Encryption for Calendar files

[rkg82]

I would like an option for password-protected encryption of VueMinder data, so that no one with unauthorized access to my computer can start VueMinder and have access to confidential information in the Calendars, Contact lists, and so on.

[VueSoft]

Hi rkg82, this is actually already a feature. You can password-protect your data via the Program Options window. Check the box labeled "Protect data with a password".


When this option is enabled, a password must be specified when the program is started. Otherwise, the program won't load.


The password is encrypted (256-bit) and embedded within the calendar data file, so attempting to copy the data to some other computer and load it from there will still result in the password prompt appearing.

[rkg82]

Thanks for pointing this out. I was using keywords such as "encryption" and "security" with the online documentation search engine, but did not see any immediate relationship in the search results returned. I grant you that the information is indeed there once you get to reading the help topic about program options, but perhaps this feature could be more prominent in the help system.

By the way, the link for "Forgot your password" in the login prompt appears to be broken:
http://www.vueminder.com/redirect_forgot_password.php

Also, although you can indeed password protect the opening of data files in VueMinder, the data files themselves do not appear to be encrypted. I can search through the binary files to extract all the information I want without any problem, for example in contacts.bin and CalendarInfo.bin, which apparently are the files in which the most sensitive information is stored.

The feature I would like is to have this data automatically scrambled when the application shuts down, including the backup files being written automatically.

[VueSoft]

Hi rkg82, thank you for the feedback. I''ll work on adding an option to encrypt the data files and will let you know when this feature is available. I've also fixed the password reset link. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions.

[JustSomeVMUser]

If I may chime in: I would welcome an option to encrypt the backups - backups one can create automatically or manually. For, that way, I could keep those backups off my main drives - drives on which space is at a premium - and another, less secure drive. However, I would like that to mean that a password was mandatory simply to use VueMinder, i.e. I'd like this encryption to be only for the backups (or, if there is to be encrpytion for the data file before it gets backed-up - which does seem a good idea - I'd like that to be optional).

[VueSoft]

Thank you for the feedback. I'll consider this for a future release.