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E2E does not protect metadata, at least not without significant overheads and system redesigns. And metadata is as important as data in messaging and storage.


> And metadata is as important as data in messaging and storage.

Is it? I guess this really depends. For E2E storage (e.g. as offered by Proton with openpgpjs), what metadata would be of concern? File size? File type cannot be inferred, and file names could be encrypted if that's a threat in your model.


The most valuable "metadata" in this context is typically with whom you're communicating/collaborating and when and from where. It's so valuable it should just be called data.


How is this relevant to the private cloud storage?


No point in storing data if it is never shared with anyone else.

Whom it is shared with can infer the intent of the data.


Backups?


yes, got me there.

but i feel in the context (communication/meta-data inference) that is missing the trees for the forest


On the other hand, useful features should not be ignored, because other, almost unrelated things are hard.




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