How can I prevent someone from deleting my Dropbox files, If my device is hacked?

[zaboykie]

Hi.

If someone hacks my laptop and deletes all my files, they will be asked “Do you want to delete everywhere?”

They will surely say yes, and all my files on Dropbox are also deleted – so I have no way of recovering my files.

Please advise how Dropbox protects me from this scenario and/or what I have to do to maintain the security of my files.

[Mark]

Thats something you need to do in terms of protecting your machine. So how are you stopping somebody getting on to your device in the first place? Regardless of Dropbox they'd delete your data/steal it etc. so what are you doing to mitigate that? What backups, outside of Dropbox, do you have? What antivirus/firewall etc.?

Then you can restore, for free, for 30 days or longer if paid as long as they also dont go to the website and permanently delete the data. If they do that it is NOT recoverable at all. 

You can also unlink devices from Dropbox which avoids the possibility of deletion via the website if you loose them etc.

[LifeIsntStrange]

Get an external Hard Drive/SSD and backup everything that way even if you were to be hacked no big deal.. you have a backup of your whole pc/laptop

[zaboykie]

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions.

I am already using a separate hard drive, but backing up to it is a pain, as I can't find software that will only update changed and new files, so I have to copy everything! Any suggestions for software to use?

It would seem that unlinking from Dropbox would be the best answer, then I can relink on a daily basis to update my recent files, after which disconnect again.

I'll try this to see if it's as easy as it sounds???

[zaboykie]

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions.

I am already using a separate hard drive, but backing up to it is a pain, as I can't find software that will only update changed and new files, so I have to copy everything! Any suggestions for software to use?

[Mark]

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@zaboykie wrote:

It would seem that unlinking from Dropbox would be the best answer, then I can relink on a daily basis to update my recent files, after which disconnect again.

Dropbox on an external drive itself is a recipe for disaster. If the drive disconnects while running it can wipe everything remotely and then again when reconnected. Plus if you disconnect and reconnect everytime the index times are going to be horrendous. That means time without syncing while it sets everything up. Remember Dropbox is designed to replace external devices so this isnt something that is intended to work like this. 

[zaboykie]

s for the comprehensive details, but I was thinking of stopping Dropbox updates on my laptop, not an external drive.
Unless you consider my laptop as an external drive itself?

Thanks

[Rich · Accepted solution]

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@zaboykie wrote:

It would seem that unlinking from Dropbox would be the best answer, then I can relink on a daily basis to update my recent files, after which disconnect again.

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This is just asking for problems. Dropbox is meant to be kept running. Not constantly disconnected and reconnected. Each time you do this Dropbox will need to re-index your files; a process that can take hours or sometimes even days depending on how much data you have.

I think this entire idea is an overreaction to something that possibly could but likely won't ever happen. And even if it a did, if your laptop is secured then it wouldn't be a problem even if it did happen, other than the loss of the computer itself.

If this is that big of a concern, securing your device will do you much better than worrying about Dropbox. Make sure you're using good security on the device itself. Biometrics, a security key, etc., for signing in. That alone would stop anyone from signing in as you and running the Dropbox application. Using BitLocker or an equivalent to encrypt your drive will make it so the drive can't be accessed directly, which prevents anyone from accessing the files in your Dropbox folder.

And failing all that, if your files were deleted from Dropbox, you have 30 or 180 days (depending on your plan) to recover them. Add that to your external drive and you're probably protected more than most people, unfortunately.

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I am already using a separate hard drive, but backing up to it is a pain, as I can't find software that will only update changed and new files ...

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Are you on Windows? If so, look for Microsoft's SyncToy. It was discontinued a couple of years ago but there are still downloads available out there.

[zaboykie]

Thank you for both your patience and persistence.
Your feedback and advice is extremely useful and calms my paranoia quite a bit.
Maybe I'll be able to sleep tonight after all LOL.