Create a new archive key password
Who is this article for?
CrashPlan for Small Business, no.
Code42 for Enterprise, yes.
Link: Product plans and features.
Overview
A Code42 platform administrator can require that all CrashPlan apps in the environment use archive key passwords. When the administrator pushes that setting to existing devices, or when new devices first sign in, CrashPlan apps prompt users to create their passwords. This article describes how to respond to that prompt and how to use archive key passwords.
For details, see Archive Encryption Key Security.
Affects
- CrashPlan app versions 5.4 and later
Before you begin
Understand the purpose of the archive key password
An archive key password is one available archive encryption key security option.
A backup archive holds encrypted data from your device. To restore data from the archive, Code42 for Enterprise copies it to your device, then decrypts it so you can read it.
The encryption key is a random string of characters used to encrypt and decrypt your data. Standard Code42 security stores that key at the authority server.
Your archive key password secures your archive encryption key. No one but you knows your archive key password. Therefore, only you can decrypt the data stored in your backup archive.
A recovery question is a memory aid. If you define a question, and remember the answer, you can recover from forgetting your password.
Considerations
Password applies to all your devices
If you forget your password
Recovery question
You can optionally create a recovery question that lets you reset your archive key password in the event that you lose or forget it. A recovery question reduces the risk of being unable to restore your files. However, it increases the risk of someone bypassing your archive key password.
Steps
Create an archive key password
When an administrator sets your Code42 environment to require archive key passwords, the Create new archive key password dialog opens the next time you sign in to the CrashPlan app. (If your CrashPlan app is open at the time of the change, you will be prompted to sign in again.)
- Enter, and then confirm, an archive key password.
Enter at least 8 characters. Use any combination of capital or lower-case letters, numerals, symbols, and spaces. - (Optional) Enter a recovery question and answer. This question and answer is used to reset your archive key password in the event you lose or forget it.
Your question and answer may include any combination of capital or lower-case letters, numerals, symbols, and spaces. - Click OK.
Use your archive key password
The next time you download files, Code42 for Enterprise will prompt you to enter the archive key password you just created.
You may change your archive key password at any time.