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Autoencryptaur
Q:
What does the Autoencryptaur do?
A: Autoencryptaur allows for quick and
easy encryption and decryption of groups of files. It is intended to
organize files and documents that you open and edit often, but want
to be secured when you finish work or leave your workstation. It also
makes decryption an easy one-click step to access all the important
files that you use and work with the most.
Q:
How is Autoencryptaur
different from the main Cypherus encryption/decryption utility?
A: Autoencryptaur groups together many
files and manages the security of the entire group as a whole. It is
also quicker and in some ways easier than the main Cypherus utility.
Autoencryptaur performs the encryption processes transparently on files
and folders in the designated group. This group can contain files and
folders in different locations. Once the group is locked, all files
and folders are secured and the originals are shredded. When the group
is unlocked, all files are decrypted and placed in their original locations.
You can rest assured that Autoencryptaur has made all of your most frequently
used documents safe.
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Encryption
Q:
Why would I want to encrypt my files or folders?
A: None of us would send sensitive personal
or corporate information through the mail on a post card, but this is
essentially what we are doing when sending unencrypted email and file
attachments over the Internet. Individuals, as well as major corporations
in the legal, financial and health care spheres can now harness the
power of encryption - once reserved exclusively for governmental and
military agencies - as a tool to safeguard sensitive data and communications.
Now when you send or store sensitive documents that contain personal
or client information, proprietary data or intellectual property, you
can be confident in the knowledge that NO ONE will have unauthorized
access to your information.
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Decryption
Q:
What is a self-decrypting
archive?
A: A self-decrypting archive is an archive
that will open itself without Cypherus. It is an executable file (.exe)
that will perform the decryption entirely on its own. All that you have
to do is double click on the archive icon. You will be asked to enter
the key for the archive and the location where you would like to save
the file(s). This feature is meant for exchanging encrypted files with
someone who does not have Cypherus.
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Email
Q:
Does the person to whom I am sending a secure email need to have a copy
of Cypherus?
A: No the person does not. If the recipient
does not have Cypherus, first create the secured archive that you wish
to send. Click the [Email] button and select the option "Recipient does
not have Cypherus OR does not use the Key Server". This option creates
and sends a self-decrypting archive. Enter the recipient's email address,
supply an encryption key for the self-decrypting archive and then click
[Send] to send the encrypted archive through your default email client.
Because this type of communication does not use the Cypherus Key Server,
the encryption key will not be transparent to the user and must be entered
manually. In this scenario, you and the recipient without Cypherus must
agree upon a key that you are going to use. You will need to communicate
this key to the recipient (by phone, verbally or in a separate email).
Once you have established a key with a person who does not have Cypherus,
you may continue to use this key each time you send them a self-decrypting
archive if you so choose.
Q:
Does the recipient need Cypherus to open a self-decrypting
archive?
A: No. The file is an executable that decrypts
the archive automatically. It takes the input from the limited interface
provided and runs the decryption algorithm. It is a self-sufficient
file. However, the user MUST be running Windows 95, 98, Me, NT or 2000.
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Cypherus Key Server
Q:
What is the Cypherus Key Server?
A: The Cypherus Key Server's primary function is to facilitate the secure transfer of information between Cypherus users. It allows users to register their email address with an associated public key on the Cypherus Key Server. Once a user has registered with the Key Server, he or she can begin receiving secure email immediately from other Cypherus users. Cypherus enables you to use the power of public key encryption to easily and seamlessly send secure email, eliminating the need to memorize or manually transfer lengthy encryption keys.
Q:
Why should I send encrypted email in the first place?
A: Email is an important tool in communication.
An increasing number of people use email to conduct business, maintain
relationships and transfer files. Important information is transferred
through email because it is a fast, cheap and efficient form of communication.
Many people and businesses do not yet realize that there are also several
negatives associated with email. When you send an email, it is sent
like a postcard – exposed and open to be viewed. When you click SEND,
your email does not go directly from your computer to your recipient's
computer. It may bounce off of any number of servers before it reaches
its final destination. While that message is traveling across the Internet,
it is vulnerable to interception.
Q:
The members of my family all use the same computer at home. Can I register
more than one email address to the Cypherus Public Key Server?
A: Yes. Cypherus allows you to register
multiple addresses to the Public Key Server, giving different individuals
using the same computer their own personal public-private key pair.
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Settings
Q:
What do the different security level settings do?
A: The different levels set your key size
and shredding level. They also determine whether you can view documents
in the archive and if files will be automatically shredded after encryption.
If you choose to shred files after encryption then the files will only
be accessible through Cypherus. This ensures that the only existing
copy of the file is safely encrypted.
Q:
What are 'skins'?
A: The skin is the basic appearance of
the user interface of Cypherus. You can change it by highlighting a
different one in the Cypherus Settings (Appearance) under Current Skin.
You can also import skins that you design or find them in other directories
or drives by clicking on [Import Skin].
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Wizard
Q:
What is the Wizard for?
A: The Wizard will walk you through the
basic features of Cypherus. It will show you, step by step, how to encrypt,
decrypt or email files. Simply follow the on-screen prompts.
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Shredder
Q:
Is it necessary to shred the originals of files after they have been
encrypted?
A: The purpose of shredder is to completely
eliminate files from your hard drive so that they are completely unrecoverable
by any means. If you wish to secure a file by encrypting it, shredding
the original is recommended. This is in order to get rid of any trace
of the file except for the encrypted version. Since the encrypted version
is in an unreadable form, the only way to obtain the file in the original
format is through decryption, which can only be done when logged into
Cypherus and given the proper decryption key.
Q:
How does the shredder actually delete files permanently on my hard drive?
A: When deleting a file or document from
your hard drive using conventional techniques the data is actually still
present on your hard drive (even after emptying your recycle bin). A
header marking the space for that particular document is simply removed,
letting your computer know that the space in question is now available
to be written over. However, the data is still there and the information
can still be obtained using a variety of methods, including undelete
programs. The Cypherus shredder writes over the entire file with random
bit data, covering up the previous data with each pass. You can select
the number of passes the shredder will perform in the Cypherus Settings
(up to 35 passes). The more passes the shredder makes, the more difficult
it is to reacquire any part of the original file data.
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Text Encryptaur
Q:
What can I use the Text Encryptaur for?
A:
Text Encryptaur encrypts small text messages. It does not
encrypt or save files. You can use it to write a message and send it
securely through email. However, this feature only works when the recipient
also has Cypherus. The encryption key must be communicated to the recipient
in order for them to decrypt the message text.
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