Technical Implementation of Data Redundancy and Encryption using Syncthing and Cryptomator
Technical Report: Secure Data Synchronization and Encryption
Project Overview: Implementation of a high-availability and zero-knowledge storage solution.
1. Project Environment
Our infrastructure is based on a virtualized local network (LAN) designed to simulate a professional data environment:
Hypervisor: Oracle VM VirtualBox.
Node 1: Linux Debian/Ubuntu (Hostname: SRV-LIN-01 | IP: 192.168.1.12).
Node 2: Linux Ubuntu (Hostname: SRV-LIN-02 | IP: 192.168.1.10).
Network: Internal Network mode (intnet) for traffic isolation, ensuring all synchronization data remains within the private infrastructure.
2. Utility and Purpose
The combination of these tools addresses two critical IT requirements:
Redundancy (Syncthing): Ensures that data is mirrored in real-time between two separate locations. This prevents data loss in case of hardware failure on one node.
End-to-End Encryption (Cryptomator): Provides a « Zero-Knowledge » security layer. Files are encrypted locally before being synced. Even if the network traffic is intercepted or the destination drive is stolen, the data remains unreadable.
Cross-Platform Interoperability: This setup allows seamless secure communication between different Linux distributions or even Windows systems.
3. Step-by-Step Implementation
Phase A: Peer-to-Peer Synchronization (Syncthing)
We deployed Syncthing to manage the continuous replication of the work directory.
The devices are linked via a TLS-secured tunnel. We then created a shared folder named SyncSIO.
Phase B: Vault Creation and Encryption (Cryptomator)
To protect sensitive files, we added an encryption layer. We created a vault named SIOSECRET located inside the Syncthing synchronized folder.
Phase C: Verification and Security Proof
When the vault is unlocked, it mounts as a virtual drive where files are handled normally.
To demonstrate the security, we inspected the synchronized folder directly through the standard file explorer.
Technical Note: This proves that the data is encrypted at rest. Without the Cryptomator software and the correct password, the content is strictly inaccessible.
4. Conclusion
This architecture provides a professional-grade solution for securing sensitive data. By decoupling synchronization (Syncthing) from encryption (Cryptomator), we maintain total control over the data without relying on third-party cloud providers or unencrypted local shares.
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