Home Forums Encrypted flash drive backups

From frequently reading the boards, it seems that a great many users do backups with flash drives or what some refer to as thumb drives. It also seems like many users make only one backup, which is extremely unsafe. But, on this tip or white paper, I will cover encryption in detail.

If the AC folder or the databases are copied to a flash drive and taken home, there are key risks involved not to mention HIPAA non-compliance. Unless you take home the automatically encrypted files which are made by AC's offline backup, you are probably taking home the folder, as is, or the .mdb databases as is. The words "Amazing Charts" is found in quite a few places, and is always found on the AmazingCharts.mdb database. At the very least, rename these files to hamburgers or Shrek. And, do not have anything in the folder with the words Amazing Charts. It is rather simple to make the jump to www.amazingcharts.com and downloading the program for the file. The files can rather can be opened without AC as well.

But, one really should be using encryption. There are many freeware and shareware encryption programs out there. I have looked at most, and I have come across a free one (donations accepted), and it is excellent. It is called TrueCrypt and can be downloaded from http://www.truecrypt.org/

The nice thing about TrueCrypt is you can encrypt the entire flash drive, and then anything dragged or copied there is encrypted. It uses AES and Twofish encryption as well as other methods. One caution with TrueCrpt, it works very smoothly, but the pdf manual which directs the encryption setup should be read step by step carefully. It's straightforward if done step by step. You can, of course, encrypt external hard drives, etc.

Since I am on the subject, I can't resist recommending multiple backups. One backup is not good for a multitude of reasons. If a file is deleted and you find out about it ten days later, you have backed up data without the file. You don't really want corrupt data either. Plus, if you lose your data on Wednesday and go to Tuesday's backup, you may find it isn't accessible or workable. It's nice to have a Monday to go back to. Remember, this data is your lifeline.

If you bring a flash drive to work and then bring it home, it is at work all day and doesn't help in the case of a physical disaster. One method would be to have two and bring one to work, copy the data, then bring it home and bring number two to work the following day. With the price of flash drives, you could probably pick up five 1 GB flash drives for $200 if not less. That would give you one for Monday through Friday. Personally, I think if this is your only system, it's not nearly good enough, but it's better than one.

Another great discovery that I found today is IronKey. It is flat out incredible. It runs $79.00 for 1 GB, which is more than enough for the usual less than 100 MB Amazing Charts folder. This little flash drive is better than military this and better than military that according to its online data. I love the part where it states that ten incorrect password tries in a row, and it will self-destruct. No, it actually does. It shows it bursting into flames, but it is joking. But, the insides do implode. It has a connection to the Internet where all the data can be stored. I will let you listen to the three-minute movie yourself.

www.ironkey.com

The IronKey looks awesome!

Here's a direct link to the demo:

https://www.ironkey.com/demo

What if somebody breaks into my office and steals the main computer with AmazingCharts.mdb database and imported items? Would it be HIPAA non-compliance because I didn't encrypt the databases on my main computer in the office?

apricot,

Very good question. Technically probably not, because your intent to do everything possible would defend you. Having said that, my three programmers all agree it would be better if the AmazingCharts.mdb were encrypted. Wouldn't be that hard. At least form my perspective not seeing the code. Then you could password protect, but give out the password and allow 3rd party programs in an easier fashion.

Brian,

Thanks for giving the direct link. Gotta love the self destruct Mission Impossible thing!

I would like to put out there this question:

Given the fact that many use flash drives, what is the best way to bring them to and from the office without losing them. I have put them around my neck, and that worked fairly well, although I end up with it there at the hospital, seeing patients and at bars.

Seriously: Any good ideas? How do others do it?

Brian, if you buy the $79 Mission Impossible one, I will pay for half of it! What a coupon.

If someone steals your server full of non-encrypted files, they are guilty of theft and you are guilty of nothing.

However, you are in a pickle, and so are your patients.

In the age of paper charts (and indecipherable handwriting), it was inconceivable that someone could steal thousands of charts from your record room, haul them home, and peruse them at their leisure. Today, that act is not only conceivable, it is easily accomplished.

I've been thinking about this IronKey thingy. It seems ideal for a medical office. I am wondering why you couldn't just put your main AC database on the IronKey and run the whole network off of that? Would it slow you down somehow? Would the security measures prevent AC from accessing the data?

If it would work, you could just take the IronKey out of your computer and take it home with you at night. There would be no patient information left on your office computers when you left the building!

If you lost it, the data would be encrypted and password protected, completely inaccessible to the finder. Also, the IronKey has a service where your data is automatically backed up to some invulnerable off-site computer, so that if the IronKey is lost, all the data can be restored.

With regards to Bert's points about multiple backups, I was thinking that at the end of the day, the IronKey could be plugged into your home computer, and your Amazing Charts data could be dragged and dropped into folders marked "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc." Of course, these copies would not be encrypted; you would have to then encrypt your home copies with TrueCrypt or somesuch other program.

Alternatively, would the IronKey have enough memory to contain five days worth of backups? That way, you wouldn't have to make copies at home (remember, they have an offsite backup you could do at night before you left).

Anyway, those are my half-baked ideas. I would appreciate the comments of others.

Brian,

Those are good ideas. I am guessing that most people's AC folder would be less than 200MBs. If it came to that, you could always just back up the .mdb databases. It comes in a 1, 2, and 4 GB version. The 4 GB is only $150 so I would think five copies coule be put on there. However, putting five copies on one key, offsite or not, would pretty much defeat the purpose of multiple backups.

Even with my obsession on protected databases, I think encrypting them at home would be a bit of overkill. With a different external backup such as USB hard drive or flash drive, TruCrypt would keep the file encrypted on both drives.

In the end, I am still a big fan of automatic backups at the site with easy manual backups to be sure and taking backups home weekly. I always look at the weekly backup as being the extreme measure.

At the very least, my recommendation would be two USB 2.0 external hard drives with folders numbers 1 through 10 with 1 on hd1 and 2 on hd2 and 3 on hd1, etc. Use Acronis or ntbackup or Backup Assist (very good and inexpensvie) to back up the entire computer at night. Use SyncToy to backup AC to both USBs. I say SyncToy, because it would take 20 seconds after the click rather than having to right click and copy and paste, etc. It's free. Try both methods. Then take a flash drive (encrypted) home on Friday.

If one were going to only use flash drives off site, then purchase five of the $79 1GB ones and bring Monday to work and Monday home. You will always have five backups.

These are just suggestions and may seem way too much for some. If some do one CD or flash drive, and they think that's all that is needed, OK.

Brian, I am pretty sure you can run it from the key and, in so doing, there are traces of the data on the PC. I am just a bit confused, because when we talked about syncing and I brought up the idea of moving the folder to the laptop, the issue was always if someone else used the PC while you were gone. So, with the flash drive at home, if you didn't come to the office on Monday until 10:00 AM and your staff was there at 8:00 AM, that may be a problem.

Ironically, my friend who used to use one CD backup a day and now has my ridiculously overdone backup system and who will probably start with AC in the first quarter of the year, watched the IronKey demo and bought the 4 GB flash drive right at my computer. So, we shall see I guess.

I use Mozy off-site encrypted backup. It encrypts and uploads selected files/folders to the off-site location every night, or more often if you choose so. Daily backup sets are saved for 8 months, so you can restore your files from several months in the past. I already did restore twice - worked great.

Now we're talking. Do you use the pro version or the home version? What's it cost. It would be nice to compare to AC's backup service. Plus, I take it it's easier to track your backups, i.e. go to the site and see it.

I read it saved for 30 days. Did I miss something on the 8 months. How does it compare to Carbonite? I checked them out once -- they are on ESPN Serius Radio a lot.

I'm glad you mentioned the backup sets from way back. Of course, you wouldn't want to restore from six months ago, that would be possibly half or all of your data. BUT, the key thing is you may only need to get one file.

Thanks.

Hey apricot,

Just wanted to give you some food for thought. Not trying to tell anyone how to back up. Hello, Mozy's 448 Blowfish encryption.

You certainly aren't lacking for offsite backups. Do you have any local backups? 'Cause it would be great to combine them. Even one external hard drive. Monday through Friday folders and just copy and paste or have five SyncToy backups set. Just click before you leave. I think there would be two major advantages, three if you count your ISP being down -- not too much of a deal.

But, number 1, it would definitely give you more redundancy. But, number 2, sometimes it's just plain easier to restore from a drive right next to your server or wherever.

A good example for me is I use Acronis Corporate Edition for Servers to make an image of my entire server. Acronis is just too cool, and it images the drive so you can browse through it just as it is the actual server. So, AC and Medware, etc. are definitely there. But, I make what I refer to as the "module" backups. The small AC chart backup. If my data was deleted or corrupted on AC, I would probably go there first before going to the Acronis image.

Just random thoughts. Well, I guess they aren't that random.

Apricot,

I tried using Mozy (price: my favorite four lettered F-word). I programmed for back up of the mdb files in the Amazingcharts folder. For some reason, I could not get Mozy to successfully back up the files. Did you do something like moving the files to another folder so Mozy can see it?

There is a lot of good infomation in this thread. I have learned a lot.

There is a good discussion on the same topic in another thread.

I just posted some thoughts on how Amazing Charts could make our backups a lot easier:

http://amazingcharts.com/ub/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4608#Post4608

I would appreciate all of your thoughts on this subject.

Roy,
I didn't programmed Mozy for back up of any particular files. Instead I back up the entire Amazing Chart folder including imported items, as well as some other folders on my computer. Works fine.

bert,
I like Mozy back more than AC's backup service, because Mozy is done automatically, whereas AC's backup has to be done manually. In addition to Amazing Charts Mozy also backs up imported items and other important files from my computer. I pay $54 a year for Mozy Plus 30Gb. My backup sets are saved from May till now, so they probably keep them for 7-8 months. I have never tried Carbonite. I also run 4 local backups using SmartSyncPro.

Very nice, apricot. The folders vs files is probably big. May as well do the whole folder. Plus the price is much better than AC's.

Can you see your files there.

Also, say if you wanted to send me a file (nothing to do with AC) and it was 35Mbs, much to big for email, could you upload it to Mozy, then give me a way to download it.

Great tip.

Bert,
Mozy allows you to restore folders, you can't see the files inside of the folders.
Theoretically you can upload a file and let somebody else download it, but in such case you would have to give your username and password to another person, who would login into your accound and download the selected folder.
That person would have unlimited access to all files and folders in your backup, so it would probably be a HIPPA violation.
It is better to use Logmein for large files transfer.

Thanks.

It was suggested that I chime in on encryption, so here it is (for what its worth).

I've been using the free version of a program called Cryptainer. This is a very easy to use program. It will make a volume on your hard drive that you can "drop" files into for encryption (making this volume is optional).

I've been primarily using it to send encryptped emails to our biller (superbills, id card copies, etc.) since it will generate a self-extracting file. The recipient just needs to know the agreed-upon password. I've been thinking of using it to do a monthly encryped backup to dvd of the AC folder.

Cryptainer uses the Blowfish algorithim designed in 1993 by Bruce Schneier. This appears to have been a pretty darn good encryption algorithim. Only one real problem.

In December 2007 Bruce Schneier apparently stated that "At this point, though, I'm amazed it's still being used. If people ask, I recommend Twofish instead." I got that from Wikipedia.

Nevertheless, I'm sure Blowfish will stop most yahoos. But the really determined , deep money guys might be able to break it. And given the stakes of ID theft, I'm starting to search for a new program using Twofish.

I have used Hushmail for encrypted email.

I still want my AC back-up button that allows us to send the back-up to the drive or source of our choice, formatted in the format that AC likes best for restoring and archiving. Again I use my QuickBooks analogy. Almost any program that creates things has a little button with a drive for "save", and "save as" under the file drop down, to be able to rename and direct it where the user wants it to go. Why not AC??? Just seems to be such a glaring over-sight. Why?

Hockey, you are dead right on the need for that back-up option.

Wayne & Paul:

According to Bert, Amazing Charts Offsite Backup already creates a COMPRESSED, ENCRYPTED version of our database before it uploads to Texas, which is saved in our Amazing Charts folder. I think it is exactly the kind of file that Paul is talking about.

As I understand it, you can browse to that folder in Administrator Options RIGHT NOW, and restore your database from it, or copy it onto a flash drive, COMPRESSED & ENCRYPTED. It's just kind of inconvenient to click-click-click to it, is all.

It would take very little, it seems, to turn this property of an already-existing feature into a whole series of other super-cool features, such as you are describing:

1. If Amazing Charts would just allow us to set the folder that this file saves to, then we could automatically save it to a flash drive each night, as part of our backup routine, and take it home after the upload is complete.

2. If Amazing Charts would just rename this file each day, adding the date (ex. ACBACKUP010408), instead of writing over it, you would be automatically creating a DAILY, DATED, COMPRESSED & ENCRYPTED series of backup files, which you could burn onto a disk monthly.

Golly gee, how hard could this be? It drives me mad, I tell you.

What kind of programming language would I have to learn to create a utility that would detect this file when it is created, rename it, and stick it in a folder on another drive? Bert, could File Assistant Pro be bent to this task?

Brian,
This is exactly what Bert has already suggested. The feature is really almost there already. But for some reason it is only set-up to save to off-site, the user can not direct it anywhere to any number of drives. What I want to be able to do is do the same thing two or three time just as I do with QuickBooks now. Because as we all know one should make redundant back-ups and I make one for here and one that goes home at night, every night.

QB's has this one down pat. Jon and his crew should just look at QB's 2007 or what have you and see how they have it set up. The thing even remembers your regular back-up so like I don't even have to type a darn thing anymore, I just click my way thru a few yes's and confirm that it is all still the same. And I do this twice over because I use the same type of drive for both copies, so it just saves to the same folder that I have set-up on both drives like: E/VMQB Regular Backup 07. And yes just as you suggested it addes to the name of the back-up that day's date and perhaps even the time too. It's simply wonderful and just about idiot proof which I like when Nancy and I are getting bleery eyed from being here all day and half the night.

Any of you who have a fairly recent copy of QB's know what I'm talking about. It is so simple once you set it up once, BAM, I'm backed-up in just the format that QB's likes best. If my computer died tomorrow, I could simply install a new copy of the program on a new computer or drive, restore the last back-up from a restore utility and be back up and running in no time. I know I have had to do it, and it has always worked beautifully. "Aaaahhhh there's my company, glad that's over with." Something as important as these charts should be saved in such a fashion as the designer of the program deems best and those tools, both the save and the restore should be right at our finger tips, just like QB's...Just in case. Anyway, still got one more day to get out. Have a great night and weekend everyone....
Paul

But what if you don't contract for the offsite backup service?

Wayne:

I think the technology that compresses and encrypt the files belongs to the third party that uploads our files for storage (I might be wrong). This idea basically takes an artifact of the upload process, an afterthought, and turns it into a FEATURE.

It's $20 per month for the Offsite Backup. That's really not bad for the service we get now.

However, with these small changes, you would be providing a BIG increase in security and reliability. I think this kind of service would really appeal to the kind of doctors who are attracted to Amazing Charts in the first place. I think it would be good for business!

How hard could it be to do what I'm describing?

Paul:

The file is also saved on-site. You can locate it today, and copy it anywhere you want -- manually.

ALL we need now is a gadget to detect this backup file when it is created, and save it to our preferred location(s) each day, with a unique name, so it is not overwritten.

Is there an existing commercial program, or function of Windows, which can do this now?

My guess is the program for the encryption and uploading the files to the servers as well as leaving an encrypted file on the hard drive is Amazing Charts.

I will work on a batch file for both the encrypted files on whichever machine is used for those who use offsite backup and for the non-encrypted backup files which are formed as a result of using Amazing Utilities.

It seems like Vinny told me that a third party provided the encryption and upload functions, and Jon crafted the interface.



Bert, you exude awesomeness. There ought to be some kind of virtual medal for us to pin on you. (Does this mean I don't have to learn Visual Basic?)

Well, writing batch files is just a wee bit easier than Visual Basic.

I have written two batch files. One is for backing up the encrypted file from your folder directly to a folder on a thumb drive/flash drive or any drive for that matter. That one's rather easy.

I also modified it to allow a backup of the entire folder so Paul will be happy. Just have to make sure it recognizes the modified date and time, which it seems to be doing now.

I will post the code tomorrow when I am more rested. Don't want to put anything incorrect here.

This topic came up at the User's conference in Branson, so I told everybody I would bring it to the top of the list.

Hey, when I writ "Bump" I get in trouble but when you write the sentence above you are given a pardon No fair

Basically scripts are rather easy at the low lesvel. As long as I don't have to use ECHO off, I am OK and even that is probably easy.

I was actually going to present that to add five more minutes to my total of 20 minutes out of my 90. But, you can do one combined batch file and back up and and all databases. It's kind of cool because you can watch the process. I have alway offered to write one for anyone who sends me by private message the location of the thing the want backed up and the location they want it backed up to. Let's say up to the first five. I can teach one of the five and then they can do five, etc. And, I am certainly not the only one who can write batch files on here.

Bert,
Thank you for all your offers of help, solutions, fixes and work arounds. I for one as you already know really apperciate them. But why is AC just about the only data creating program I know that doesn't have a simple, easy to use, save and restore function???

I mean I know that AC is the best bang for the buck, little EMR out there, but with all the other features that we do have, why they heck do we no have a good safe reliable save feature yet? It just seems like such a silly glaring hole. A simple disc on the upper function bar that we can then save that data to where ever we would like to send it???

Heck even FAP has one.....

Some just don't think like Special Ed

Paul,

This was discussed. I think right now, a lot of Jon's focus is getting the Sequel Express up and running and then determining how this will affect other AC features. This is very high on his list of priorities. This issue of "click and save" was discussed and I know he wrote it on his little yellow pad.

Leslie

Yeah, that's what I took away also. SQL Express is 4-8 weeks away. He knows there will be bugs to work out. And, he said that backup will be a different kind of animal with SQL.

I stressed very clearly that when we Offsite Backup, we need to be able to specify a second drive (like a flash drive) for our encrypted database to be written to, so we can walk out of the office with encrypted data. This was also written on the Yellow Pad.

Another user, Lucille Lana, said that she had a batch file on her desktop that cleans all the old backup files out of her AC folder. She is going to email it to me and I will post it.