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Dropbox Is Dropping Support For All Linux File Systems Except Unencrypted Ext4 (dropboxforum.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the public-service-announcement dept.

New submitter rokahasch writes: Starting today, August 10th, most users of the Dropbox desktop app on Linux have been receiving notifications that their Dropbox will stop syncing starting November. Over at the Dropbox forums, Dropbox have declared that the only Linux filesystem supported for storage of the Dropbox sync folder starting the 7th of November will be on a clean ext4 file system. This basically means Dropbox drops Linux support completely, as almost all Linux distributions have other file systems as their standard installation defaults nowadays -- not to mention encryption running on top of even an ext4 file system, which won't qualify as a clean ext4 file system for Dropbox (such as eCryptfs which is the default in, for example, Ubuntu for encrypted home folders).

The thread is trending heavily on Dropbox' forums with the forum's most views since the thread started earlier today. The cries from a large amount of Linux users have so far remained unanswered from Dropbox, with most users finding the explanation given for this change unconvincing. The explanation given so far is that Dropbox requires a file system with support for Extended attributes/Xattrs. Extended attributes however are supported by all major Linux/Posix complaint file systems. Dropbox has, up until today, supported Linux platforms since their services began back in 2007. A number of users have taken to Twitter to protest the move. Twitter user troyvoy88 tweets: "Well, you just let the shitstorm loose @Dropbox dropping support for some linux FS like XFS and BTRFS. No way in hell im going to reformat my @fedora #development station and removing encryption no way!"

Another user by the name of daltux wrote: "It will be time to say goodbye then, @Dropbox. I won't store any personal files on an unencrypted partition."

27 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. If you care enough to encrypt a volume... by llamalad · · Score: 4, Insightful

    why would you trust a cloud storage provider to keep a copy of it?

    1. Re:If you care enough to encrypt a volume... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Because people steal laptops all the time. They also steal USB keys with data you may be compelled to share with workmates.

    2. Re:If you care enough to encrypt a volume... by gtwrek · · Score: 5, Informative

      The normal setup is encryption after partition. Meaning dropbox is operating on the unencrypted data. Sure dropbox may re-encrypt on their end (and probably in flight too). But that whole thing is encryption on their terms (Dropbox) not yours. Meaning as strong as they like it, and key-management as they like it.

      All the linux encrypted volume stuff is meaningless to the files stored on the Dropbox Cloud.

      That said, this decision my Dropbox is troublesome. They have a really good cross-platform product that syncs better than most of the existing solutions. I don't think this a wise decision.

      A current (paid) Dropbox user, watching carefully...

    3. Re:If you care enough to encrypt a volume... by thegarbz · · Score: 3, Informative

      why would you trust a cloud storage provider to keep a copy of it?

      Because the odds of someone directly hacking my account at dropbox and sucking my data out are lower than the odds of one of the many hotel staff who walk into my room unannounced lifting my laptop. It's like when someone asks why I have an encrypted external drive that auto-decrypts when connected to my computer without a password: The odds of the drive going missing without the computer are higher than the odds of losing both + the computer unlock password.

      Security isn't an on or off thing. It's a sliding scale of risk profiles and associated mittigations.

  2. eCryptfs is deprecated... by gQuigs · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ecryptfs was dropped from the Ubuntu installer and deprecated in 18.04 LTS in favor of full disk or manually using fscrypt (work is ongoing to make this easier) - because it does have various issues.

    See this bug for more: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubu...

  3. I don't get it. by xvan · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't dropbox sync a userland application? Why does it care about the underlying FS?

    1. Re:I don't get it. by slack_justyb · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Isn't dropbox sync a userland application? Why does it care about the underlying FS?

      It doesn't. Someone at Dropbox basically did this.

      select fstype, isencrypted, count(1) from dropboxusers where ispaying='Y' and ostype='linux' group by fstype, isencrypted

      And the answer was overwhelmingly the configuration they are moving to.

    2. Re:I don't get it. by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 5, Informative

      Isn't dropbox sync a userland application? Why does it care about the underlying FS?

      Dropbox likes to worm its way into the operating system and get access it doesn’t need - I can only speculate that the sleazeballs are doing something behind the scenes with that access in an attempt to furtively monetize their users’ data.

      I stopped using Dropbox on OS X when they got caught adding themselves into the system-wide accessibility permissions table without asking. Thing is, the service works just fine without that (I did it for a couple weeks, until I got tired of denying Dropbox’s repeated requests to “fix” my system). So why are they asking for it - can’t be for any reason the end user would want.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
  4. Why... by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...does the Dropbox App even care about the low level details of the file system? Shouldn't they all look the same to it from an API perspective?

  5. Re:Dropbox decided on their target market by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hey! I may be a sweaty neckbeard, but I'm NOT fat!!!

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  6. Open source the client by AlanBDee · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They should open source their linux client then. I bet this boils down to them thinking that it cost them more money to maintain the client then the number customers they will lose by not having it. I know for me their linux support was one of the reason why I have been a long time user.

    Anyone know of a good way to automatically sync photos taken on Android and Apple phones to my NAS at home? At this point that's about the only super handy feature from Dropbox that I use.

    1. Re:Open source the client by arth1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They should open source their linux client then. I bet this boils down to them thinking that it cost them more money to maintain the client then the number customers they will lose by not having it.

      Or it boils down to National Security Letters telling them that someone wants access to the unencrypted data, on a file system that doesn't do automatic wiping.

    2. Re:Open source the client by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 4, Informative

      Dropbox reads the data unencrypted from an unlocked encrypted filesystem, so it has the unencrypted data anyway. That was my first thought, too, but it doesn't make much sense.

  7. Why uses Dropbox? by goosesensor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What Linux user uses drop box? You're doing it wrong.

  8. Re:Can't use the app? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can, but then you lose synchronization, and good luck dealing with large files over a slow connection.

  9. Ext4 not standard any more? by jawtheshark · · Score: 4, Insightful
    What filesystem are you supposed to use then today? For my laptops I use ext4 on top of lvm, ok top of LUKS. For my desktops, it's without LUKS.

    I thought ext4 was still pretty much standard.

    Why does a synchronisation system even concern itself with filesystems?

    --
    Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
  10. Re:First thought... by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It still has access to the unencrypted files once an encrypted filesystem is unlocked, so what's the difference?

  11. Re:Who uses Linux anyway? by SeaFox · · Score: 5, Funny

    Litmus test to tell whether or not Linux is a viable desktop OS:

    Me, on phone: "Hey wife, can you log into my laptop and email me a file?"
    Wife: Mmmm ... :/

    I can understand, I mean the process in Linux would be:

    1. Turn on computer.
    2. Enter password at login prompt.
    3. Open mail client.
    4. Open new email compose window.
    5. Add attachment.
    6. Address email.
    7. Click Send

    Meanwhile, it's so much different in macOS. You have to:

    1. Turn on computer.
    2. Enter password at login prompt.
    3. Open mail client.
    4. Open new email compose window.
    5. Add attachment.
    6. Address email.
    7. Click Send

    Bonus: You can have the exact same email client on both platforms -- Thunderbird. Making the process identical even in detailed "here's how you move a mouse" level directions.

  12. Re:Who uses Linux anyway? by war4peace · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Your wife knows your credentials? Man, your security's shit.

    --
    ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
  13. One word, fellas by war4peace · · Score: 4, Informative

    Backblaze B2.
    Or SpiderOak.

    --
    ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
    1. Re:One word, fellas by trawg · · Score: 3, Interesting

      SpiderOak are discontinuing their warrant canary, which some are speculating that it means their canary is dead & they have been compromised.

      They are also offering a short-term unlimited backup plan (which expires today). The close timing of that & the canary announcement is a little interesting. I was literally about to sign up to move away from Dropbox when I heard the warrant canary thing and it was confusing/disturbing enough to make me hold off.

  14. zvols. by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 4, Insightful


    zfs create -V 10G tank/ext4
    mkfs.ext4 /dev/zvol/tank/ext4
    mount /dev/zvol/tank/ext4 /mnt/dropbox/

    Plus you get snapshots, zfs-send, and all the other goodies that come with it.

  15. Re:One word.... by Mal-2 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Why can't they? They were up until now.

    --
    How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
  16. Re:One word.... by BronsCon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My text editor doesn't give a shit what filesystem I'm using. There's no real reason Dropbox should, either; they're doing file-level transactions, not block-level.

    --
    APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
  17. Filesystem within a filesystem... by glenebob · · Score: 4, Interesting

    dd if=/dev/zero of=StupidDropbox.fs bs=4096 count=
    mke2fs -t ext4 StupidDropbox.fs
    mkdir StupidDropbox
    mount StupidDropbox.fs StupidDropbox

  18. Re:Who uses Linux anyway? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    On windows it' s so much easier. You have to:

    1. Turn on computer.
    2. Enter password at login prompt.
    3. Open mail client.
    4. Wait for unscheduled system update.
    5. Wait for system reboot.
    6. Enter password at login prompt.
    7. Open mail client.
    8. Click refuse opt-in to store mail in the cloud.
    9. Open new email compose window.
    10. Add attachment.
    11. Click refuse ad to install mail checker app.
    12. Address email.
    13. Wait for unscheduled system update.
    14. Wait for system reboot.
    16. Enter password at login prompt.
    17. Open mail client.
    18. Open saved draft.
    19. Click Send

  19. Re: Dropbox decided on their target market by arglebargle_xiv · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm fat, sweaty, and have a neckbeard, but I identify as an attack helicopter!