Securing network folder

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xpd

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#324677 11-May-2026 15:23

Wife is doing a course via a local tech, and part of her course is that she needs to take videos, and document details from a certain group of people.

Now, she wants to keep the files somewhere "safe" (meaning my home server), but does not want ANYONE, including myself, to be able to access those files.

Whats the best solution ? (I've suggested cloud options but nope, she does not trust the cloud for anything at all - and don't go down the route "but its everything today" - had that "discussion" :D )

"Server" is running Windows 10 Pro, and backed up nightly.

I asked AI and it came up with using a ZIP folder with a password, not a bad idea in a way. Or else Veracrypt - install on the server, and wife has on her laptop as well - but there is slight risk of corruption as its not designed for network use.

Anything else ? Using external drive is out.

Do I just get her a personal NAS and use whatever onboard options that has for locking down data ?

XPD / Gavin

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geek3001

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#3489893 11-May-2026 15:32

Presumably you as the admin of the server will be able to access the files if you want.

This is one of those human trust situations that admins have in a business environment.

Admins just have to be trusted to NOT make any attempt to access such files that are off-limits, and NOT abuse that trust.

xpd

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#3489896 11-May-2026 15:38

Goosey:

Can she not just use the polytech login to save to a folder within their environment?

If you saw the email they just sent the students, after the Canvas hack, you'd never let that thought enter your mind. So, no, not an option. (Basically told students to upload their work to a Teams folder which ALL the students have access to and can download one anothers work - not secured at all)

XPD / Gavin

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wellygary

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#3489897 11-May-2026 15:38

Keep it simply, playing around with Veracrypt or similar is overkill.. its a course project not national secrets....

How much data are we talking about?

The NAS's biggest problem is that to prevent you accessing is means that you have to give her control of all the Admin passwords etc...

An encrypted Zip folder that she has the password to and copies to the NAS for safe keeping would seem the best outcome...

xpd

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#3489899 11-May-2026 15:39

geek3001:

Presumably you as the admin of the server will be able to access the files if you want.

This is one of those human trust situations that admins have in a business environment.

Admins just have to be trusted to NOT make any attempt to access such files that are off-limits, and NOT abuse that trust.

Yup, and she does trust me but shes paranoid due to the nature of her study etc. (Grief counselling)

XPD / Gavin

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xpd

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#3489900 11-May-2026 15:42

wellygary:

Keep it simply, playing around with Veracrypt or similar is overkill.. its a course project not national secrets....

How much data are we talking about?

The NAS's biggest problem is that to prevent you accessing is means that you have to give her control of all the Admin passwords etc...

An encrypted Zip folder that she has the password to and copies to the NAS for safe keeping would seem the best outcome...

Some of the recordings are 5GB+, multiple of those, documents etc, so a couple hundred GB probably fine for her.

I'd be fine with her having only access to the NAS, but it'd be totally on her if anything goes wrong. (Yeah right) :)

XPD / Gavin

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gbwelly

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#3489901 11-May-2026 15:44

Could just use a regular folder and put a vhdx virtual drive file in there that is encrypted with bitlocker. Tell her to eject it once she's done. Get her to pick the password while you turn away.

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Tinkerisk

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#3489906 11-May-2026 16:04

Please tick the appropriate box:

O New wife 😉

O Use Linux 😁

O Second NAS 🫣

O Encrypt files before storing on existing NAS 😎

This is nothing other than what one should be doing anyway—especially if one places one's data in the public cloud. i.e. Cryptomator or AxCrypt

Qui nihil scit, omnia credere debet. - He who knows nothing must believe everything.
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In effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who „someone“ is.

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#3489909 11-May-2026 16:15

Tinkerisk:

Please tick the appropriate box:

O New wife 😉

...

I'm on my third wife, and the same problems persist.

Mike

lxsw20

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#3489918 11-May-2026 16:38

xpd:

Goosey:

Can she not just use the polytech login to save to a folder within their environment?

If you saw the email they just sent the students, after the Canvas hack, you'd never let that thought enter your mind. So, no, not an option. (Basically told students to upload their work to a Teams folder which ALL the students have access to and can download one anothers work - not secured at all)

This is not a technology problem, its a user training problem (how to share files in a Microsoft environment)

Tinkerisk

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#3489955 11-May-2026 18:28

MikeAqua:

Tinkerisk:

Please tick the appropriate box:

O New wife 😉

...

I'm on my third wife, and the same problems persist.

That wouldn't have been the right answer anyway—simply because that is how it is. 🤣😉

Qui nihil scit, omnia credere debet. - He who knows nothing must believe everything.
Firewalls do NOT stop dragons. Really not!
I avoid Big Tech. They try hard to dictate technology and „culture“ across borders.
In effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who „someone“ is.

ANglEAUT

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#3489969 11-May-2026 18:56

xpd: ... Now, she wants to keep the files somewhere "safe" ..., but does not want ANYONE, including myself, to be able to access those files. ...

If you don't trust anyone else, you have to do things yourself. I.e. she manages the passwords, she manages the encryption, she manages updates, she manages the storage, she manages ...

Do you currently have admin access to her machine? If you do, I believe there is no point in discussing this topic any further. 🤷‍♂️ What's the point of keeping the files anywhere else that no-one can access?

If her local hard drive is big enough, one option would be to install a separate backup solution on her PC. Ensure the solution can 1) back-up to a network share, 2) has it's own encryption password. At the right point in the process, she enters the backup encryption key & you continue to complete the configuration. Going forward, she simply has to monitor the backup logs. You can decrypt the backed up files even if you can access them on the share.

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ANglEAUT

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#3489970 11-May-2026 18:59

gbwelly:

Could just use a regular folder and put a vhdx virtual drive file in there that is encrypted with bitlocker. Tell her to eject it once she's done. Get her to pick the password while you turn away.

Very good suggestion. Keep in mind that if the VHDX is on a network share (due to size), there is no working on the files away from home, there is no closing the lid & putting the laptop to sleep if the drive is mounted.

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