Feature Request – Password Protected Backups

[Riyaz.Hussain]

As most of the people would use USB drives as the backup destination which most of the times gets shared, password protection would help a lot to ensure that the backup files are not opened by anyone else if if the drive is stolen or lost. I guess this would be an essential feature.

[Vitaliy S.]

Do you mean that USB drive could be shared with existing backups between multiple users? What about using TrueCrypt and other software to encrypt backup files in this case? Thanks for the feedback!

[Dima P.]

Riyaz,
BTW We are now working to support complete integration with windows built in BitLocker and as far as I know it could be used even for the USB drive.

[Riyaz.Hussain]

That's a good work around but dual job and the user needs to ensure that the drive is encrypted.... However solves the purpose....

[Gostev]

In v1, native encryption will only be provided when backing up to a Veeam backup repository.

[Regnor]

Riyaz,
BTW We are now working to support complete integration with windows built in BitLocker and as far as I know it could be used even for the USB drive.

Shouldn't this already work with v1?
You can automatically unlock a Bitlocker encrypted USB-drive when it gets connected, so the user encrypts his drive the first time, sets it to automatically unlock and VEB sees the drive like a normal USB drive.

[Dima P.]

Yes it is, but it can only be done manually thru command line in BETA. IT pro will easily findout how to unlock the Bitlocked drive, however, we are thinking about end user experience (non IT person), so this might be something we will want to add in the actual UI.

[cta71]

Would be nice to have the option to encrypt backups, as it seems that this is not an option.

Currently seems like it would be possible to take any backup file that you have access to and be able to restore any of the files contained within, or the entire machine, which could be an issue for many people, particularly if the target is a USB drive, which can easily be misplaced or stolen.

Loving the simplicity so far.

Regards
Charles

[hvbuel]

Second.
This needs some priority if I may say so, unencrypted backups to usb devices are not done these days.

[Gostev]

OK, may be I am totally missing something, but is there any reason not to use Windows Bitlocker to encrypt those USB drives these days?

[Homes32]

OK, may be I am totally missing something, but is there any reason not to use Windows Bitlocker to encrypt those USB drives these days?

Because perhaps I also use this particular USB Harddrive to backup Mac and Linux Machines as well?

[Dima P.]

Jonathan,
I wonder if you can create separate volumes on the USB drive and keep one encrypted by Bitlocker for windows backups only?

[Homes32]

Jonathan,
I wonder if you can create separate volumes on the USB drive and keep one encrypted by Bitlocker for windows backups only?

I could of course. But in the interest of simplicity it would be much easier not to have to worry about it.

In the interest of keeping things together I will also mention Offsite Backups with 3rd party (and often untrusted) providers such as amazon/Micro$oft/dropbox/etc. as a good use case for builtin encryption.

[Homes32]

Haven't had a chance to try the bare metal/recovery appliance out yet as I'm just getting some machines backed up but does it provide the builtin ability to mount/read an bitlocker encrypted volume with a locally attached storage device? If not this also may be an reason not rely on bitlocker.

If I am at a friends/parent/grandparents home and their PC crashes I may not have the resources readily available to mount the device somewhere else and then do a NFS restore. just sayin I realize that grandma isn't the most likely case of needing encryption but ya never know when user might decide to carry off there USB harddrive. I'd rather not take the chance.

[Kirk.Newson]

Only for Veeam Repository makes sense.
However Image encryption is a huge hole to leave out of the product.

[Homes32]

Haven't had a chance to try the bare metal/recovery appliance out yet as I'm just getting some machines backed up but does it provide the builtin ability to mount/read an bitlocker encrypted volume with a locally attached storage device? If not this also may be an reason not rely on bitlocker.

ok. have had a chance to explore the recovery CD and there is definitely no support for loading encrypted volumes with either bitlocker or free 3rd party encryption such as truecrypt/DiskCryptor/CipherShed. This makes restoring from such media impossible for simple operations and use cases. Yes, there is still network mode IF you can mount the drive somewhere else, have a network available, etc. But I consider this an advanced scenario and needlessly complex if the idea is to create a simple and easy endpoint backup that everyone can use.

Only for Veeam Repository makes sense.

only if leaving out the encryption is the result of IP/Licensing/something that costs them $$$ to include it. Then there is at least a valid reason for leaving it out of a free product. Otherwise in this day and age of portable everything and digital/identity theft/security concerns at every corner there is really no excuse. That goes double if you are going to use this to backup any machines in a environment regulated by PCI/GLBA/HIPPA etc. then regulations DEMAND that all backups be encrypted. large business using this in-house will probably have a veeam repository, but others may not.

[useronly]

Great Software, even in Beta-Status. Thank you.

I think this would be usefull:
Password Protection for the Backup (Password should be stored in the configuration, available for Admins-only
user should have the posibility to recover files from password-protected backups without enterin/knowing the password
on the same workstation but not on a different one)

[Dima P.]

Markus,
Already noted, thank you.

[useronly]

the Feature should (in my case) handle this Situation: we have remote workers wich couldn´t backup the data in our central datacenter (because of bandwith!) . With this Software we could solve this Problem. but if the user leave the Company he could just copy the backup and he (or she) will have all data. If the backup is encrypted this Problem will be solved.

[dschutz]

+1 vote for encryption in backups either to USB or cloud. Would be happy to pay for this as a premium feature.

[Washi]

I suggests adding encryption of backup data.

[darrenduke]

Title says it all really. Not sure if this will be coming as part of the Veeam B&R integration but this would be really helpful for long term storage of endpoint backups.

[Dima P.]

Hello Darren,
Yes, backup encryption is supported only as a part of the integration with VBR repository.

As for an end users Endpoint has a built in BitLocker support for both source and target: you can use external drive or local disk (not recommended) with enabled BitLocker. On the OS level auto unlock must be turned on and for the bare metal restore its possible to unlock the backup repository or backup destination from the recovery media UI.

[Gostev]

Yes, backup encryption is supported only as a part of the integration with VBR repository.

The reason being is that password loss protection feature of our encryption engine requires a Veeam server.

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Darren,

When you say long-term storage of endpoint backups, do you refer to some offsite location, cloud based storage by any chance?

Thanks!