quicken's encryption

After years of using Quicken I was reading a book on Q 2011 and saw that when Q backs up it apparently "encrypts" the backup file.

I usually keep my Q data files in a TruCrypt encrypted volume which I know is secure so this made me wonder how good Quicken's own encryption was. Does anyone know what encryption method Q uses and if it is easily broken into?

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff
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I've never had a need to look into this for Quicken, but I HAVE on one occasion needed to break into QuickBooks for a client who had lost the password and couldn't get into their own system. It was disturbingly easy to locate a tool on the Internet to simply reset the QuickBooks password (if I remember correctly...it's been a while and I don't recall the details). There's probably such a tool out there for Quicken too, which is one of the many reasons why I also use Truecrypt. So, if the password can be easily reset, how well the file is encrypted may be a moot point.

Reply to
Chad Neeper

wrote

I don't think that is true ... as stated. Quicken's regular data file is encrypted; I don't think there is any added encryption for Quicken backups. I believe Quicken backups are exact copies of the fileset being backed up.

Starting with Q2008 R2, Quicken data files have had 2048 bit encryption.

I'll leave it to the security gurus to tell you how safe that should make you feel.

Reply to
John Pollard

I think Quicken 2011's interface has been retooled so it behaves the way you'd expect it to. There's a new cash-flow tracking feature that lets you see how much cash will be in your accounts as Quicken forecasts the timing of your income and expenses.

Reply to
Jameslary

Huh?

Reply to
Uncal Bob

Thanks. I was just curious. Will continue to depend on TrueCrypt.

Reply to
Jeff

'What the encryption algorithm is' is less important than 'how easy it is to guess, find or reset the password'.

Reply to
bjn

That "new" cash flow feature is not really "new" at all.

A few years back, that feature was in Quicken, but Intuit removed it.

It only took five or six years of customer complaints before Intuit put the feature back.

Reply to
bjn

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