1. What is Krywerk?¶
Krywerk encrypts folders and shows them decrypted as a drive – on Windows with its own letter in File Explorer, for
example Z:. You work in it like in any other folder: open, save, copy, and rename files. In the background, Krywerk
stores everything encrypted in an ordinary folder.
This folder can be anywhere folders are synced or shared: in OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Nextcloud, or iCloud Drive, on a network drive (SMB, NFS), or on a USB stick. The storage provider only sees encrypted data.
What stays visible and what doesn't?¶
| Visible to the storage provider? | |
|---|---|
| File contents | No |
| File and folder names | No (with Boxcryptor (legacy) only if filename encryption is turned on) |
| How many files there are and roughly how large they are | Yes |
| When files were changed | Yes |
Three kinds of drives¶
| Personal vault | Team folder | Boxcryptor (legacy) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What for? | Your own confidential files | Collaboration (subject group, committee, administration) | Keep using existing Boxcryptor data |
| How is it unlocked? | With the vault password | With your organization account (e.g. Microsoft 365), without a shared password | With the Boxcryptor key file and password |
| Who has access? | Anyone who knows the password | Only people and groups who have been granted access | Anyone who has the key file and password |
| On your phone? | Yes, with the Cryptomator app | Not yet | No |
| Label in Krywerk | “Personal (password)” | “Team” | “Boxcryptor (legacy)” |
Personal vaults use the open Cryptomator format. That is why you can also open them with the Cryptomator apps for Android, iOS, and Linux.
Team folders need a key server run by your organization – Krywerk Server or a Cryptomator Hub. The server manages who may open a team folder; it cannot read the files themselves. Your IT administration will give you its address.
Boxcryptor (legacy) is only meant for the transition. The method is older and does not protect against targeted tampering with the encrypted files. So switch such folders over step by step (chapter 6).
What Krywerk looks like¶
- Overview: At the top are status indicators, for example “Organization account: Your Name”. Below them are notices when something needs your attention, and the list “My drives” with all your drives and team folders.
- Settings: via “⚙ Settings” at the top right, or by right-clicking the Krywerk icon in the system tray. There you find the sections General, Organization account, Boxcryptor (legacy) (only if you use Boxcryptor folders), and About Krywerk.
- System tray: Krywerk keeps running in the background when you close the window. You find the icon at the bottom right of the taskbar, possibly hidden behind the arrow “^”. Quit by right-clicking the icon – this unmounts all drives.