By UATeam in Immich —

Immich Encryption: Ensuring Data Security for Your Media Library

Immich is an open-source, self-hosted platform for managing and sharing personal media files. A critical feature of any self-hosted application is encryption, which protects sensitive data from unauthorized access. This article explores how encryption works in Immich, its benefits, and best practices for securing your media files.

What is Encryption?

Encryption is a method of converting data into a secure format that is unreadable without a decryption key. In Immich, encryption can protect your media files and metadata, ensuring privacy and security even in self-hosted environments.

Types of Encryption Relevant to Immich

  1. Data Encryption at Rest:
    • Protects stored media files from unauthorized access by encrypting them on the server.
  2. Data Encryption in Transit:
    • Secures data during transfer between the client and server using protocols like HTTPS.
  3. End-to-End Encryption (E2EE):
    • Encrypts data on the client side, ensuring only authorized recipients can decrypt it.

Does Immich Support Encryption?

Immich supports encryption in the following ways:

  • HTTPS for Data in Transit:
    • Using a reverse proxy like Nginx or Traefik, Immich can encrypt data transfers with SSL/TLS certificates.
  • Secure Authentication:
    • User credentials are securely hashed and encrypted, preventing unauthorized access.

However, full support for end-to-end encryption or file encryption at rest is not yet built into Immich but can be achieved with external tools or configurations.

How to Enable Encryption for Immich

1. Secure Data in Transit

Use HTTPS to encrypt communication between clients and the Immich server.

Steps to Enable HTTPS:

  1. Install a reverse proxy like Nginx or Traefik.
  2. Obtain an SSL/TLS certificate:
    • Use Let’s Encrypt for free certificates.
    • Install Certbot or another certificate management tool.
  3. Configure the reverse proxy to use HTTPS:

Example for Nginx:

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name your-domain.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/your-domain.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/your-domain.com/privkey.pem;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:3000;
    }
}

2. Secure Data at Rest

Although Immich does not currently offer built-in encryption for stored files, you can secure data at rest using the following methods:

Use Encrypted Filesystems

  • Implement full-disk encryption on your server using tools like:
    • LUKS for Linux systems.
    • BitLocker for Windows systems.

External Storage with Encryption

  • Use cloud storage solutions or external drives that offer built-in encryption.

3. Implement End-to-End Encryption

While not natively supported, you can enhance Immich’s security with third-party tools or custom workflows:

  • Encrypt files before uploading them to Immich using tools like:
    • GPG (GNU Privacy Guard).
    • VeraCrypt.

Benefits of Encryption in Immich

  1. Data Privacy:
    • Prevents unauthorized users from accessing your media files.
  2. Compliance:
    • Meets data protection regulations like GDPR by ensuring secure data storage and transfer.
  3. Protection Against Breaches:
    • Reduces risks of data exposure in case of server compromise.

Best Practices for Securing Immich with Encryption

  1. Always Use HTTPS:
    • Ensure SSL/TLS encryption is active for all client-server communications.
  2. Regularly Update Software:
    • Keep Immich and associated tools like reverse proxies up-to-date to patch security vulnerabilities.
  3. Backup Encrypted Data:
    • Regularly back up your encrypted media files and store the decryption keys securely.
  4. Use Strong Passwords:
    • Enforce strong, unique passwords for all Immich user accounts.
  5. Monitor Server Activity:
    • Use server monitoring tools to detect unauthorized access attempts.

Future Prospects for Immich Encryption

Immich’s development roadmap includes potential support for:

  • End-to-End Encryption:
    • Native encryption for media files before uploading.
  • Encrypted Storage:
    • Options for encrypting files at rest directly within the application.

Conclusion

Encryption is a vital component for securing media libraries hosted on Immich. By implementing HTTPS, encrypted storage, and external encryption tools, you can enhance the security of your self-hosted media platform. Stay updated on Immich’s development roadmap to leverage new encryption features as they become available.