PocketLock Users Guide

Overview
About File Encryption
Registering PocketLock
Encrypting a File
Decrypting a File
Encrypting a Folder
Decrypting a Folder
Settings
Changing the Encryption Method
Using PocketLock on both a PC and a Pocket PC

Overview

Welcome to PocketLock! PocketLock is the secure, convenient way to keep your sensitive data files safe. It's easy to encrypt files or entire folders with a password or PIN of your choosing, and just as easy to decrypt them. Plus, you can quickly and easily open and view encrypted files.

The PocketLock main screen.

When you encrypt or decrypt, PocketLock asks for a password or a PIN. You can quickly enter a PIN using easy entry number buttons, or you can enter a password from the input panel, or a combination of both. This allows you to choose between convenience or extra security when protecting files.

PocketLock allows you to encrypt files or folders anywhere on your device or storage card. You can encrypt files of any size and type.

When you encrypt a file, the file is renamed with a ".lock" extension. For example, when you encrypt "notes.psw", the file becomes "notes.psw.lock". Likewise, decrypting a file removes the "Lock" extension.

About File Encryption

When you first run PocketLock, the built-in ARC4 is selected by default. This is 128-bit RC4 compatible encryption, and is very secure. PocketLock also provides access to the encryption routines provided by Microsoft, if you'd rather use these. The rest of this section is a quick primer on encryption in PocketLock.

PocketLock gives you great flexibility in deciding what encryption method to use. The following methods are readily available:

• ARC4 (128-bit RC4 compatible)
• RC2 (40 bit)
• RC4 (40 bit)
• DES (56 Bit)
• RC2 (128 bit)*
• RC4 (128 bit)*
• 3DES TWO KEY (112 bit)*
• 3DES (168 bit)*

* To get some of these methods, you need to download and install the Microsoft High Encryption Pak from the PocketPC.com Web site here.

The following table shows benchmarks provided by Microsoft for the most common methods. Your results will vary:

For most uses, the built-in ARC4 is recommended.

Another factor in the security of your data is the length of your password. Each character in the password is equivalent to 7 bits of encryption. So if you use a six letter password, your encryption strength is 42-bit, even if you choose an encryption method of 128-bit.

Registering PocketLock

Once you install PocketLock, you have 15 days of full use. After the 15 day trial period has expired, you can still decrypt files, but no longer encrypt them. When you purchase a registration code, you regain unlimited use of the software.

To purchase a registration code:

1. Point your browser to www.applianmobile.com/register
2. Follow the ordering process for PocketLock.
3. You will receive a registration code once you place your order.
4. Select Register from the PocketLock screen.
5. Enter your registration code in the space provided.

If you have questions, you can always email us at info@applian.com, or click the Support tab on our Web site at www.applian.com.

Encrypting a File

To encrypt a file:

1. Tap Encrypt File from the PocketLock main screen.
   A list of files and folders appears.
   
   
   
   
2. Select the file to encrypt.
   Tap the folder icons to view the contents of a folder. Once you select a file, the PIN entry screen appears.
   
   
   
   
3. Enter the PIN or Password to use to encrypt the file, then tap Enter.
   IMPORTANT: Make sure you enter the PIN correctly, otherwise you may not be able to decode your file again!
4. A confirmation message appears. Select OK

You have successfully encrypted a file.

Note on PINs: The PIN or password you enter can be a combination of numbers or letters, up to 16 in all. You can use the pop-up keyboard to enter letters.

Decrypting a File

To decrypt a previously encrypted file:

1. Tap Decrypt File from the PocketLock main screen.
   A tree view appears, showing folders and all encrypted files.
   
   
   
   
2. Select the file to decrypt.
   The PIN entry screen appears.
3. Enter the PIN or password used to encrypt the file, then tap Enter.
   If the file is decrypted successfully, you will receive a confirmation message asking "Want to open this document?".
4. Tap Yes to open the document, or tap No to return to PocketLock.

If you open the document, when PocketLock detects that you have finished viewing the file, you are asked "OK to re-encrypt the file?". If you answer Yes, the file is automatically encrypted with the same PIN or password used previously.

Note: If you enter a PIN or password different than the one used to encrypt the file, PocketLock will notify you, and will not decrypt the file.

Hint: A quick way to decrypt a file is to select it using the File Explorer application on your device. Encrypted files appear in File Explorer with the PocketLock icon, and will look like they end in .psw, .psi or other three letter extensions.

Encrypting a Folder

PocketLock lets you encrypt all the files in a folder (including subfolders) as follows:

1. Tap Encrypt Folder from the PocketLock main screen.
   A list of folders appears, as shown here:
   
   
   
   
2. Select the folder to encrypt, then tap OK.
3. Enter the PIN or Password to use to encrypt the file, then tap Enter.
   IMPORTANT: Make sure you enter the PIN correctly, otherwise you may not be able to decode your files again!
4. A confirmation message appears. Select OK

Note: PocketLock encrypts ALL files and folders under the one you select, except the following:

• Previously encrypted files.
• The \ and \Windows folders.
• EXE and DLL files.

Decrypting a Folder

You can easily decrypt all files in a folder as follows:

1. Tap Decrypt Folder from the PocketLock main screen.
   A list of folders appears.
   
   
   
   
2. Select the folder to decrypt, then tap OK.
3. Enter the PIN or password to use to decrypt all files in the folder, then tap Enter.
   Once decryption has finished, you will receive a confirmation message.

Note: PocketLock attempts to use the PIN you entered to decrypt all the files in the folder. If some files were encrypted using a different PIN or password, these will not be decrypted, and you will receive a warning.

Settings

You can make PocketLock operate more efficiently by using Settings. Tap Settings from the PocketLock main screen to make the following dialog appear:

You can adjust the following settings:

• Automatically open and encrypt files. When unchecked, you are always asked to open and encrypt files selected using File Explorer or QuickLaunch. Otherwise, check this item if you'd like to  automatically open and encrypt files.
• Reuse last PIN for __ minutes. Instead of re-entering the same PIN, you can have PocketLock try to use the last PIN you entered before prompting you for a new PIN. The number you enter here indicates how soon the last PIN expires before you are asked to enter it again. Set this value to zero if you never want the last PIN to be tried first.

Changing the Encryption Method

PocketLock 2.0 allows you to choose between the various encryption methods available on your machine. Stronger methods are harder to break by brute force, but may require more time to encrypt and decrypt files. 40-bit encryption is best for most applications.

To change the encryption method:

1. Select Settings from the main screen.
2. Select Set Encryption Method.
   The encryption method dialog appears:
   
   
   
   
3. Choose an encryption library. Depending upon your system setup, you may see one or both of the following:
   
   • Built-in ARC4
   • Microsoft Base Cryptographic Provider v1.0
   • Microsoft Enhanced Cryptographic Provider v1.0
   When you change the encryption library, the Encryption Methods list changes to show what methods are available in that library.
4. Choose a method, and tap OK.

Notes:

• IMPORTANT: If you are using PocketLock on both a PC and a Pocket PC, make sure the encryption library and method you choose is available on both platforms. Otherwise, files encrypted on one machine may not be readable on the other. This also applies if you're transferring PocketLock encrypted files between two PCs.
• Changing the encryption method affects all subsequent encryption operations. However, you can always decrypt previously encrypted files, even after changing the encryption method.

Using PocketLock on both a PC and a Pocket PC

There are two separate versions of PocketLock available -- a PC version, and a Pocket PC version. There are available as separate downloads, and are purchased separately as well. This is handy when you are synchronizing files between your Desktop PC and your Pocket PC, and need to be able to encrypt and decrypt files on both platforms.

IMPORTANT: Make sure that the encryption library and method you are using is available on both the PC and Pocket PC. (See Changing the Encryption Method.) Otherwise, you will not be able to read encrypted files when transferred between devices.

IMPORTANT: Certain file types, when encrypted, will not be readable on both the Pocket PC and Desktop PC. If a file is converted when copied between the two machines, then you will only be able to read it on the machine it was originally created upon. For example, Word and Excel files are converted before being copied to the Pocket PC.

The following file types cannot be read after they are encrypted and copied between a PC and a Pocket PC:

• Word.
• Excel.
• Notes.
• Any other file type that is converted when copied.

The following file types CAN be read after they are encrypted and copied between a PC and a Pocket PC:

• Text
• WAV
• MP3
• HTML
• Any other file type that is not converted when copied.