About This Site

This site provides information about  public cloud services  that complement those IT-services available for the members of Aalto University in their work and studies. The site contains unofficial services  that are known to be used or that are otherwise relevant. These services may answer some specific needs, but their quality and safety vary greatly. The services have been checked and classified in accordance to the  Aalto University cloud service instructions.

Guidelines for using cloud services

Tips for safer use of cloud services

Recommendations on social media for administrators of social media channels at Aalto University and those in charge of communication 

Aalto University cloud service instructions (PDF) 

Tips for safer use of cloud services

For password management

• Keepass, ask from Service Desk , Software portal , https://inside.aalto.fi/x/-4iU KeePass is a free open source password manager, which helps you to manage your passwords in a secure way

Recommended encryption solutions for cloud

The data must be encrypted in third party cloud services if:

• the data is Aalto-university classified
• the data is related to a non-disclosure agreement
• the data is related to government security
• university would suffer reputational damage if the data leaks to external use

File/Folder level encryption 

• Sophos SafeGuard PrivateCrypto 
  Aalto workstation software, ask from Service Desk , Software portal , https://inside.aalto.fi/x/-4iU
• TrueCrypt , http://www.truecrypt.org/
• 7-Zip with AES 256 option
  Aalto workstation software, ask from Service Desk , Software portal , https://inside.aalto.fi/x/-4iU

 Procedure for sharing files/folders safely with external users

1. encrypt file or folder using recommended solution, encryption will create non-readable package.
2. upload encrypted package to cloud service, send link to external user (sharing options depends on service)
3. send encryption password by using some other tool, (for example mobile phone text message)
4. external user can open decrypted package with password

Cloud encryption software

• BoxCryptor
  commercial cloud encryption software. BoxCryptor is a tool for securing cloud services. With BoxCryptor, files are automatically encrypted locally before being stored with a cloud service. You can then access those files from any of your devices and have BoxCryptor automatically decrypt them as needed. Note that free version is very limited, even filenames will remain in cleartext format. Avoid data loss by using nonrepresentative filenane. Instead "CompanyXconfidentialcontract.docx", use example "Document_ddmmyyyy.docx"´

Email encryption

 Aalto secure email 

The service is based on Exchange server/Sophos SPX, it was launched March 2014. The service uses Adobe Acrobat PDF files with strong AES-256 encryption. Detailed guideline is under work, it will be added to Inside pages.

E-mails will be encrypted by adding "AALTO-SECURE" (or aalto-secure) to subject field.

like :
AALTO-SECURE: your real subject   

Remarks

• between Aalto users (from @aalto.fi to @aalto.fi) emails will not be encrypted.
• the recipient should be informed in advance of an incoming message
• outsiders can send encrypted message to Aalto by answering Aalto user's encrypted message
• portal account is valid for 30 days

Open source email encryption

• GnuPGP + Thunderbird combination

Operating system or full disk encryption

• Bitlocker for Windows operating system encryption
• File Vault for MacOS operating system encryption Sophos SafeGuard Easy
• TrueCrypt (External drives)

Links

Statistics

Statistics