app to encrypt folder on my freeNAS file server?

[DarkManX]

I have setup a freenas file server which runs of freebsd, is there any way I can encrypt or password protect the files when someone on the network or outside the network tries to access them?

 

[biggestmuff]

I'm not familiar with freebsd, but would password protected winzip file work?

 

[Nothinman]

I have setup a freenas file server which runs of freebsd, is there any way I can encrypt or password protect the files when someone on the network or outside the network tries to access them?

That would be a function of however you're sharing them. If you're using Samba then you should already have to enter a password to get access to the shares, things like NFS were designed in a fashion that anyone on the allowed networks/hosts can mount the filesystem and the uids do the access checks just like local file access.

If you really want encryption of the files on disk it looks like FreeBSD supports something called gbde to encrypt whole block devices, but it'll likely require a good bit of cli work behind the scenes and that's if FreeNAS ships with all of the required parts.

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/disks-encrypting.html

I'm not familiar with freebsd, but would password protected winzip file work?

Sure it would work since they're just files to the host, but that would be damned inconvenient to work with.

 

[hasu]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
If you're using Samba then you should already have to enter a password to get access to the shares

To achieve even higher security (only for my financial documents such as tax returns etc), I am using TrueCrypt, the file for encrypted volume being stored in the Samba server. I am getting very good response even with my slow wireless network. I am yet to put the system into regular use but the setup has passed all my rudimentary tests. TrueCrypt is available for both Windows and Linux -- not sure if it runs on FreeBSD, though.

Edit 1: Doesn't look like TrueCrypt runs in FreeBSD!
Edit 2: You do not have to install TrueCrypt in the file server (FreeNAS/FreeBSD). TrueCrypt will be installed in the client machines. FreeNAS will host the file for TrueCrypt. Client machines must be running Windows or Linux.

 

[Nothinman]

If you're just hosting the file on the FreeBSD server and opening it via TrueCrypt on the client, why does that matter?

 

[hasu]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
If you're just hosting the file on the FreeBSD server and opening it via TrueCrypt on the client, why does that matter?

Well, contents will be stored in the file server in an encrypted volume (or file). Since the TrueCrypt, which does all the encryption & decryption, is installed in the client even the communication between client and server will be encrypted. Even if the server security get compromised and exposes all your files from the server, still your data be secured.

 

[Nothinman]

Well, contents will be stored in the file server in an encrypted volume (or file). Since the TrueCrypt, which does all the encryption & decryption, is installed in the client even the communication between client and server will be encrypted. Even if the server security get compromised and exposes all your files from the server, still your data be secured.

That's my point, so the fact that TrueCrypt doesn't support FreeBSD is moot.

 

[hasu]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Well, contents will be stored in the file server in an encrypted volume (or file). Since the TrueCrypt, which does all the encryption & decryption, is installed in the client even the communication between client and server will be encrypted. Even if the server security get compromised and exposes all your files from the server, still your data be secured.

That's my point, so the fact that TrueCrypt doesn't support FreeBSD is moot.

In fact, you do not have to run TrueCrypt in the FreeNAS (FreeBSD) file server. FreeNAS only host the file which is treated by TryeCrypt as a volume. Client machines must be running Windows or Linux to support TrueCrypt. (I am updating my previous post also).