Cucku - Social Backup

Cucku Backup will shut down on September 15, 2010

Effective immediately Cucku Backup is no longer available for download and no new accounts can be created. On September 15, 2010 the service will be shut down completely.

This means that after September 15 existing customers will no longer be able to access their Cucku Account through the web site or the Cucku Backup application.

For most customers this means YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESTORE FILES FROM A CUCKU BACKUP; add, remove, update or access backup partners; change your email address or password; or recover the encryption key used to access both local and remote backups.

We recommend that all Cucku Backup users immediately install an alternative backup application. Once your files are protected with a different product you should uninstall Cucku. Files that are only present in your backup set should be restored to a location on your hard drive and then backed up again using your new backup application.

We deeply regret the inconvenience this announcement will cause our customers. We are proud of the Cucku Backup product and had great plans for its continued improvement. However, we have been forced to remove the product from sale for the following legal and commercial reasons.

Cucku Backup was released as a Skype Extra and still depends on Skype for remote backup. We partnered with Skype to reach a large number of customers already successfully using peer-to-peer technology. Unfortunately Skype decided to shut down their Extras program on September 11, 2009.

Cucku, Inc has also been involved in a legal dispute (Civil Action No. 09-cv-206-JMR/SRN, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota) with PB&J Software regarding infringement of US Patent 7,310,736. We sought to have the patent invalidated by the US Patent Office but, unfortunately, we were unsuccessful.

These events have left us with no choice but to exit the social backup market.

With deep regret,

Robert Ellison and Mark Jackson, co-founders.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question not included on this list please contact us. We'll answer all emails received on or before September 15.

  1. Can I continue to use Cucku Backup after September 15? We strongly recommend that you discontinue any use of Cucku Backup. Cucku Backup depends on access to your Cucku Account to function correctly and this will no longer be available after September 15. You should switch to an alternative backup product and then uninstall Cucku Backup.
  2. I purchased Cucku Backup Pro. Do I get a refund? If you purchased within the guarantee period you will receive a refund automatically.
  3. Can I access my local or remote backup after September 15? We highly recommend switching to a different backup product or provider before September 15. If you need any files from your local or remote backup you should restore them before September 15. You may be able to access files after September 15 if you export your encryption keys (Settings -> Advanced -> Account) but you will not be able to access your partner list or use other product features that require access to your Cucku Account.
  4. What happens to the encryption keys and other information stored in my Cucku Account? On September 16 we will delete the Cucku Backup database. We will no longer have access to your email address, encryption key, partner list or other information. Your information will not be passed on or sold to a third party.
  5. Can you recommend an alternative backup product? No. We believe in the social backup model, however ongoing litigation means that we can’t recommend another provider that may suffer the same fate. We do recommend combining both local and remote backup to ensure that your data is safely protected.