Quicken Password Security
News Groupie
Exactly how secure is the quicken password in Quicken 98? I am using
Windows XP with a cable modem connection to the internet. Assuming a
complex password and a good firewall, what are the chances of someone
(either via the internet or having access to the computer) cracking the
password?
Is it possible to install and run the program on a CD-RW and wipe it from
the hard disk? Or should the Quicken folder be encrypted on the hard drive?
Other suggestions on an easy and bulletproof method?
Thanx,
News Groupie
Paul Cardoza
to worry about. Got any enemies????? ;-)
"News Groupie" <sni...@eudoramailPLUG.com> wrote in message
news:as1t6l$s6k$1...@news.astound.net...
Ingo Pakleppa
First, the risk is relatively minor - no bigger than somebody breaking
into your house and stealing your paper bank records, in my mind. The
scariest part is that in the online world, you are not familiar with the
risks, and that makes everything seem scarier than it is. It's really no
different than walking through your own neighborhood vs. walking through a
comparable neighborhood in another city or country.
Incidentally, in the computer world, there are two separate risks that you
need to be aware of. When somebody breaks into your house and steals your
bank records, he has access to the information and you don't. In the
computer world, it is possible that he steals information and you still
have it. Or it is possible that he simply destroys the information and
isn't interested in what the content is.
The distinction is important because the risks are different. Somebody
stealing your information would be targeting you specifically for some
reason - it could be an ex-spouse, or the like. A random stranger isn't
going to steal your records. The only reason he would be interested in it
is for identity theft - and there are far easier ways. On the other hand,
an ex-spouse would always have access, there is really not much you can do
here unless you want to deny her access to your computer altogether.
So you really need to worry only about somebody wiping out the data, maybe
with a virus or so.
That said, there are a number of things you can do if you really want to
protect your data. First, make a backup to CDRW. A backup means that if a
virus hits you, then you can get your data back easily.
Encryption won't help you at all here because it's as easy to delete an
encrypted file as a plain one. An encrypted file system really only
protects you against one thing: somebody stealing the physical hard disk.
Your idea of wiping the file and keeping exclusively on CD-ROM would also
work. It is very tedious because you can't work right on CDRW - you'd be
copying files back and forth. And when you are done, you'd have to
remember to erase the remaining fragments from the hard disk. Even after
you empty the trashcan, there will be fragments of the file left on your
disk (there are utilities to securely erase these fragments).
Andrew Rossmann
copy was sent to the cited author.]
In article <as1t6l$s6k$1...@news.astound.net>, sni...@eudoramailPLUG.com
says...
I'm not certain if Q98 actually encrypts the databases. I think that
started with 99 or 2000. Try using any simple file viewer and look at your
.QDF and other files. I remember older versions had alot of plain text in
them. Newer ones are just garbage (and uncompressable.)
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News Groupie
conservative (paranoid?) approach such as:
1. Remove any bank and investment account numbers or other confidential
data from my list of accounts on Quicken. I have already done a complete
search (files and text) of my hard drive to remove account numbers and
social security numbers.
2. Use a 9-character password consisting of a combination of letters (upper
and lower case), numbers, and symbols to open Quicken.
3. Send a backup copy of the QDF file to a floppy before closing the
program. Alternate backups with a second floppy in case one floppy gets
corrupted.
4. Periodically copy all files in the Quicken folder to a CD-R or CD-RW.
5. Use PowerDesk DES encryption for the Quicken folder and destroy
(securely wipe) source files on the hard drive. Use a 9-character password
consisting of a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers, and
symbols to encrypt and decrypt the Quicken folder.
6. I'm aware of the fact that encrypted files can be deleted, but all I
would need to get back in business is to reinstall the program and open the
QDF file from my backup floppy.
By the way, I can trust my wife because she doesn't even know how to start
the computer (although she's good at a lot of other things). It's my cats I
worry about--they are pretty smart characters. :>}
Thanx,
News Groupie
"News Groupie" <sni...@eudoramailPLUG.com> wrote in message
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Jim Johnson
Jim
"News Groupie" <sni...@eudoramailPLUG.com> wrote in message
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Joe
your family they have probably seen or used one of the password cracking
programs. Just about any Adobe, Quicken or MS password can be cracked in a
matter of minutes. However there are some really good encryptions programs
out there if you really need one. As far as the cable modem, get yourself a
firewall if you don't already have one. WinXP has one built in but it sucks
for outbound connections. There are many firewalls out there, two that come
to mind are Sygate or Norton.
"News Groupie" <sni...@eudoramailPLUG.com> wrote in message
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News Groupie
dropped me right after the dotcom crash. Hardy-har-har.
News Groupie
"Jim Johnson" <jame...@cableone.net> wrote in message
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