pull down to refresh

Based on my question yesterday about file transfer, I decided to write a full post about it. I apologize in advance for my English. It is not my native language, so I use a translator. I hope it will not fail.

THE PROBLEM

Most people, even among bitcoiners, use unreliable ways to transfer files over the network and between their devices. They are unreliable in terms of privacy and protection of the information being transferred. I was pleasantly surprised by the comments under my question, though. Every year big corporations like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Facebook collect more and more personal information about their users. Google Drive, Proton Drive (uses end-to-end encryption), Aicloud services are very convenient to use, but they are centralized and you have to trust your data to a third party. And we're trying to stick to the principle here: don't trust - verify. And that should not only apply to bitcoin.

SOLUTION OPTIONS

I would recommend looking at non-commercial and open source projects. And this doesn't just apply to file transfers, you have to be very careful about what information you share online. The Internet remembers everything and in 2023, it's imperative to use encryption and privacy tools. If there is a demand for this topic, I might write some posts about different tools on this topic.
Everything I will write about below is not an advertisement. This is what I actively use myself.
  1. So for example in order to send files between your devices in the same local network LocalSend will work very well. A cool application for all modern open source operating systems. The application does not use external servers, the file transfer is encrypted via HTTPS and generating a TLS/SSL certificate for each device.
  2. OnionShare is software that allows you to share files and information anonymously and securely over the Tor network. Available for Windows, Mac, Linux. OnionShare also allows users to anonymously publish static websites directly from their computer over the Tor network. And create ephemeral chats for encrypted communication.
  3. PairDrop - the simplest no-frills option that uses peer-to-peer WebRTC to transfer files locally and globally, between any device. The server itself is not involved in the file transfer, but is only needed to establish a connection. The files are encrypted using the same WebRTC. Analogous to Apple AirDrop. Easy connection via 6-digit code or qr-code.
  4. On the advice of @DarthCoin - gofile.io I didn't know about this service, thanks.
There are many other options, such as Keet, Syncthing (mentioned in comments to my last post), but these applications are not quite what I need.
This is my first long post on SN, if you found it useful, give feedback. Constructive criticism would be welcome.
File transfer can be a security issue as most people use unreliable ways to transfer files over the network. Big corporations like Google, Apple and Microsoft collect more and more personal information about their users. Google Drive, Proton Drive, and Aicloud services are very convenient to use, but they are centralized and you have to trust third-party data. Therefore, it is recommended to look at non-commercial and open-source projects like LocalSend, OnionShare, PairDrop, and gofile.io. All these applications are encrypted and allow file transfers between devices safely.
reply
Thank you for the work you have done! I often use the Tails OS (tails.net). Unfortunately, the included OnionShare has not been kept up to date, making it much less usable.
reply
Do you store the tails on a usb flash drive as a live image?
reply
Yes, with a Tails persistent storage partition. And do not want to plug that usb flash drive into another booted non Tails system. So file transfer to and from needs to happen while booted from Tails.
reply
Thanks for the summary. Will have to check these out.
reply
you're welcome)
reply