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There is a specific computer which often generates files that I need to take with me to other machines. However, obvious solutions do not work:

  • I cannot bring a flash drive or similar physical storage to this computer.
  • I cannot set up a networked drive (over LAN or WAN) to send the files to another computer.
  • I cannot run Dropbox on this computer (I don't want this computer to have access to my Dropbox account or uploaded files).
  • I cannot email the file to myself with a Gmail account because I don't want to login/leave a cookie on this computer.
  • I cannot upload the file to imgur because I don't want to remember the URL and the file shouldn't be publically available. I'm not looking for tinfoil-hat level security, but imgur is a bit too public.

I need a solution which is simple, relatively reliable, and can handle large-ish TIFF files (a few MB). The solution must not require memorizing a password, or divulging any of my information (such as my accounts) to this machine.

What software/web service can I use for this?

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  • Wouldn't this be rather insecure? May 23, 2014 at 8:16
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    Why does this sound like a setup for corporate espionage? Are you trying to send yourself a file securely without potentially compromising your credentials or are you actually trying to hide your identity?
    – Caleb
    May 23, 2014 at 9:41
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    @Caleb It's a public machine in a chemically contaminated area. I cannot bring items in (they'll get contaminated) or bring items out (they'll be contaminated). I need to regularly take data out of the machine.
    – Superbest
    May 23, 2014 at 22:33
  • @Superbest then maybe it's an option to not go to the machine in the first place? You can arrange a remote connection to that machine, and take (and possibly make) the files remotely at your convenience instead of sending them when you're there? Windows Remote Desktop or similar tools for other OS would work for that; as a rule, you can do almost everything on that computer that you could if you were sitting right at it.
    – Peteris
    May 24, 2014 at 8:20

6 Answers 6

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You can use Free:

  • online files storage
  • no need to create an account
  • up to 1 GB (and even 10 GB if you use FTP)
  • optional password protection
  • free
  • no advertisement
  • URL sent to you by email

In French, but easy to understand: use the file upload widget, then enter your email address in the next textfield, and finally press the button. Alternatively if you use Google Chrome just automatically translate the page, French -> English works very well.

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Anonymousemail will let you send emails to any address (including your own) using a webform. You do not need to make an account, although you do need to enter a captcha. It allows attachments, but will break with an incorrect error message for attachments bigger than about 5 MB. Also, Gmail may classify first few emails from them as spam, but afterwards quickly learns not to trash them.

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I'd suggest just using the private browsing mode of Chrome (Incognito) or Firefox combined with Gmail or a similar online email service that uses two factor authentication. Then there's very little chance your account will be compromised by someone else using the machine after you, and no cookies will remain after you've closed the private browsing window.

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Use a separate account for this special purpose - make a Dropbox or Gmail account as these are the tools that you already are familiar with; use that account for only those files and delete them from there once you've moved them to your normal storage.

This will be as good as it can get - if the machine is properly compromised/monitored, then no matter what service you use, it will be able to record what service was used and how, as well as capture those uploaded TIFF files; but if all it can record is that the files were sent at tuesday 12:34 by [email protected] to [email protected], then that's not really disclosing your information.

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  • I was thinking along same lines. To be clear, the machine is very unlikely to be compromised, but it is public, hence my reluctance to use my real accounts.
    – Superbest
    May 23, 2014 at 22:29
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Just as another idea, you can use JustBeamIt. Drag and drop the file to the box, and it will create the link.

As a catch, the browser on the sending computer must be open. Has the advantage of the link expiring after on download.

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Try Capsula. It's a file sharing server for Windows. You can easily move files between computers by sharing them. It's not free, though.

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  • Doesn't that contradict the requirement I cannot set up a networked drive (over LAN or WAN) to send the files to another computer?
    – Izzy
    May 30, 2014 at 10:42

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