DB encryption key

[Yogie]

Hi Brendan,

I wonder why I need to enter my encryption key only on my (main) iMac any time when I open Tap Forms. While I sync that DB with other devices, where I do not need to enter the encryption key each time I open Tap Forms there.

I only needed to enter the encryption key the first time at each new device (a MacBook, iPad, iPhone) when I synced it the first time via DropBox. And now I can open Tap Forms without asking me for the key on these devices!?

I just checked the settings at the main iMac if there is a switch at the settings that would allow opening an encrypted Tap Form without asking for the key but I could not find any such.

Any idea? Bug or feature?

Cheers
Joerg

[Brendan]

Hi Joerg,

You may have Touch ID enabled on your iOS devices so you don’t have to enter the key. Or, you don’t have your iOS devices encrypted yet the Mac is encrypted. You can turn off encryption on the Mac if you don’t want it on. Just go to the Security Settings screen, then click on “Decrypt Database”.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Yogie]

Thank you Brendan,

ok, so each device would need to encrypt it’s own (copy) of the database?

As my devices sync via dropbox, I thought that the dropbox copy to sync with, would be encrypted as soon as one device would set a key, and all other devices would respect this and take over the encryption? At least this would be consistent if it comes to make certain information more or less secure.

What about my second iMac or MacBook, there is also no need to enter the encryption key.

Cheers
Joerg

[Brendan]

No, each device encrypts its own database. The encrypted data doesn’t come from the other devices. The encryption key would be used for all the TFSyncDoc files that get generated when you press the upload to cloud button. This encryption is independent of full database encryption, but does share the same key with full database encryption. When both devices have the same key set, they are able to read the encrypted TFSyncDoc files that Tap Forms generates when you upload the data. If you don’t encrypt your databases, Tap Forms reads the encrypted TFSyncDoc files and writes the data unencrypted in the local database files where Tap Forms stores its data. If they’re encrypted, then the data stays encrypted.

If Device A had the key set, but Device B didn’t (or had a different keys set), then when you generate a TFSyncDoc file on Device A, Device B would not be able read it and you would get a Sync Failed error.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Author]

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