled on your ownCloud server you will see a yellow
banner on your Files page warning you to log out and then log back in.
Settings
--------
.. figure:: ../images/encryption1.png
If the administrator enabled Encryption app, one or all of the following settings will be
visible in your personal settings page.
When you log back it takes a few minutes to work, depending on how many
files you have, and then you are returned to your default ownCloud page.
.. figure:: ../images/encryption2.png
.. note:: You must never lose your ownCloud password, because you will lose
access to your files. Though there is an optional recovery option that your
ownCloud administrator may enable; see the Recovery Key Password section to
learn about this.
Recovery Key Password
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If the administrator enabled the recovery key feature, you can choose to use
this feature for your account. If you enable "Password recovery" the
administrator can read your data with a special password. This feature enables
the administrator to recover your files in the event you lose your password. If
the recovery key is not enabled, then there is no way to restore your files if
you lose your login password.
If your ownCloud administrator has enabled the recovery key feature, you can
choose to use this feature for your account. If you enable "Password recovery"
the administrator can read your data with a special password. This feature
enables the administrator to recover your files in the event you lose your
ownCloud password. If the recovery key is not enabled, then there is no way to
restore your files if you lose your login password.
.. figure:: ../images/encryption3.png
Removing Encryption
-------------------
If your ownCloud administrator elects to disable the Encryption app, you will
be prompted to go to your Personal page and enter your password on the
Encryption form to decrypt your files.
.. figure:: ../images/encryption4.png
If your files decrypt successfully, you can click the ``Delete encryption
keys`` button. There is no reason to save them after disabling decryption,
because if encryption is enabled again you'll generate a new set of keys. Your
keys are preserved in case something goes wrong with the decryption and you
need your keys to access your files. Which is not likely to happen.
Files Not Encrypted
-------------------
Only the data in your files is encrypted, and not the filenames or folder
structures. These files are never encrypted:
- Old files in the trash bin.
- Image thumbnails from the Gallery app.
- Previews from the Files app.
- The search index from the full text search app.
Change Private Key Password
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Binary file not shown.

After

Width:  |  Height:  |  Size: 4.0 KiB

Binary file not shown.

After

Width:  |  Height:  |  Size: 21 KiB

Binary file not shown.

After

Width:  |  Height:  |  Size: 14 KiB

Binary file not shown.

After

Width:  |  Height:  |  Size: 18 KiB