Review: IDriveSync secures cloud storage

IDriveSync Basic IDriveSync offers both storage and security in one, and it does so with an added level of security that its rivals don't offer.

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Cloud storage and security are two concepts that many people think are exclusive. But that's not the case with IDriveSync, a cloud storage tool that puts the user in control of security.

Once you add files to your IDriveSync folder, they are automatically encrypted and synced to your cloud-based storage space.

IDriveSync bills itself as a "sync and share solution,"and it's a good description. This software-and-service combo allows you to sync files across multiple devices, including Macs, PCs, Android, and iOS devices, and lets you share files with friends and colleagues. It also is accessible via the Web.

Once you install IDriveSync on your desktop, it adds an IDriveSync folder to your computer—and I like that it allows you to select the folder's location. You simply drag files to that folder in order to save them to your IDriveSync account, where they will be synced across all of the devices that you use to access the service. I also like it that IDriveSync saves the 30 most recent versions of each file, so you can go back and see what changes have been made.

IDriveSync has some handy features that anyone looking for a cloud storage service will appreciate. I like the different views that IDriveSync offers when you're browsing the content you've saved. You can browse by folder and file name, or you can use the Timeline view, which allows you to browse files chronologically, by the date they were updated. And with any photos that you've saved, you can choose to view them individually or using the Gallery view, which arranges them on a black background for a better look.

I also like the "Out of Box" feature, which allows you to save files to the cloud without first transferring them to your IDriveSync folder. This feature allows you to save files or folders directly to the cloud, where they will be stored until you need them—not synced across your multiple devices. This feature is handy for any data you don't need to access or update frequently.

IDriveSync makes it easy to share files, and encrypts everything you share.

But where IDriveSync really distinguishes itself is on security. All of the data you store in your IDriveSync account is automatically encrypted, and you can select the level of encryption. By default, IDriveSync uses 256-bit AES encryption for storing and transferring data. If you want to go above and beyond, you can opt for private encryption, where you set the encryption key yourself. With this option, IDriveSync does not have access to the key, which offers an extra level of security—but it also means that if you forget your encryption key, your data is gone forever, as the company cannot help you recover it.

You select your encryption level when you set up your account, and you cannot change this option once it's selected, so it's best to choose carefully.

The security offered by IDriveSync will appeal to users who have concerns about services like Dropbox, which has suffered from well-publicized security pitfalls. And IDriveSync's offering is more complete than what you get from Boxcryptor. That service lets you add an encrypted folder to a cloud storage service you already use, like Dropbox or Google Drive, but it's not a storage service on its own, and it doesn't offer the private key-level encryption that IDriveSync does. IDriveSync offers both storage and security in one, and it does so with an added level of security that its rivals don't offer.

From PC World. Electronics product reviews and advice for best reference

Predator Secures Your PC With a USB Hard Drive...And Some Difficulty

What I like best about Predator ($29, 30-day free trial) is the concept: Instead of using a password to unlock your computer, just insert your thumb drive and your computer instantly unlocks. It may not be as magical as BioTrust, which lets you unlock your computer using a webcam and your face, but it's still a nice idea.

Predator's dark UI looks archaic, but boasts many options. Sadly, the idea is one of the few nice things about Predator. The execution feels clunky and insecure in several ways. First, it works by polling your USB drive at timed intervals (every 30 seconds, by default). That means that once you pull the drive out, your computer may take up to 30 seconds to lock, while you sit there and wait (best case scenario) or just walk away assuming it would lock.

Predator uses its own mechanism to lock your computer. When locked, you will not see the familiar Windows unlock screen, but a black screen built into Predator. Once you plug the thumb drive back in, your computer will unlock. Thankfully, unlocking is nearly instantaneous--you won't have to wait 30 seconds. Once the computer is unlocked, you can use Predator to see if anyone tried to unlock your computer while you were away.

You can also unlock your computer using a password. This is not the same as your Windows login password--it's a password specific to Predator, which you have to set within the application. When the computer is locked by Predator, you can tap any key on the keyboard to pop up an unlock prompt. You then have 20 seconds to enter your password. If you fail to enter the correct password, Predator can sound an alarm through the computer's speakers.

When you unlock the computer using a password, Predator does not resume monitoring the USB ports. You have to manually reactivate monitoring every time you unlock your computer using a password instead of a thumb drive. This means you could unlock your computer with a password, plug the thumb drive in sometime later (expecting to use it as a key at the end of the day) and then plug it back out, and nothing would happen. Your computer would not lock, not even after a minute. You might be gone by then, thinking your computer is just slow to lock.

Predator is a nice gimmick, but it doesn't use Windows events to detect when your thumb drive is pulled out, doesn't resume monitoring automatically, and bypasses Windows' own lock screen. If you're serious about security, you would be better off sticking with the native Windows offering.

--Erez Zukerman

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