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Vault termination
It seems like Dropbox is about to do it again. After removing the strong integration with Google Docs, causing many customers to all of a sudden have to work with links instead of documents, Dropbox...
Hey guys!
Thanks for showing your interest in Dropbox Vault.
To concentrate our efforts on further improving our existing security features and building new capabilities around advanced data protection, we’ve made the decision to discontinue Dropbox Vault.
From March 4th Dropbox Vault will no longer be available. If you’re currently using your Vault, that folder will automatically turn into a standard Dropbox folder, that doesn’t require a PIN to access. The files in your folder will remain the same.
However, Dropbox is steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding your data.
Our applications and infrastructure are regularly tested for security vulnerabilities, and hardened to enhance security and protect against attacks.
I hope this clarifies!
I actually use Dropbox passwords :)
But I'm in the process of reconsidering my further subscription to Dropbox in general, because who knows what useful feature they will terminate next. Customer trust is a horse that comes a step at a time, but that leaves galloping.
Megan
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffHey guys!
Thanks for showing your interest in Dropbox Vault.
To concentrate our efforts on further improving our existing security features and building new capabilities around advanced data protection, we’ve made the decision to discontinue Dropbox Vault.
From March 4th Dropbox Vault will no longer be available. If you’re currently using your Vault, that folder will automatically turn into a standard Dropbox folder, that doesn’t require a PIN to access. The files in your folder will remain the same.
However, Dropbox is steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding your data.
Our applications and infrastructure are regularly tested for security vulnerabilities, and hardened to enhance security and protect against attacks.
I hope this clarifies!
Dear Megan, your response is pretty generic. Perhaps if you gave us a better sense of what exactly was in the works, and a timeline, we'd feel better!
Hello Megan,
I'm sorry but this explanation doesn't clarify much.
Vault is fully encrypted storage. Nothing indicates the Dropbox will soon (preferably before the termination of Vault) provide an equivalent alternative. You state "new capabilities", but what are those capabilities exactly and when will they be available? And at what cost?
Also, please explain how Dropbox can move files from user's Vault to a non-encrypted Dropbox folder automatically, without having access to the user's Dropbox credentials/identity and the user's Vault PIN code? This should be impossible, because it implies that Dropbox has full access to all files in Vault, which I hope is not the case. (The expected scenario in case of termination of the service would be that Dropbox would give advance notice and ask users to move their files out of Vault be themselves, or (in case they don't) loose the files.)
Absolutely well said, mate!
- Nancy
Hey Stijn B.! Vault’s security measures (PIN protection) are in addition to the security measures Dropbox takes with all of your files and folders. This means all Dropbox files at rest are encrypted using 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). File encryption is not specific to those files stored in a user’s Vault.
As of March 4th, your existing Vault folder will convert to a regular Dropbox folder when the functionality ceases availability. You can download the contents of your Vault folder or move them to your main account before this date.
To move files from your Vault to your main account before this date:
- Log in to http://dropbox.com.
- Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the top-right corner.
- Click Settings.
- Click the General tab.
- Under Features, click the “…” (ellipsis) next to Vault.
- Select Move files.
To download your files:
- Log in to http://dropbox.com.
- Click Vault in your files and folders list.
- Enter your pin.
- Select the files you want to download using the checkbox on the left.
- Click Download.
Rest assured that your content will continue to be securely stored and protected by our robust security measures, including advanced encryption. Again, you can read more about how security works at Dropbox here.
Hi Nancy,
This is getting stranger all the time. Yes I know that all content in Dropbox is AES encrypted at rest, and so also the content of Vault. But the point here is that Vault was “sold” as offering private encryption, that is to say encryption with a private key that only the user has access to and not Dropbox or anyone else. This is the only way to provide complete confidentiality. That is how Vault was supposed to work, but to everyone’s surprise, that is apparently NOT how it works. Instead, Dropbox does seem to have access to the encryption key and is able to just move whatever content users have in their vault to a normal Dropbox folder.
So apart from terminating Vault being a questionable business decision and definitely not user centric, there are huge questions here as to how Dropbox “interprets” the concept of private encryption.
