NordLocker Invites Ethical Hackers to Crack Encrypted Locker Worth $10,000

[CookieSmasherGus]

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April 22, 2020. Following its promise to guarantee the ultimate security for your files, the file encryption tool NordLocker has launched a bounty campaign. It invites hacking enthusiasts to crack an encrypted locker and win $10,000.

NordLocker strives to make its infrastructure as secure as it can be.  Therefore, the company created a file (“locker”) secured with the most advanced zero-knowledge encryption technology — anyone can download and try to unlock it.

Source: https://www.darkreading.com/nordlocker-invites-ethical-hackers-to-crack-encrypted-locker-worth-$10000/d/d-id/1337631?_mc=rss_x_drr_edt_aud_dr_x_x-rss-simple
It's cool to see tech companies take security seriously while also being open about it. Now, I'm no hacker myself, but I'm not sure if $10k is enough for someone to try and find some flaws in closed source software and also decipher the data inside. Still though, I'm curious to see how this will pan out. 

[RejZoR]

Maybe 10k doesn't sound like much, but if someone is super experienced and can figure it out in few hours, it's easy money.

[LAwLz]

Never heard of NordLocker before but I don't get the point of the service.

This is just for storing local files, correct? Why the hell would you use this over Veracrypt?

 

Benefits of Veracrypt (from my understanding of NordLocker):

1. Free
2. Open source
3. Actual track record of standing up to attacks by NSA among others, and have been tested in court cases.
4. Audited source code by third party.
5. Can encrypt your entire drive, not just a folder.
6. Support GNU/Linux and FreeBSD on top of the OSes supported by NordLocker.
7. Extensive documentation.
8. Doesn't require you to create an account with NordVPN/NordLocker (because why the hell would an offline program require you to login?).
9. Seems to have more features, such as hidden volumes, portable execution mode, support for smart cards and security tokens, etc.

 

Benefits of NordLocker:

1. It has a prettier GUI?

[leadeater]

8 hours ago, CookieSmasherGus said:

I'm not sure if $10k is enough for someone to try and find some flaws in closed source software and also decipher the data inside.

I wouldn't say no to $10k, if I had the skills and experience don't see why not to give the tires a bit of a kick during spare time. Who knows the wheels might actually fall off, might just kick it the wrong/right way then #profit.

[AlTech]

6 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Never heard of NordLocker before but I don't get the point of the service.

This is just for storing local files, correct?

Not really. One of the most heavily advertised features is being able to share encrypted files with others.

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Why the hell would you use this over Veracrypt?

They don't compete with each other directly imho. They would complement each other but not replace each other.

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Benefits of Veracrypt (from my understanding of NordLocker):

1. Free
2. Open source
3. Actual track record of standing up to attacks by NSA among others, and have been tested in court cases.
4. Audited source code by third party.
5. Can encrypt your entire drive, not just a folder.
6. Support GNU/Linux and FreeBSD on top of the OSes supported by NordLocker.
7. Extensive documentation.
8. Doesn't require you to create an account with NordVPN/NordLocker (because why the hell would an offline program require you to login?).
9. Seems to have more features, such as hidden volumes, portable execution mode, support for smart cards and security tokens, etc.

As a disclaimer, I'm not a NordVPN/NordLocker apologist. This is just my response to your Benefits of Veracrypt. I don't think either is bad and I'd say Veracrypt is probably a great program. I've personally never used it.

 

1) NordLocker does have a free version. The limit is that you can encrypt up to 2GB of files.

4) Their other programs and services have been audited by a third party.

5) That's not the point of NordLocker. The point of NordLocker is to encrypt the most important files and files you want to share with others.

6) I would expect support for Linux within the next 6-12 months considering that NordVPN has a linux client.

8 ) To be fair to NordLocker, it is a paid application with a free version and so they want an account to bill people money.

 

A more fair comparison imho is Encrypto.