Syncthing - The Based Way to Sync Your Files

Summary

This video script explores Syncthing, a peer-to-peer file synchronization application that enhances the CIA Triad of information security—confidentiality, integrity, and availability—over cloud-based solutions. It delves into the benefits of decentralized file syncing and provides a step-by-step guide on installing and setting up Syncthing on Linux, discussing the importance of avoiding root user execution for security. The script also covers the setup process on other platforms, introduces forks like Syncthing-Tray for enhanced user interface features, and demonstrates how to sync files between devices using unique device IDs, emphasizing the flexibility and control Syncthing offers compared to traditional cloud storage services.

Takeaways

• 😀 Syncthing is a peer-to-peer file synchronization application, contrasting with centralized server-based applications like Dropbox and Google Drive.
• 🔒 The CIA Triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, is an information security model that is improved by using Syncthing over cloud-based solutions.
• 🤔 Confidentiality with cloud storage is often based on trust, as users cannot verify the security practices of the 'cloud', which may lead to data monetization.
• 🔒 Encryption claims by cloud providers can't be fully trusted unless the application is open source, as proprietary programs may not use robust encryption or could potentially share encryption keys.
• 🛡️ Cloud storage providers are larger targets for hackers, affecting the integrity of data, compared to self-hosted solutions like Syncthing.
• 🚀 Syncthing can offer better availability, as it does not rely on an internet connection and can be used over a local network without the risk of cloud service providers going out of business.
• 🛠️ Syncthing is available for various operating systems including Linux, BSD, Solaris, macOS, and Windows, and there are forks like Syncthing-Tray for additional features.
• 🔄 The installation process for Syncthing on Linux may involve using package managers, editing configuration files, and ensuring it does not run as root by default.
• 🌐 Syncthing's web GUI can be accessed locally, and port configurations can be adjusted if necessary, with additional settings available in XML format.
• 🔑 Devices need to share unique IDs to sync data, and while these can be shared publicly, confirmation is required on both devices before syncing can begin.
• 📁 Syncthing allows for fine-grained control over which folders and files are synced, offering more customization compared to traditional cloud solutions.

Q & A

What is Syncthing and how does it differ from other file sync applications like Dropbox or Google Drive?

Syncthing is a peer-to-peer file synchronization application, which differs from centralized, server-based applications like Dropbox or Google Drive. It offers improved confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data, as it does not rely on a third-party server for data storage and synchronization.

What is the CIA Triad in the context of information security?

The CIA Triad in information security stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. It is a model that organizations follow to ensure the security of their critical data.

Why might the confidentiality of data be compromised when using cloud-based solutions?

Confidentiality can be compromised in cloud-based solutions because users have to trust the cloud provider's security practices. There is a risk that the provider might analyze or monetize the user's data, which goes against the principle of confidentiality.

How does open-source software relate to trust in encryption for file synchronization?

Open-source software allows users to verify the encryption methods used in the application. With proprietary software, users cannot be sure if proper encryption is implemented or if encryption keys might be compromised.

What are the potential issues with data integrity when using cloud storage?

Data integrity issues with cloud storage can arise from hacking attempts, which can affect the CIA Triad. Cloud storage providers, serving many users, can become larger targets for hackers, potentially compromising data integrity.

Why might the availability of data be better with Syncthing compared to cloud storage?

Syncthing can offer better data availability because it does not require an internet connection for local area network (LAN) synchronization. In contrast, cloud storage requires an internet connection to access files, which might not always be available.

What steps are involved in setting up Syncthing on Linux?

Setting up Syncthing on Linux typically involves installing it from the package manager, ensuring the necessary init component is available, and configuring the user, group, and home directory for Syncthing to prevent it from running as root.

What are some forks of Syncthing that users might consider using?

Some forks of Syncthing include Syncthing-Tray and Syncthing-Resilio. These forks offer additional features like tray icons for synchronization status and are available for various operating systems.

How can users access the Syncthing web GUI for configuration and management?

Users can access the Syncthing web GUI by navigating to 'localhost:8384' in their web browser. If this does not work, users may need to check the configuration file for the correct port or other settings.

What is the significance of device IDs in Syncthing and how are they used?

Device IDs in Syncthing are unique identifiers for each device. They are used to establish connections between devices for file synchronization. Users must share and confirm these IDs on both devices before syncing can begin.

How does Syncthing provide more control over file synchronization compared to other cloud solutions?

Syncthing allows users to select specific folders for synchronization and define which devices they should be synced to. It also offers fine-grained control over the types of files synced from a folder, providing more flexibility and control than traditional cloud solutions.

Outlines

00:00

😲 Introduction to Syncthing's Peer-to-Peer File Syncing

The video introduces Syncthing as a unique peer-to-peer file synchronization application, contrasting it with centralized cloud-based services like Dropbox and Google Drive. It emphasizes the benefits of P2P syncing in terms of the CIA Triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. The speaker explains that using Syncthing can enhance these aspects compared to cloud solutions, where trust in security practices is uncertain, and data privacy could be compromised. The video also touches on the importance of open-source applications for ensuring genuine encryption and data security.

05:00

🛠️ Setting Up Syncthing on Linux and Other Platforms

This paragraph covers the installation process of Syncthing on Linux, mentioning the availability of the software in package repositories and the potential need for additional components like init systems. It advises against running Syncthing as root and provides steps to configure user permissions and settings to prevent files from being stored in the root directory. The speaker also discusses the availability of Syncthing on various platforms, including BSD, Solaris, Mac OS, and Windows, and mentions forks of the software like Syncthing-Tray, which offers additional features like system tray icons.

10:03

🔄 Exploring Syncthing's Web GUI and Device Setup

The speaker demonstrates how to access and navigate Syncthing's web-based graphical user interface (GUI), explaining the initial setup process, including the configuration of device IDs for syncing. They mention the importance of confirming device IDs on both ends before syncing can begin, ensuring secure data transfer. The video also covers how to add folders to sync, customize folder settings, and manage file synchronization preferences. It highlights the flexibility and control Syncthing offers over file syncing compared to traditional cloud storage solutions.

15:04

📲 Syncing Files Between Devices Using Syncthing

This section of the video script illustrates the process of syncing files between devices using Syncthing. The speaker shows how to add a device to the sync list, confirm the device ID, and establish a connection for syncing. They also discuss the importance of not running Syncthing as root to avoid storing files in the root directory and demonstrate how to change default settings for a neater file organization. The video concludes with a practical example of syncing an image file from a phone to a computer, showcasing the ease of use and functionality of Syncthing.

🌐 Advanced Syncthing Features and Conclusion

The final paragraph hints at more advanced features of Syncthing that will be covered in future videos, such as creating different sync folders and binding Syncthing to a public IP to create a personal cloud accessible from anywhere. The speaker encourages viewers to like and share the video to support the content and mentions their website, base.win, offering merchandise with a discount for payments made in Monero (XMR). The video concludes with a positive note, wishing viewers a great day.

Keywords

💡Syncthing

Syncthing is an open-source peer-to-peer file synchronization application that allows users to sync files across multiple devices without relying on a central server. It is highlighted in the video as an alternative to centralized cloud storage services like Dropbox and Google Drive, emphasizing its decentralized nature and the benefits it provides in terms of the CIA Triad of information security.

💡Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

Peer-to-peer refers to a network structure where each participant operates as both a client and a server, sharing resources directly with others. In the context of the video, Syncthing operates as a P2P application, meaning that file synchronization happens directly between devices without the need for a central server, enhancing privacy and control over data.

💡CIA Triad

The CIA Triad is a widely recognized model in information security that encompasses three core principles: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. The video discusses how Syncthing improves upon these aspects compared to cloud-based solutions, emphasizing better data security and control.

💡Confidentiality

Confidentiality, within the CIA Triad, refers to the protection of information from unauthorized access or disclosure. The video script mentions that using Syncthing over cloud-based solutions can enhance confidentiality by avoiding reliance on third-party servers where data privacy practices may be uncertain.

💡Integrity

Integrity in the context of the CIA Triad means ensuring that information is accurate, consistent, and trustworthy. The video points out that Syncthing, being open-source, allows users to verify the encryption and synchronization processes, thus ensuring the integrity of their data.

💡Availability

Availability ensures that information is accessible and usable when required. The video contrasts cloud storage's dependency on internet connectivity with Syncthing's ability to sync data over a local area network, thus providing higher availability even in areas with no internet access.

💡Encryption

Encryption is the process of encoding information to ensure secure communication and data storage. The video discusses the importance of encryption in protecting data, especially when using cloud services, and highlights that open-source applications like Syncthing allow users to trust the encryption implementation.

💡Open Source

Open source refers to software whose source code is available to the public, allowing anyone to view, modify, and enhance the software. The video emphasizes the benefits of using open-source applications like Syncthing, as it enables transparency and verification of security measures, such as encryption.

💡Decentralized

Decentralized systems distribute resources and control across multiple nodes rather than having a central point of authority. The video script promotes Syncthing as a decentralized file sync application, which reduces the risk of a single point of failure and enhances security by not relying on a central server.

💡Local Network

A local network, often referred to as a LAN, is a computer network that spans a small geographic area such as a home, office, or group of buildings. The video describes Syncthing's ability to sync files over a local network, which can be faster and more reliable than cloud-based syncing that requires internet access.

💡Device ID

In the context of Syncthing, a Device ID is a unique identifier for each device participating in the synchronization process. The video explains how devices share these IDs to establish connections and sync data, emphasizing the need for caution when sharing these IDs publicly to avoid unwanted connections.

Highlights

Syncthing is a peer-to-peer file sync application, differing from centralized server-based applications like Dropbox and Google Drive.

The CIA Triad model, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, is improved with Syncthing over cloud-based solutions.

Confidentiality in cloud storage is reliant on trust, as users cannot verify the security practices of the service provider.

Encryption in proprietary programs cannot be fully trusted without open-source verification, affecting data confidentiality and integrity.

Cloud storage providers are larger targets for hackers, impacting the CIA Triad's aspects of integrity and availability.

Syncthing offers better availability without the need for an internet connection, unlike cloud storage solutions.

The risk of cloud providers going out of business or deleting user data is avoided with Syncthing.

Syncthing is available for various operating systems including Linux, BSD, Solaris, macOS, and Windows.

Forks of Syncthing, such as Syncthing-Tray, provide additional features like system tray icons for different platforms.

Syncthing's web GUI can be accessed locally, with port configurations that can be changed if necessary.

Anonymous reporting can be disabled in Syncthing, giving users control over their data sharing preferences.

GUI authentication can be set up for Syncthing to secure access, especially when binding to a public IP.

Syncthing allows users to choose specific folders and devices for file synchronization, providing granular control.

Device IDs are used for synchronization between devices, with caution advised when sharing publicly.

Syncthing requires confirmation on both devices before syncing can occur, ensuring user control over data sharing.

The process of adding and syncing folders between devices in Syncthing is demonstrated, showing its ease of use.

Syncthing can be customized with advanced features for more complex synchronization needs.

The video promises further exploration of Syncthing's advanced features, including creating custom folders and binding to a public IP.

Viewers are encouraged to like, share, and support the channel for more informative content.

Transcripts

let's talk about sync thing it's a very

different kind of file sync application

from Dropbox Google Drive and others

because for one sync thing is a

peer-to-peer file sync application

whereas those others are centralized

server based applications and there's a

lot of benefits to file syncing this way

in fact I think all aspects of the CIA

Triad are improved when you use sync

thing over cloud-based Solutions now if

you aren't familiar with the CIA Triad

it's got nothing to do with the friendly

glowing agents that introduce krck into

the ghettos and send pallets of cash and

weapons to terrorists in order to ensure

our democracy no the CIA Triad uh is an

information security model that most

organizations follow or at least they

follow you know some version of it in

order to make sure that their critical

data is secure so the C stands for

confidentiality the I stands for

integrity and the a stands for

availability those are the things that

we want to maintain with our data now

when it comes to data that's stored in

the cloud the confidentiality that you

have is basically just trust me bro

because as we know the cloud that's just

some other guy's computer and so you

can't really be too sure about what

security practices are going on on that

computer or whether or not that person

is analyzing your data so that they can

monetize it which obviously that's going

to violate the confidentiality of your

data now even in cases where your cloud

storage provider says that data is

endtoend encrypted and it's encrypted at

rest you can't put any real trust in

that encryption unless the application

you're using is open source because with

a proprietary program you can't be sure

if good encryption is being used or if

they're not just sending off the

encryption key Keys along with your data

to that server to decrypt and then

monetize it uh and the same issues apply

to data Integrity as well hacking can

also be an issue for all three aspects

of the CIA Triad and when you're talking

about a cloud storage provider that's

providing that storage to many different

people in

organizations that's obviously going to

have a much bigger Target for hackers

than you just keeping your own data

synced on your own land and finally

availability is always going to be worse

when it comes to cloud storage because

it requires an internet connection for

one so you know if you're off in the

boonies you're not able to access the

files in your Cloud um but with sync

thing you can have everything just done

over your land it's also going to be a

lot faster uh and you also have to hope

that with Cloud providers like Dropbox

or whatever else you have to hope hope

that they don't go out of business or

that they don't delete your stuff in

order to make space for other people

that want to use the service that's

pretty common with the free cloud

storage plans uh so now that you're

redpilled on all of the great features

of syn thing let's go ahead and get

started with the installation and the

setup so on Linux syn thing is most

likely just going to be available for

you in the repos uh so you can just

install it from your package manager and

there may also be an in it component

that you need as well like sync thing

open RC or sync thing run it if you're

using open RC or run it and on some more

obscure dros like artics Linux you might

also have to edit the syn thing uh file

that's in your Etsy

confd uh

directory and you want to change well

you want to uncomment these lines for

sync thing user sync thing group and syn

thing home directory and you want to go

ahead and fill these out um you know

with your user in your group and stuff

like that because by default syn thing

is going to run as root if you don't do

this um I think on some dros like when I

was figuring this stuff out for myself

it seems like gentu um does this

automatically for you so maybe you can

skip this step uh but yeah by default

sync thing is going to run as root and

it's going to put sync files in your

root folder which you probably don't

want um now if you're running a more I

guess typical Linux drro that uses

systemd then you just want to follow the

um auto start docs on sync thing.net in

order to create a user service instead

of a system service and then that's

going to make sure that sync thing

doesn't run as root also

and of course if you're not using Linux

syn thing is available for basically

everything you know different uh BSD

dros it's available for Solaris it's

available for Mac OS and it's also

available for Windows and because sync

thing is free software there's also

Forks of it that people have made like

sync thing tray and this is actually a

fork of another fork called sink trasor

but this is a dead project okay notice

how no commits have been made since 2021

and notice how there's 140 issues open

that are not being closed that you know

people just keep making for some reason

you know yeah obviously this is not

being maintained um so you might want to

consider uh syncthing Trey for one over

syncthing tror if you're looking for a

fork and

generally uh this is something that

people use so that they can get like

tray icons for syncing and stuff like

that like it says here um that it has a

tray application for dolphin and plasma

um but they also have it for Windows as

well I'm pretty sure yeah Windows 10 and

windows 11 so if you're a Windows user

this might be something that you'd more

prefer over the regular sync thing now

in order to really start using sync

thing you can access its web goey by

going to localhost

8384 in your

browser and if this doesn't work for

some reason or you know you get like

page not found and stuff like that um

you might want to take a look at your

configuration file for sync thing this

is my configuration file and when I

first installed sync thing um the port

that was was listed here was like port

43,000 and something so I just changed

it to 8384 cuz like that's usually

supposed to be the default I don't know

why mine was different but yeah this is

where you can change it here in the um

XML if you're not able to access the web

goey and this also has a lot of other

settings that you can change um in an

XML format but you know unless you

really like this you're probably going

to prefer uh to just use the Easy Web

now uh when you first start up the syn

thing web GUI you're going to get this

message asking if you want to allow an

nymous reporting so I'll just hit no on

that and you'll also see this

notification that says guey

authentication set username and password

so by default there is no username and

password that's set for Sy thing you

know when it's running on your computer

you just go to Local Host

8384 um but but if you wanted to bind

this to a public IP I'm I'm not going to

go through it in this video but it is

possible

to basically set up your own cloud like

where you can access this from the

internet and if that's the case you're

definitely going to want to set up your

gooey authentication um or you know if

you're in an organization and there's a

lot of other people that are accessing

this and some of them you don't want to

have access then that's another reason

you might want to do um gooey

authentication now another thing you'll

notice is that it says uh the default

folder here is

unsynced um and you have options to add

you know more folders and you can edit

this and this is another really great

feature that I think sync thing has over

Dropbox and other Cloud Solutions

because instead of just

creating one massive folder to sync

everything to you could pick and choose

different folders that you want to sync

different things to and pick and choose

what devices they get synced to um and

then you can also have very fine grain

controls over the types of files that

are getting synced from a

folder um like it's just so much more

control that you have over your

synchronization than with Dropbox or

Google Drive um and again I'll probably

make another video going over those more

advanced features but I just want to

show you how to get just regular normal

file sync going now to actually sync

data between two or more devices they

have to share these identification

strings with one another so these are

unique IDs that just identify this

specific device now if you were going to

bind sync thing to a public IP or

anything like that you know use it over

the internet then you might want to be a

little bit more secretive with these

device identifications so that you don't

get random popups of other people's

devices out there that you don't

necessarily want to sync with but if

you're keeping everything over your land

like I am then it's not too big of a

deal uh and honestly it's not that big a

deal to share it publicly either because

you have to confirm on both devices

before data can start being synced um

but just wanted to give you guys that

little tidbit of information so I'm

going to leave this up and um well

actually

let me add the phone first because I'm

pretty sure um that it's going to pop up

automatically yeah so you see um you can

select one of these devices nearby so if

you have syn thing installed on another

device and that device is on the same

network then it's going to show up here

and you can

confirm uh that it is the correct device

ID so like on my phone for

example I can show you guys here I mean

I don't know if you'll really be able to

see it but that's the same device ID

that was uh showing on the

computer so we'll go ahead

and add that device and we'll give it a

human readable name call it pixel 6

Pro save

that okay so now down here it says

disconnected unused right because we

have to now connect it on the pixels

ends so let me bring up this device ID

and it's got a nice convenient um QR

code that you can scan with

the sync thing app from F

Droid oh my mouse is in the

way that's why it's not scanning all

right so I'll now name this thread

Ripper inside of my phone so that's what

that looks like

there all right and now we can close

this and now it says connected unused so

in order to actually get um files to

sync I'm going to send a file from my

phone over to the thread Ripper uh you

have to configure that on the per folder

BAS

okay

so go back on the phone here so this is

the only folder that I've got right now

to sync a file from open camera I know

it says three of three files but there's

only one file in that folder so if I tap

on

this I've got the list of devices right

there that says thread Ripper and if I

mark this actually let me switch to this

View so if I tick that

on we should uh get a

notification that pixel 6 Pro wants to

share this folder add new folder we'll

go ahead and add

it okay

now um this is this is another reason

why you don't want to be running things

as root so by default uh it's going to

put things in your root folder if you're

running as root but as you can see the

um till day character is going to be

used as a shortcut for Home Kenny so

this is where it's going to put things

and you can actually change uh default

settings so let's say if you um don't

want it to all go in fact actually I'll

do that right now um we'll go to

Advanced actually not that we'll go

to

settings and edit folder

defaults right so we'll go into that and

and then we'll

say

sync this way things are just going to

be a little bit

neater

save then

add so now you can see it's changed that

to the sync folder and that's

fine okay and it said that it was up to

date and um it's still saying three

files two directories but again it's

really only one

so I'm not too sure what that's

about so this is

my uh sync folder right here boom you

can see the one image uh that's

synced and it's just a uh image from

this is when I was trying to test the

soil at my farm with a

home NPK K testing kit which it turns

out is not the best uh thing to use not

terribly accurate but

anyway there you go you have seen sync

thing in action for synchronizing

devices across your land and like I said

there's a lot more advanced stuff that

you can do with this as far as creating

different folders and stuff like that

goes but honestly that's going to be on

a per user basis um so I might just

dabble a little bit in that when I show

you guys how to bind it to a public IP

and really turn this into uh kind of

your own cloud because you can then

access it from anywhere on the internet

if you enjoyed this video be sure to

like it and share it in order to hack

the algorithm and check out my website

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Monero XMR have a great rest of your day