Dropbox Cloud service of file sharing

Cloud service of file sharing. The main service Dropbox works since 2007 and now it has already about 200 million subscribers. The share of corporate users grows — with 1 million in 2011 their number reached already 4 million, but is still small.

• Free data storage in a cloud: 2 GB
• Additional volume: Since September, 2014 within the tariff plan Dropbox Pro for a fee in $9.99 a month (or $99) it is possible to receive space for storage in 1 Tbyte for an annual subscription – it corresponds to price level at Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive. Earlier for the same money for Dropbox only 100 Gbytes were offered, and other plans of category Pro included 200 Gbytes for $19.99 and 500 Gbytes for $49.99 a month that did it by one of expensive cloud services, on extremely measure per gigabyte. Let's add that it is still possible to receive 2 Gbytes for storage free of charge (the plan of Dropbox Basic), and large volumes and enhanced capabilities are available in the tariff plan Dropbox for Business. For present paid users of Dropbox Pro volumes will be increased automatically.
• Additional information: being one of the most popular offers of data storage in a public cloud, Dropbox uses for enciphering the SSL and AES standards of 256 bits in professional and group accounts. Restrictions for file size are absent when loading with the PC running Windows, OS X and Linux OS; files up to 300 MB in size when loading from the website Dropbox. A possibility of receiving extra disk space of 500 MB in size for each new user who was registered according to your recommendation, up to 16 GB. Dropbox does not allow to edit documents directly in service.
• Dropbox for Business supports not only standard storage of files, but also the numerous functions of access control and management focused on use in corporate environment. One of main goals of Dropbox for Business - data security provision. Service supports transfer of accounts from one employee to another (for example, in case of dismissal), complete removal of data by the administrator, providing the right to file sharing only between certain employees, general audit of access to files and other functions. The employee can have at the same time personal and working account of Dropbox, but their data will be separated.

Drew Houston is the president of Dropbox, company from Silicon Valley which developed very convenient tool for file sharing. If you install this application, on a desktop of your computer the Dropbox folder will appear. Everything that you drag in this folder, will automatically be loaded into Dropbox service, and then will instantly be copied on all your computers and devices.

Founders of the company are programmers, for creation of such product experience and knowledge in the field of development of technologies are necessary. For example, service should be compatible to the most different computer platforms and operating systems: Windows, Macintosh, iPhone, Android, etc. Such integration happens at the deep level of a system and requires specialized know-how that it was convenient to users to work. One of the main competitive advantages of Dropbox is that this program works incredibly imperceptibly and smoothly, and competitors still managed to create nothing similar.

You will not call programmers geniuses of marketing. Actually any of team members of Dropbox was never engaged in it. They got support of the famous venture capitalists, and all expected that the command will follow standard model of development of technology products: just make it, and clients will come. But Dropbox arrived differently.

In parallel with product development process founders decided to receive a feedback from users to find out that to them it is really valuable. In particular, Dropbox needed to check the main "jump of belief": if we are able to make so what people will like our program whether they will give it chance? They assumed – and as it turned out, quite reasonably, – that people often do not even suspect about problems with file synchronization. But it is worth being influenced by time that such lack of such problems, and you will not be able to provide any more that can be in a different way.

It is not that question, the answer to which can be received in focus group. Clients often do not know what is wanted, besides when they explained to them how Dropbox works, it was difficult to them to understand it. Huston found out it on own bitter experience when tried to attract a venture capital.

Drew asked: "Did you try to use these existing products?" If he was answered "Yes", he asked: "It was easy for you to use them?" Almost always the answer was negative. And still, a meeting behind a meeting venture capitalists could not understand what Drew's vision consists in. He believed that will use the software which "works as if by magic" with pleasure.

The problem was that the prototype could not show how the new program works. The product needed the solution of serious technical issues, and in it there was an online service component requiring high reliability and availability. Not to risk and to spend too much time for product development which will be necessary to nobody Drew found very simple way out: created the video presentation.

It is simple three-minute demonstration of how the new technology works. But it is intended for community of early followers. In Drew's presentation itself tells about a product, and the viewer at the same time looks at the screen of the computer. Drew describes how there is a file synchronization process, and the user sees how Drew works as a mouse, performing this operation. And suddenly the user sees that files with which Drew works are complete of the amusing links and jokes popular in community of early followers. Drew says: "This presentation attracted hundreds of thousands of people on our website. The list of those who ordered the beta almost instantly grew from 5000 to 75,000 people. We were happy! For the casual viewer Dropbox video presentation differed in nothing from normal product demonstration, but we inserted into it about ten "counters" – links and hints, – expected a certain audience. It were the "secret signs" intended especially for this party and chain reaction began. In 24 hours video had more than 10,000 viewings".

Dropbox – one of the most popular companies of Silicon Valley, and its cost makes more than $1 billion (fall 2012).

History

2016: These 68 million users of Dropbox are kidnapped

Hackers stole data more than 68 million users of service of storage of files of Dropbox. The Motherboard edition which got access to the stolen base of passwords and the e-mail addresses reports about it. Cracking happened in 2012. Then Dropbox announced theft of a small amount of logins and passwords of users. The high-ranking employee of Dropbox confirmed to Motherboard that up-to-date data of users were stolen.

In August, 2016 reported to Dropbox that users who did not change the password from the middle of 2012 will need to replace it. In the statement of the company it was noted that it is about a simple precautionary measure. Dropbox assured that there is no evidence of unauthorized access to accounts of users.

2015: Dropbox expanded functionality of storage

On June 18, 2015 the management of service announced the implemented opportunity to add files to storage from third-party profiles of other users^[1].

Owners of the permitted profiles which got previously permission can only load files into the folder of the user. Owners of the cloud storage developed the special interface in the web version for implementation of new functionality. Use the implemented functionality using the existing mobile application it is impossible.

Developers noted that use of this functionality is demanded when the user has no opportunity to transfer the necessary file by normal e-mail because of exceeding of admissible volume. The size of the transferred file is limited 2 GB in size that allows to organize transfer of the majority of often found files.

By means of a possibility of placement of third-party files the company is going to expand the customer base and to interest a part of users - not to be limited to simple transfer of volume files, and to fully use possibilities of Dropbox storage.

2014

Dropbox used in the cunning scheme of theft of passwords

Specialists of Symantec company detected in the fall of 2014 the new scheme of theft of passwords. Malefactors sent to the victims of the letter with messages that for them on service of storage of files Dropbox the document is laid out and that it is possible to browse it on the enclosed link. In fact the link conducted on the false page of password entry too located on service of storage of files Dropbox. Thus malefactors tried to obtain bigger trust of the victim to the page of password entry — in an address bar of the browser the address Dropbox, but not some foreign website was visible. At the same time a part of elements of the page was transferred under the protocol of enciphering SSL Dropbox^[2].

Some old browsers do not warn users that enciphering is applied not to all elements of the page, and in some similar warning is not really noticeable, specialists of Symantec explain, and not all users understand that it means.

The files which are used in phishing attacks often are located on the known services of data storage and joint work with documents. At the false page stored on Dropbox there were logos and several mail services that, apparently, had to push the victim to input of passwords for these services.

Dropbox recognized an error, it is a lot of years destroying the user files

The Dropbox company recognized existence of the error leading to loss of files from the cloud storage in October, 2014. The error contained in the Selective Sync function ("Selective synchronization") and proved in old versions of the application of Dropbox for the PC when in the course of synchronization the user switched off the PC or rebooted^[3].

The company reported that found an error after obtaining several complaints, having added that she mentioned small number of users (what, it is not specified). On the website Engadget the letter of Dropbox to one of affected users is published. In it it is said that the company gives free of charge the account Dropbox Pro for a year.

Meanwhile, the number of the files which were gone from personal accounts of users of Dropbox as a result of existence of an error in Selective Sync is high. In discussion on the website Hacker News users mention loss of hundreds and even thousands of files during the long period.

One of users is recognized that he regularly notices not the first year loss of new files from Dropbox which he sent there, but did not attach it particular importance.

In July, 2013 other user of Dropbox announced loss of 8 thousand files. "I selected folders which I want to synchronize, then started synchronization. But the client of Dropbox suddenly hung up. After a while I was tired to wait and compulsorily completed workflow. Later I found out that some files in Dropbox which I definitely did not delete are absent there" — he told.

According to users, the error could be caused by the fact that Dropbox at first deletes files locally, and already then transfers to the server the list of synchronizable folders. If for any reason there is a failure in work of the client before he sent the list to the server, at restart it does not find files on the hard drive and already synchronizes a new status therefore files are removed on the server with the server.

Edward Snowden discredited Dropbox and advertized its analog

The former system administrator of the National Security Agency (NSA) of the USA and CIA Edward Snowden who found a shelter in Russia in The Guardian interview in the summer of 2014 condemned policy of a popular cloud service of Dropbox, having called it "hostile" in relation to the users wishing to save the private life in secret^[4].

In Dropbox all information transferred on communication channels between the user and servers is ciphered. The data which are stored on the Dropbox servers are also ciphered. But, as Snowden explained, passwords are on the Dropbox servers too. Thus, if necessary the company can easily transfer data of clients to intelligence agencies, and those, in turn, will be able easily to decrypt them.

The similar scheme works in Box service which earlier this month attracted $150 million investments.

In addition, reminded Snowden of inclusion of the former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in the structure of Board of Directors of Dropbox company in April, 2014. Then this solution caused a storm of indignation of users of service some of which decided to refuse it in protest.

In China access to Dropbox is closed

Since June 18 in China blocking of access to service of data storage Dropbox is begun. Observers of the GreatFire.org organization report that it is blocked both access to the website dropbox.com, and operation of applications, synchronizing data. The authorities of China tried to block Dropbox work in 2010. However at the beginning of this year Dropbox switched to the HTTPS protocol that complicated blocking. After that the authorities completely blocked access to the addresses Dropbox. In GreatFire.org consider this method the most strict of possible^[5].

China strengthens censorship on the Internet recently. Since May 31 in China access almost to all Google services is blocked. Officially the reasons of blocking did not appear, but it should be noted that it began shortly before the 25-year anniversary of acceleration of demonstrations on the square of Tiananmen. Information on these events is exposed in China to strict censorship, and the Google search engine before blocking issued search results without filtering. Besides, shortly before blocking in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region there were acts of terrorism to a large number of the victims. Later the Chinese press reported that the arrested suspects of the organization of terrorist attacks used applications for message exchange and posted online video.

Dropbox for Business

On November 17, 2014 it became known of release of the update for Dropbox for Business, enriched a cloud service with new functionality.

In a system full-text search on file storage is implemented. For its use, in a text box it is necessary to enter a request then the search engine Dropbox will show all documents containing a required word or a phrase on all entries into files.

Full-text search is available to the Internet client of Dropbox, mobile applications for iOS and Android in English.

Dropbox for Business had new opportunities of sharing. Employees during creation of shared folders can edit settings of permissions for links, and IT administrators can expose default settings for public communication channels at any moment, then deleting separate links.

2013: Dropbox looks in the files which are stored in it

Authors of the blog WNC InfoSec convicted Dropbox company of reading the documents loaded into the cloud storage in the Microsoft Office format. The company, however, explains that reading files is necessary for creation of images which then will be used for print preview of files^[6].

Authors of WNC InfoSec used HoneyDocs service. This recently opened service allows to set when and where the specified document last time opened. Authors enclosed the document in the HoneyDocs directory, automatically sinkhroniziruyushchysya with the Dropbox directory. The first message about opening of the document arrived they received from HoneyDocs approximately in ten minutes after the file was loaded. Are open there were only files of a format. doc, and appeared the program which they opened the office suite with the open code LibreOffice.

The Dropbox company explains that reading files and creation of images of print preview is automatic. Access to the loaded data has very narrow circle of employees. Access to metadata is provided more simply, but in the company emphasize that the strict policy and means of engineering control allow to prevent problems.

2012

Dropbox becomes music service

The largest service of cloud data storage Dropbox purchased the Audiogalaxy project allowing to get access to personal musical library from any device on which there is an Internet.

The "cloud" music service Audiogalaxy is intended for remote storage and reproduction of musical files, "which are not located in phone". Its services could be received free of charge and without advertizing.

The existing owners of accounts will be able to continue to use the Audiogalaxy functions. Playlists of Audiogalaxy will be stored until the end of 2013. In 2013 the independent project will stop the existence.

Audiogalaxy stores music in "cloud", allowing to get access to it from any devices on which there is an Internet, including personal computers on Windows and Mac OS X, mobile devices based on iOS and Android, etc. Service supports the MP3, AAC, ALAC, FLAC, WMA and OGG audioformats, it is free and does not contain advertizing.

The history Audiogalaxy began in 1998 with creation of the website which allowed to execute search of MP3 files in FTP. It was created by Michael Merhej who nowadays enters the Audiogalaxy command.

Afterwards the website developed into a P2P-system which gained popularity at the former users of Napster. In 2002 filed a lawsuit against the company the Association of record companies of America (RIAA) which accused Audiogalaxy of distribution of non-licensed content.

Having been frightened of legal prosecution, the Audiogalaxy command closed the project and created the file hosting service of Foldershare which in 2005 was purchased by Microsoft (and it is renamed into Windows Live Sync service). Three years later the former Audiogalaxy command left software corporation to be engaged in former business. Since 2008 Audiogalaxy began to exist in the form in which users see it today.

Lately cloud musical services started Apple, Google, Amazon. The companies show strong interest in this segment of business, and the largest cloud service of data storage of Dropbox is not an exception.

Dropbox passes to two-factor authentication

The cloud service of storage of files of Dropbox from now on offers two-factor authentication — except a normal name and the password it is necessary to enter the six-digit one-time code sent by the SMS. The new scheme was promised after the incident with theft of the user accrediting data from other website a month ago.

For use of a new opportunity it will be necessary to update the client of Dropbox to version 1.5.12. Confirmation by the code will be required every time in attempt of run in an account from the new device. SMS code validity period — about a minute.

The one-time code can also be received using the application supporting the Time-Based One-Time Password protocol, for example, by Google Authenticator or Amazon AWS MFA report in Dropbox. Users of computers of Apple will be able to generate the code in the Terminal application using the OATH tool.

At setup of two-factor authentication the user receives the 16-bit reserve code for an unblocking of the account in a case of loss of phone.

Dropbox develops function which will allow to make the browser "not entrusted", and then in the following attempt of an input the SMS code will be required. "It is possible remove trust" also by removal of the corresponding cookie files.

2011: RVC took part in financing of the American network service Dropbox

"Russian Venture Capital Company" (RVCC) took part in the second round (a round B) financings of the American network service Dropbox for storage and data exchange and also their synchronization on different devices.

The international fund RVC registered in Great Britain - Russian Venture Capital II LP (RVC II) - is an investor of one of funds of large American structure Institutional Venture Partners (IVP) - IVP XIII. The total amount of financial participation of RVC II in IVP XIII - $10 million from $750 million.

IVP XIII was included into the pool of investors of Dropbox headed by Index Ventures fund in which a number of structures - Benchmark Capital, Goldman Sachs, Greylock Partners, Institutional Venture Partners, RIT Capital Partners and Valiant Capital Partners also participates.

Participants of the first round of financing of Dropbox of $7.2 million - Sequoia Capital and Accel Partners funds, also continued investments in the project. The total amount of the second round was $250 million. The share of RVC in this amount does not reveal.

It is the second case of an investment of RVC in the international developer company specializing in network services. At the beginning of 2011 just according to the same scheme - through RVC II and IVP XIII, investments received service for reserve online copying and data recovery of Carbonite. At the beginning of August, 2011 the company carried out initial public offering.

Not all international investments of RVC go through the American IVP. In April, 2010 RVC I (also British subsidiary of RVC) among other venture funds directly invested $10 million (from total $150) in stocks of BrightSource Energy. This private company works in the USA and Israel, specializes in development and production of the systems of solar heat-and-power engineeering in which water tanks heat up by means of mirrors.

BrightSource Energy is also going to carry out the IPO, but its specific terms are not known yet, speak in RBC. As for Dropbox, the speech about initial public offering does not go yet.

From foreign investment projects also to speak about exits so far early, consider in RVC since IVP XIII works less than a year and it is not closed yet, and the input in BrightSource Energy also took place recently.

For investments of RVC into IT until the end of 2011 ICT fund, the built-in intelligent systems, mechatronics and robotics of 1.5 billion rubles should be created. The company emphasizes that in the presence of interesting projects as in Russia, and abroad, this amount can be adjusted upwards.

The cloud direction in RVC is called one of the most interesting among belonging to IT. 'The market of cloud computing – one of the most difficult and perspective, and Dropbox should fight for the place on it as similar services are already created and started by giant companies", - the director of the department of investments and examination of RVC Jan Ryazantsev considers.

At the same time heads of Dropbox independently develop business, without accepting very attractive offers about absorption, he adds: "Such ambitious entrepreneurs create the companies with world names".

The number of users of Dropbox exceeded 45 million now, capitalization of service is estimated at $4 billion, the planned revenue in 2011 makes $240 million, speak in RVC.

Authorized capital of the "Russian venture capital company" belonging to Rosimushchestvo exceeds 30 billion rubles. The general size of 12 funds created by RVC reached 25.5 billion rubles, the share of the company in them makes 15 billion rubles.

Notes