EncFS icon
EncFS icon

EncFS

EncFS provides an encrypted filesystem in user-space. It runs without any special permissions and uses the FUSE library and Linux kernel module to provide the filesystem interface. You can find links to source and binary releases below.

Cost / License

  • Free
  • Open Source

Alerts

  • Warning

Platforms

  • Mac
  • Linux  Alternative is ecryptfs, for Linux only
  • BSD  Is available on FreeBSD, PC-BSD, alternative is pefs, for BSD's only
EncFS alternatives  
Warning

The author has agreed that EncFS in its current form is dangerous (to security) for several reasons. Wikipedia has a brief summary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EncFS#General_Security_ConcernsThe actual audit, which the author participated in, is here: https://defuse.ca/audits/encfs.htm

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Our users have written 2 comments and reviews about EncFS, and it has gotten 25 likes

EncFS was added to AlternativeTo by py2maker on and this page was last updated .

Comments and Reviews

   
Top Positive Comment
Francewhoa
1

I love EncFS. It is owned and supported by a friendly community. The code is available for public review, so more secure than proprietary options.

As for the security concerns, EncFS version 1.7 is probably safe as long as the adversary only gets one copy of the ciphertext and nothing more. EncFS is not safe if the adversary has the opportunity to see two or more snapshots of the ciphertext at different times.

EncFS version 1.8 and 1.9.1 fixed many of those security concerns. Future versions will hopefull fix all of them.

The version 2.0 was announce. Here is the related message from the author: "I've started cleaning up in order to try and provide a better base for a version 2, but whether EncFS flowers again depends upon community interest. In order to make it easier for anyone to contribute, it is moving a new home on Github. So if you're interested in EncFS, please dive in!" Source at https://github.com/vgough/encfs

[Edited by Francewhoa, April 14]

LT

Yeah EncFS is great.

I will compare EncFS to cryptomator and boxcryptor. boxcryptor being close source (it's 1.0 is indeed encfs...), I wont trust them fully.

cryptomator 's version up to 1.3.3 use java and it's slow as hell. And being using webDAV it CANNOT handle 4GB+ file. v1.4.0+ will use FUSE... let's see. ctmt is also open source, however.

combined all concerns, I turn to encfs. free, open source. should be secure as so far no news about leakage/breach and it's improving from v1.7 to 1.9.1 And it's fast, stable (same fast and stable as boxcryptor 2.0, but BC 2.0 no longer is encfs).

so as a mainly windows user with google drive and onedrive, among encfs, ctmt and bc1/2,

now I have joined encfs4win by jetwhiz.

thanks

User8799554
-1

STAY away !!

There is a bug and its developers don't give a F* about it. You cannot delete files/folders! if you delete them they re-appear on the archive.

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What is EncFS?

EncFS provides an encrypted filesystem in user-space. It runs without any special permissions and uses the FUSE library and Linux kernel module to provide the filesystem interface. You can find links to source and binary releases below. EncFS is open source software, licensed under the GPL.

As with most encrypted filesystems, Encfs is meant to provide security against off-line attacks; ie your notebook or backups fall into the wrong hands, etc. The way Encfs works is different from the “loopback” encrypted filesystem support built into the Linux kernel because it works on files at a time, not an entire block device. This is a big advantage in some ways, but does not come without a cost.

See also the extended introduction page if you are new to EncFS.

If you need help, please use the encfs-users mailing list. You can also send me encfs questions directly, but I may CC a response to the mailing list, to help other people who may have the same question.

Slides from talk: In July 2005 I gave a presentation of EncFS at the Libre Software Meeting in France. Slides are available as PDF, or with last-minute changes in OpenOffice presentation format.