By default, Intsuite does not encrypt your data in the Intsuite Database. You can decide if you want to do this or not, but in most cases, encrypting your data is a very good idea.
The process is very simple. Simply tell Intsuite you want to encrypt your case data. Intsuite will then provide you with a file that will be your Private Key. Intsuite will then check that the key will work and once confirmed, you can go ahead and click a button to task Intsuite with encrypting your case data.
Once a case has been encrypted, you will require the key file every time you start Intsuite and begin using your case. Intsuite does not keep a copy of your key and in fact, Intsuite never even sees your key as your key is created locally on your PC during the current Intsuite session. Our Intsuite server has no idea what your key is and it will never be transmitted from you to us. This means that the only way to decrypt your case, once encrypted, is with your valid encryption key. If you are the only person who has access to it, then your data is safe. If you lose it though, your case data is unrecoverable. We cannot decrypt your case, ever. So, we suggest the following steps as a minimum to protect and preserve your case key…
- Keep more than one copy of your case key. Consider having one or more USB memory sticks with your case key on it.
- Keep at least one backup of the USB stick in a different physical location
- Restrict the number of people who have access to your cases Private Keys
Encrypting your case data
Start by locating the red key button at the top left of your Main View. It should look like this but with your Case Title…
Click the red key button to open a popup window. You will see at the bottom of the message is a button ‘Yes!. Encrypt my case’. Click that button and the content of the popup window will offer for you to create a key. Click the ‘Create Key’ button.
When you click the ‘Create Key’ button, Intsuite will create a new, random key. Click on the ‘Download Key’ button to get a copy of the key file downloaded to your browser. Make sure you save this key file in a safe place and follow the guidelines above for safe storage as a minimum. When you have done that, go ahead and click the ‘Encrypt the case…’ button. Intsuite will check your key successfully works before encrypting your case. The popup window content will now change as Intsuite encrypts the critical case data. You will see a progress bar indicating how much of the case has been encrypted and how much more is remaining. Do not close the window until the encryption has completed.
When completed, Intsuite will let you know…
Look back to the key button to the left of the Case Title at the top left of the Main View and you will see the button has changed to green and there is a blue tick beside the button.
If the key button is red, it means your case is not encrypted. If it is green, it means your case is encrypted.
If the button (regardless of color) has a yellow exclamation point beside it, it means that you have not provided a key to decrypt the case, or the key you provided is incorrect. If it shows a green tick, then the case key has ben provided and it is the correct one.
If the case is encrypted but a valid key has not yet been provided, the Main View will display a locked padlock symbol and nodes will no longer display their critical data like this…
Decrypting your case
Every time you change your case, or restart Intsuite, you will need to provide your encryption key for the case you want to view. Simply drag and drop the key file from your PC onto the key button/Case Title and Intsuite will check if the key is valid. If it is, Intsuite will then decrypt the critical case data, the padlock icon will disappear from the Main View and you will be able to view and work with your case data.