Backup/Restore password protection

JOJO

I've just begun to play with "backup options password". My extent of this exposure has been: 1. Assigning a password during backup. 2. Supplying the password during subsequent backups. From this, I've determined once the initial backup has an a password assigned, each subsequent backup(incremental/differential) will require that initial password to proceed. But, moving on to examine the password presence during a protected backup restore process, I wanted to perform the restore to witness how the password protection performed. However, this data is real, and I didn't want to possibly contaminate any live data. So, I decided that I'd just request an "explore image" function to see if I could get to the password protected data without supplying a password. The password protected data was mounted, and attached, as I was referenced to the drive access. I didn't actually move any data from the password protected virtual drive, but I did view the high level qualifier path, and a few paths below. It sure didn't look like anything was gonna' be password protected from where I stood. So what am I misunderstanding here? As I said, a password might have been required for a restore operation. But it looked like all I'd had to do was save that virtual drive data to access that data, unprotected. Thanks JoJo!

admin

@JOJO, When you enable password protection while creating backup, the password is used for operations on task and image file. It is not the encryption feature for the actual backup content. For example, when you rerun the backup task, or do a restore/explore, you need to use the password to unlock these operations. So, if there are other persons who also can access the computer, so they can't run your task or open backup image without a password.

JOJO

Thanks "Admin". But I'm afraid I don't fully understand.... 1. The enable password while creating backup is/was the only place I could find to password protect the backup entities/data. 2. Your statements seem to indicate that I've chosen a misplaced password, and I need to find the correct password specification area, for the type of protection I want. 3. Really, all I'm trying to accomplish is to password protect my backup media, so that if stolen/removed, it could not be used to restore/copy/unload/save/reproduce elsewhere, without supplying password protection. Maybe, I should read the documentation on this topic. Thank you.

JOJO

This is about all I find on Encryption, aka password protection. 3.3 Encryption Because an image file could normally be accessed and restored by anyone, encryption can be used with a password for protection from unauthorized access. Enter the password into the password field to encrypt the data. A maximum of 64 characters can be entered. Do the following to enable encryption. 1. Select “Enable encryption for backups” in “General” of “Options” in the Backup page. 2. Type in the encryption password in the first field and then retype it into the second field to confirm the password. It is not possible to recover a backup if the password is lost. Currently Backupper does not support changing the password of after the backup has been created as the data is encrypted based on the password. I performed these steps during a new full backup operation. Then, rather than an actual restore, I invoked an explore function, using the encrypted/password'd full backup. (I used the explore function because I didn't really want to restore anything, and the explore is more immediate). But, as I said, I was able to prowl around the explored/virtual volume, without ever being asked for any password, or restricted access.

admin

@JOJO, When you explore the image, you need to type into the password. If there is no password, the explore image feature can't be used.
When you open the explore image feature with the password to explore image to virtual partitions, you can access the virtual partitions.

JOJO

I'm sorry, but that's just not the operation here, on 7.2.0. |The password is requested and supplied on backup. |After the backup completes, I explore the image. |I'm able to access the image, and a virtual drive letter has been assigned. |I'm able to access the backup image using the assigned virtual drive letter. |At this point, the only password requested, was during the backup initiation. |Using the explore virtual drive letter, I'm able to fully access the backup segment, including the backup data. |I did no copy/move/delete etc. with the backup data(this is production data). But, I could expand the backup data tree, and it appeared that I had full unprotected access. |Have you actually repeated this example, and been required to supply a password anywhere during the explore of the backup image. If so, then the operation is different there, for you, than here, for me.

JOJO

I found my password problem.... Every time I'd test this, I'd precede the test with a backup run, to create a new image for the testing. Upon the backup completion, I'd invoke the explore function to test that access against the backup image just created. But, because I'd created the backup first(using the password), the explore function just recalled the password provided from the preceding backup just created. This earlier password was used for the explore function, thereby bypassing an additional password query. I simply terminated AOMEI before the explore, thereby losing the password, and the explore requested the password as I was expecting. Sorry for the trouble, I had thought a password would be requested for any/every action necessary. But, of course, had that addition password request been issued, then ALL users would bitch about the redundant password request. Again, sorry for the trouble, and thank you for the continued assistance.