Where is data stored?

Matty279

I setup Dropbox syncing with 1Password between my iOS 10 device and PC running Windows 10. After deleting the "profile.js" file in Dropbox to see what would happen, I got an error message on my iOS device saying that syncing had been disabled. So far so good but as soon as I dismissed the message, changes registered on my PC flowed through to my iOS device. How could this have happened? Can you please clarify exactly where data is stored and how it is protecteda?

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1Password Version: 6
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Not Provided
Sync Type: Dropbox

MikeT

Hi @Matty269,

Thanks for writing in.

There are two separate data stores, the local 1Password database and the external sync files. 1Password sync and merges between both data stores. The local app database is how All Vaults work, we can import data from multiple different vault files you have from various sources, like iCloud, Dropbox, and 1Password.com services, into our app database while maintaining a sync monitor for each external sync file.

When certain files are missing in the external sync files, we try to repair it by copying over from the local database to the external folder assuming they're valid.

In your case, your actual content are in the band*.js files. As long as they're encrypted with the same encryption key we have in the local app database, we can still decrypt and merge them in as we don't need the profile.js file. You can see the structure of how the OPVault format works here: https://support.1password.com/opvault-design/

I hope this helps, let me know if you have further questions.

In 1Password 6 for Windows, your app database is stored in %LOCALAPPDATA%\1Password\data directory while the iOS app stores it in the app's sandboxed container.

Matty279

Hi Mike, profile.js was the only file that I could see in the Apps folder which was created in Dropbox after enabling Dropbox syncing on my iOS device. It was located at "[Dropbox]\1Password\1Password.opvault\default". So I assumed that that was where my content was being stored. As secure as it may be, I am reluctant to store any login data on external servers. Though Dropbox is an external data repository, it is at least one that I can see and have a level of control over. What I was wanting to achieve was to use Dropbox as the sole point of truth for all my 1Password data synced between multiple devices. Can you clarify whether this is achievable? Is any login or other personal data stored on 1Password servers?

MikeT

Hi @Matty279,

As long as you're only using Dropbox, there is no data stored elsewhere beside your local device and Dropbox's third party servers, you are using Dropbox as the central truth but it cannot be the sole point, it doesn't work like that due to the fact that Dropbox keeps a local copy on every device/computer you use, not to mention their retention policy. You can read our privacy policy here: https://support.1password.com/1password-privacy/

The only time any of your encrypted data will be on our servers is when you sign up for 1Password.com service. Beside that, it will never leave your local drive until you enable the sync to a third party service.

Matty279

Thank you for clarifying your and Dropbox's privacy policies.

Further to my original post, I deleted the whole of the "Apps" folder containing the 1Password vault in Dropbox and yet no data was lost on either my iOS device or my Mac OS machine and editing of data on either of these devices resulted in immediate propagation of the changes to the other device even when the 2 devices were on different networks. The "Apps" folder in Dropbox has not been recreated and refreshed with a local cache from any of the devices. What has happened here? How has data and syncing persisted after deleting the "Apps" folder?

AGAlumB

@Matty279: Much of this would be better asked of Dropbox support, since it involves their sync service. However, if you don't want 1Password to store or sync your data, you'll need to disable sync in 1Password Settings/Preferences on each device, and delete the vaults from the app if you no longer want to keep them.

As Mike mentioned, there is a local app database, so simply amputating the Apps folder in Dropbox only destroys the copy on that device which you've already told Dropbox to sync. While I'm not certain what you're trying to accomplish, I suspect that disabling sync in 1Password (since you've set it up there in the first place) would be a better starting point, rather than trying to delete data in reverse on your own that you've told 1Password to use Dropbox to sync for you.

Matty279

Thanks @brenty. What I was trying to accomplish is an understanding of the mechanisms through which 1Password achieves syncing of data. I am starting to get a better understanding of how it works now.

Greg

@Matty279: On behalf of Brenty you are very welcome! Feel free to reach out to us anytime, we are always here for you. :)