Encryption Keys/Passwords for opening the INI file, V.10, concerns

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Contractor5Prepays9
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:38 pm

Encryption Keys/Passwords for opening the INI file, V.10, concerns

Post by Contractor5Prepays9 »

Tobias
OK, today i finally set up ENCRYPTION PASSWORD PHRASE for my INI file. did backup, etc.
I started Syncovery from my PortApps folder, and it opened teh INI file, and first asked me the ENCRYPTION PASSWORD PHRASE.

OK, went back to delete all my backup INI files. did a test on one,and opened syncovery frm my MAIN INSTALL (not the portapps). I pointed it to the INI file that i THOUGHT was encrypted, and it OPENED it without asking me the ENCRYTION PASSWORD PHRASE. i was dumfounded !
i checked the options of THAT program version (same one, just different folder, ), and it said that IT had the keys stored with the MACHINE??

i set IT to be ENCRYPTION PASSWORD, it told me it was reencrypting, and then next time i opened it, it asked the ENCRYPTION PASSWORD.

QUESTION
WHAT gets encrypted with this password? just the encryption keys?

because i am still able to EDIT the INI file in notepad, still see all my text....
is the encryption keys visible in notepad, or does the program understand where they are and have them in encrypted language, only to be decrypted by the program itself?

EDIT, QUESTINO #2
if i ever turn OFF the encryption (to legacy), does the INI file revert to unencrypted keys ?

any clarification appreciated, thanks
nick

Contractor5Prepays9
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:38 pm

Re: Encryption Keys/Passwords for opening the INI file, V.10, concerns

Post by Contractor5Prepays9 »

just rechecking, any clarification on this?
thanks
nick

tobias
Posts: 1603
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:37 pm

Re: Encryption Keys/Passwords for opening the INI file, V.10, concerns

Post by tobias »

Hello,
if you look at the Program Settings, the settings encryption password can be stored in the Windows Credential Manager. This will save you from having to enter the password every time. The settings are still safe: if somebody steals your Syncovery.ini file, it will be useless for them.

The Program Settings also allow you to choose what to encrypt: be default it's only passwords, encryption keys, access tokens. But you can change it to encrypt the whole paths as well. I wouldn't normally do that unless you have super secret IP addresses or other secret paths.

If you change the encryption back to legacy, Syncovery will ask you if you want to re-encrypt the settings. If you reply with Yes, the settings will be portable again so you can take the Syncovery.ini file to another computer and Syncovery will be able to read the passwords from the settings.

Contractor5Prepays9
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:38 pm

Re: Encryption Keys/Passwords for opening the INI file, V.10, concerns

Post by Contractor5Prepays9 »

thanks,one more question on this

if I EXPORT SELECTED PROFILES, is the file that is created ENCRYPTED with password
OR
is there a way to just export the whole INI file, as UNENCRYPTED, so i can store in safe place for emergency recovery in event my encrypted INI file got disastered, computer died,etc

(this UNENCRYPTED SYNCOVERY ini file would be stored in a differnt encrypted backup of disk image, etc)

thanks
nick

tobias
Posts: 1603
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:37 pm

Re: Encryption Keys/Passwords for opening the INI file, V.10, concerns

Post by tobias »

Hello,
exported profiles normally do not contain any passwords, but Syncovery will notify you accordingly.

There is no such thing as an "unencrypted" INI file, because passwords are always encrypted. But if you use legacy encryption, the INI file is portable and can be used on any other machine.

To get a copy of Syncovery.ini with portable legacy encryption, you first need to change the encryption method to legacy and let Syncovery re-encrypt the settings. Then you can copy the main Syncovery.ini file from the folder shown on the Program Settings dialog. No need to export, just copy the file itself. You may also want to copy Vault.ini for cloud access tokens, or maybe just grab all INI files in that folder. The folder is normally
C:\ProgramData\Syncovery

After copying the INI file, then change the encryption method back to a safer one and let Syncovery re-encrypt the settings once more.

Contractor5Prepays9
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:38 pm

Re: Encryption Keys/Passwords for opening the INI file, V.10, concerns

Post by Contractor5Prepays9 »

perfect, clarified, thanks !

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