Ask HN: Tool to share/exchange personal and confidential files

4 pointsakashcoach2y ago9 comments

What tool do you use to share/exchange personal and confidential files with outside organizations ? Size of the files can be large in many GBs. Security is the main concern. Tool should be web based.

9 comments

plz-remove-card2y ago

> Size of the files can be large in many GBs.

> Security is the main concern.

> Tool should be web based.

From your question it kinda sounds you actually have 3 main concerns, not just security. I can't give you any suggestions for web based tools but I can suggest:

1. Obtain a public SSH key out-of-band with the party that needs the large file and give them access to an SFTP share with that key.

2. Upload the file to a private S3 bucket and send them a signed link[1]

[1] https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/ShareO...

akashcoachOP2y ago

Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately the users of the system are not too technical so some of these steps might be too much for them. Is there a user friendly tool in this space of secure file exchange?

bobbiechen2y ago

Based on your non-technical users, you may want something with a Dropbox-like UI that can be self-hosted, like PsiTransfer https://github.com/psi-4ward/psitransfer .

If you're hosting in the cloud, you can improve the security posture using confidential computing like AWS Nitro Enclaves. Contact me at bobbie.chen@anjuna.io if you'd like more info on getting started with that.

runjake2y ago

SFTP.

For non-technical partners, we have a simple instructional document on how to download and use Filezilla[1] to connect. We haven't had many challenges.

1. https://filezilla-project.org/

akashcoachOP2y ago

External orgs sysadmin does not allow filezila installation. That is why we are looking for a web based solution that they can access via the browser.

dagw2y ago

Another problem I've run into more than once is that many orgs don't allow ssh out through the firewall. One project I worked on recently the client had to send and receive data via his home computer after work and transport it to/from his work computer on a USB drive. Apparently that was fine.

1 more reply

runjake2y ago

If those were the requirements, I'd pay for Dropbox and use their web sharing platform.

It's probably the least janky solution I've come across in a land of janky and insecure.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

9 comments

plz-remove-card2y ago

> Size of the files can be large in many GBs.

> Security is the main concern.

> Tool should be web based.

From your question it kinda sounds you actually have 3 main concerns, not just security. I can't give you any suggestions for web based tools but I can suggest:

1. Obtain a public SSH key out-of-band with the party that needs the large file and give them access to an SFTP share with that key.

2. Upload the file to a private S3 bucket and send them a signed link[1]

[1] https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/ShareO...

akashcoachOP2y ago

bobbiechen2y ago

Based on your non-technical users, you may want something with a Dropbox-like UI that can be self-hosted, like PsiTransfer https://github.com/psi-4ward/psitransfer .

runjake2y ago

SFTP.

For non-technical partners, we have a simple instructional document on how to download and use Filezilla[1] to connect. We haven't had many challenges.

1. https://filezilla-project.org/

akashcoachOP2y ago

External orgs sysadmin does not allow filezila installation. That is why we are looking for a web based solution that they can access via the browser.

dagw2y ago

1 more reply

runjake2y ago

If those were the requirements, I'd pay for Dropbox and use their web sharing platform.

It's probably the least janky solution I've come across in a land of janky and insecure.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse