[tw] Re: how secure is encrypted TW5 and DropBox?

[PVHL]

Hi Bill

My idea is to put the TW file on DropBox, and put a shortcut to it on my 
> wife's laptop.  That way, I can continually (over the years) update my 
> copy, and if anything ever happens to me she'll have all the information 
> she needs in one place.
>

I've never mentioned the project I work on here, but I think I'll break my 
silence just this once. Sorry that this will sound like a sales pitch; it's 
not my intention and I shan't mention it again. I'm mostly doing so because 
other software has already been mentioned, and my suggestion is a good fit, 
especially for an inexperienced user.

Woas  is similar to Tiddlywiki in 
that it stores multiple wiki pages in a single HTML file using a markup 
language (and uses the same TiddlySaver.jar, if needed, and now works with 
TiddlyFox). I believe it was originally inspired by TWC. Many find it much 
simpler to use than TW, primarily, I think, because of it's linear 
wiki nature and simple UI (more like a book). I am in the last stages of 
releasing an update to what is currently available (next few days). The 
current file is labelled 'Alpha' (the update will be labelled 'Beta'), but 
it's actually well tested code with a long history; I labeled it this way 
because of the recent browser changes that broke both Woas and TWC; it 
needed testing on multiple browsers and operating systems. (It also has the 
same TiddlySaver issues that TW has, issues we are currently working to 
resolve, though this is only ever an issue for saving, and then only for 
browsers that need the jar file.)

Woas can save images within itself and has a full Help system, tags, 
macros, and plugins. My project is an update of the original WoaS 
(Wiki-on-a-Stick) project; that project is currently pretty unusable. It is 
vastly improved from the original (if I do say so myself), and the coming 
update will clear up any remaining, fairly subtle issues, ones that don't 
affect general use of Woas.

Anyway, any page can be locked in Woas, with each page using the same or a 
different password. The password is not saved anywhere. Encryption is AES 
256, the same as used in KeePass and DropBox itself. A good 256-bit 
password should be used, and Woas helps you in creating one. If the 
password is lost there is, obviously, no way to unlock or recover the 
information.

There are theoretical attacks for AES 256, and recent revelations claim 
world governments can easily break any current encryption method, but I am 
not aware of any practical threats.

Except, of course, for the obvious one: you have to share the password with 
someone and they (or you) could compromise it.

It seems to me that a file encrypted with AES 256 on a privately 
shared DropBox folder is pretty safe, especially if it isn't named "All my 
precious banking information"! (Someone would need to go to an awful lot of 
trouble and have some very advanced equipment to have even a faint chance 
of cracking it, unless they already have the password.) I would also keep a 
backup on a USB Key somewhere or, as I do, email the updated file. (I am, 
personally, comfortable doing this with my own private information, 
including passwords. Each to their own, of course, and I disclaim all 
responsibility if you decide to do this too; just saying ;0)

That said, I actually think Jasonic's idea is the best. Make a folder/box 
that contains everything precious and put it in a safe place, or a 
safe-deposit box. The idea you suggested of printing everything in the file 
could also be done with Woas using a macro. I'd be happy to help you with 
the macro if you decided to go this route. (Actually, the macro I have in 
mind is simple and will eventually be one of the included system macros.)

Cheers, Paul.

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Re: [tw] Re: how secure is encrypted TW5 and DropBox?

[Jason Cunliffe]

Bill

I'll think about your use-case some more.. {and my own}
We geeks, passionate technorati have so very hard time understanding
non-techie people's relationship to all this we know and love-to-know.

I watched my friend struggling to just order a simple medical bracelet
on-line last month. She was confused and unhappy by the end of that
session.
A sobering fresh reminder that one person's path/tool is often not
another's.

/some questions:/
- So you have lots of documents in several categories/contexts which
need updating at least once a year?
- If it were a book, *how many pages?
- How many changes how often?
*- Does the README-FIRST need to change much?
-- If not, or anyway write that first.

I'd argue still for personal USB-Key as the most private, secure and
portable.
Why do you, or your wife, need more or /different than that.

*Dedicated *INSTRUMENTS/DEVICES are often simpler to use and maintain,
by their design-use focus.

*PLAN A-B.*
* Why not buy a dedicated Wifi tablet? **
*
{ie Nexus 7 or very nice ipadMini}

Android is poised to run Node.js soon {hope}
and thus make a brilliant modern digi-dossier
and for TW too in 2014++
 
FIRST just Put all your memos, scans, photos, TiddlyWikis whatever on there.

BUT Put your main effort now into:

file/folder naming,
readable grouping // guided by the README-FIRST of course ;-)
gathering up the documents, copies and meta-=notes thereof.

If you get the order right, and with minimal choreography
TW and/or any other set of slide or presentation tools,
you can have full screen fast swipe access
IN SEQUENCE
or in demand
or via link for each topic and sub-detail.
Update as necessary or time allows.

Photos of documents - start of just simple images
then maybe use TW to annotate them..

This way one has the sort-of-maybe-best mostly of both worlds.
As things progress, you can print out to suit your Wife's perspective.
Tablets are the modern book. BUT need power/recharge.

~jason


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[tw] Re: how secure is encrypted TW5 and DropBox?

[Bill Dixon]

Jason,

Thanks for the suggestion of a paper document.  I have actually considered 
that, because my wife is definitely non-technical. (I've been in I.T. for 
33+ years, so I know I tend to gravitate toward the high-tech solutions.)

My biggest concern about using paper is that I won't keep it up-to-date. 
 My goal is to have a single TW tiddler that's along the lines of a 
"read-me-first" document, with sections for:

   - Life Insurance
   - Retirement Funds
   - Stocks and Bonds
   - Wills
   - Miscellaneous Financial Information
   - Miscellaneous Topics

These are the sections I've come up with so far.  Each section basically 
has links to other tiddlers.  For example, the Retirement Funds section has 
links to individual tiddlers for the 401(k) accounts from various employers 
I've had lately.

By having the TW database residing on my laptop, I should be able to keep 
it up-to-date.  By also storing it somewhere like DropBox, with a shortcut 
on my wife's laptop, she will always have access to the latest version. 
 And I'm also working on updating my will, and plan on including a note as 
an attachment, with instructions on how to access the TW entries in the 
event both of us die at the same time.  And yes, I will definitely walk her 
through the entire documentation once I have it all in place.

Actually, I suppose the best of both worlds would be if there was a way to 
easily print out the information in all the tiddlers, preferably in a 
semi-automated manner.  That way, I could print it out once a year, replace 
(and shred) the older copy, and make sure my wife knows where to find it.

So, right now I'm just trying to convince myself that if I encrypt the TW5 
database with a password, is it safe to place that html file on a public 
server?  Even without the passwords to financial web sites, there will 
still be a lot of sensitive information in it.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and assistance,
Bill

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[tw] Re: how secure is encrypted TW5 and DropBox?

[PMario]

If you search for "zip password recovery" with google. I doubt, you'll 
really want to use this.

Truecrypt is great but as you mentioned, a bit more complicated. 
-m

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[tw] Re: how secure is encrypted TW5 and DropBox?

[Stephan Hradek]

Hi Bill!

Sorry to read about your heart attack. But to be honest: I don't think, 
TiddlyWiki or any other electronic stuff would really help your wife in the 
worst case.

You know what I'd do: Talk with her. Show her what she will have to do and 
to know. I think this is much better than having to hack yourself through a 
huge bunch of electronic bits of information she does not yet know.

Just my 0,01 Eurocent ;)

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[tw] Re: how secure is encrypted TW5 and DropBox?

[cangaroo joe]

Your idea is not bad. An other solution would be Evernote (online 
synchronization and the encryption of sensitive information). Or you can 
simply organize your digital documents, notes, etc. in folders then archive 
and password protect it with zip or rar archivers and put the package in 
dropbox. Truecrypt is the safest but a bit complicated method. I would 
never put personal info in the cloud unencrypted. Always make backups of 
your data. Take care.

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