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Mac OS X 10.7 Lion to ship with cloud-based FileVault?
As the release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion gets closer and closer, rumors are starting to appear about what functionality Apple will add to the new version of its operating system. Today's rumor is based on an Apple patent, and it involves secure online storage.Apple has been rumored to go all in with cloud services for many years, yet for some reason Mobile Me is all we've got so far. But if Apple's recently uncovered patent regarding secure cloud storage will turn into an actual Mac OS X feature, that's clearly about to change.
The new feature would aim to protect your files in the cloud similarly to how a safe deposit box protects your assets in the real world. The basic idea is that a safe icon will be added to the Mac OS Dock. Once you drop a file over that icon, it will be automatically uploaded to Apple's servers, and it will be 'protected' (we assume that means 'encrypted'). All the files stored for you on Apple's servers will be instantly available to you once you log in to the Safe Deposit Service with a user name and password. For enhanced security, the login will expire after a set period of time has passed, to prevent accidental access to your files by others.
The cloud-based storage service would also apparently store copies of iTunes purchases, making iTunes customers everywhere less wary about possible hardware failures.
Of course, similar technology is already built into OS X with FileVault, which encrypts and stores secure files on the fly. The cloud component is missing as of yet though, and if Apple will go with full encryption for your cloud-based storage, its service will certainly pose a great threat to the Dropboxes of the world. Anyway, as this is all based on a patent that might never be used, do take it with a pinch of salt. We'll know for sure what all the new features in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion are this summer, when it will finally be released.
Comments
4
Subscribe to commentsragtagFeb 22nd 2011 10:54AM
SpiderOak has been doing cloud based CROSS PLATFORM encrypted storage for a while now. They do all the encryption on your side, so even SpiderOak employes can't access your files....at least that's what they say. :)
That said, encrypted cloud storage, isn't really compatible with the existing FileVault in OSX. FileVault creates a disk image which is mounted and contains all the files. Which means you would have to upload the whole disk image every time.
Drew GreenFeb 22nd 2011 11:08AM
I'm unsure based on the article if this means data will be stored locally and in the cloud or just in the cloud. What happens when you're without an internet connection?
ChuFeb 22nd 2011 2:19PM
Wait a second... isn't that just the same as Ubuntu One?
SanjisanFeb 22nd 2011 4:58PM
I know this was already said above, but let me get this straight. Ubuntu One has been in effect and comes installed on Ubuntu by default as of what 10.10? 10.04? Now for a LONG time for Synaptic and a short while for the Ubuntu Store, and Apple yanks this one too. Now which company/OS (Giving credit to all Linux OS) is still revolutionary? I simply just do not understand.