Introduction
Kali Linux (formerly BackTrack) is a versatile penetration-testing distro that packs a range of command-line tools. When you need secure, reliable cloud storage from the terminal, choosing a provider with robust CLI support is essential. In this article we’ll review the best cloud services offering Linux CLI clients, compare features, and walk through installation and common usage on Kali Linux.
Top Recommendations
- pCloud
- MEGA
- Proton Drive
- Filen
- Tresorit
- ICEdrive
- Dropbox
- Rclone (universal interface for many back ends)
Comparison Table
| Service | CLI Tool | Free Storage | End-to-End Encryption | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pCloud | pcloudcc | 10 GB | Optional Crypto | https://www.pcloud.com/ |
| MEGA | megacmd | 20 GB | End-to-End | https://mega.nz/ |
| Proton Drive | proton-drive-cli | 1 GB | End-to-End | https://proton.me/drive |
| Filen | filen-cli | 10 GB | End-to-End | https://filen.io/ |
| Tresorit | t3suite | 3 GB | End-to-End | https://tresorit.com/ |
| ICEdrive | icedrive-cli | 10 GB | Client-side | https://icedrive.net/ |
| Dropbox | dropbox (Python) | 2 GB | TLS (server-side) | https://dropbox.com/ |
| Rclone | rclone | Varies by provider | Depends on back end | https://rclone.org/ |
Which One to Choose?
Your choice depends on capacity, encryption needs, and CLI maturity. If you want generous free storage and seamless syncing, MEGA and pCloud excel. For maximum privacy, Proton Drive, Filen and Tresorit offer true end-to-end encryption. ICEdrive is a rising star with easy-to-use CLI and competitive free tiers. Dropbox remains popular but offers less free capacity. Rclone is unbeatable if you require a single interface to dozens of clouds (AWS S3, Google Drive, Backblaze B2, etc.).
How to Use Each One with CLI
pCloud
Install the pcloudcc client and mount your pCloud drive:
# Install dependencies sudo apt update sudo apt install build-essential libcurl4-openssl-dev pkg-config # Download and install pcloudcc wget https://github.com/pcloudcom/console-client/releases/download/v2.3.1/pcloudcc_2.3.1-1_amd64.deb sudo dpkg -i pcloudcc_2.3.1-1_amd64.deb # Authenticate and mount pcloudcc -u your.email@example.com -p YOURPASSWORD mkdir ~/pcloud pcloudcc --mountpoint ~/pcloud
Typical issues: missing FUSE support, wrong credentials. Ensure fuse is installed and loaded sudo modprobe fuse.
MEGA (megacmd)
# Install megacmd sudo apt install snapd sudo snap install megacmd # Log in mega-login your.email@example.com YOURPASSWORD # Sync a folder mega-sync /home/kali/notes /Notes # List remote mega-ls /
Common problems: snap vs. apt conflicts. Use snapd only if your Kali supports snaps.
Proton Drive
# Install via pip sudo apt update sudo apt install python3-pip pip3 install proton-drive-cli # Authenticate proton-drive login # Upload file proton-drive upload ~/secret.txt
Watch out for 2FA: generate an app-specific password if needed.
Filen
# Download binary wget https://github.com/filenio/filen-cli/releases/latest/download/filen-linux chmod x filen-linux sudo mv filen-linux /usr/local/bin/filen # Initialize filen login # Upload list filen put ~/report.pdf /Documents filen list /
Ensure you have SSL certificates up to date run sudo update-ca-certificates if you see certificate errors.
Tresorit
# Download t3suite installer wget https://download.tresorit.com/suite/t3suite-linux.deb sudo dpkg -i t3suite-linux.deb # Start daemon and authenticate t3c login # Upload folder t3c sync add local-folder RemoteFolder
Typical hiccup: older distributions may need libssl1.1. Install via backports if missing.
ICEdrive
# Download icedrive-cli wget https://github.com/ICE-Labs/Icedrive-CLI/releases/latest/download/icedrive-linux.zip unzip icedrive-linux.zip sudo mv icedrive /usr/local/bin/ # Authenticate icedrive auth login # Mount and use mkdir ~/icedrive icedrive mount ~/icedrive
Problem: FUSE version mismatch. Upgrade fuse with sudo apt install fuse3 and use the --fuse3 flag if supported.
Dropbox
# Install Python client sudo apt update sudo apt install python3-gpg dropbox # Start and link dropbox start -i dropbox status # CLI commands dropbox exclude add ~/Videos dropbox sharelink ~/file.txt
Often you need to run dropbox start -i the first time to pull the daemon.
Rclone (Universal)
# Install rclone curl https://rclone.org/install.sh sudo bash # Configure any provider rclone config # Example: sync to Google Drive rclone sync ~/project remote:backup/project
Rclone solves the need for multiple CLIs. Common pitfalls include token expiration—use --drive-chunk-size and set --refresh-times as needed.
Conclusion
On Kali Linux, CLI-driven cloud storage streamlines your workflow while retaining security. Choose pCloud or MEGA for free space, Proton Drive or Tresorit for privacy, and ICEdrive if you prefer simplicity. For maximum flexibility, Rclone unifies all back ends behind one command suite. Evaluate your storage needs, encryption requirements and integrate the appropriate CLI client to keep your files accessible and secure.
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