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My Data Guard (MDG) will securely protect all your personal information. With MDG, you create a MDG file in which to store your personal information. You then provide a password that will encrypt this information. From this point on, no one will be able to view the data in your MDG file without knowing this password.
MyDataGuard uses AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) - a virtually unbreakable encryption - the same encryption used by US Government organizations to protect sensitive data. For more information on this encryption see 'About Encryption'.
Items that MDG will protect for you include... Internet passwords, Medical information, Phone account codes, PIN numbers, Social Security Numbers, Bank Accounts, Private phone numbers, Goals, Diary entries, Business strategies, any information you want it to.
The first time you run the program you are asked to create an initial MyDataGuard (MDG) Data File Name and Password. You enter the password twice to verify that you have typed it correctly, then press the OK button.
A reminder pops up to caution you not to forget your password since, without it, you will not be able to open your file.
The data screen opens, populated with example data. Edit this example data to make it your own.
Using the File menu, Select SAVE then EXIT.
A dialogue box pops up and asks if you want to Email or Back Up your file. Select the Back Up Button, then select the OK button to back up to your local drive. You'll see a message reminding you that it is best to back up to an external drive. Press OK.
Your data is now safely encrypted, stored within the program, with a backup copy stored for an extra measure of data safety.
You are asked to quickly view the sponsors web message. Click the Close button to clear this message. See 'Web Connection' for more information.
Each time you start the MDG program or open an existing MDG data file, the program needs to know which file you want to open.
If you've only created one MDG (MyDataGuard) file then that file is used as the default file and it's name is listed in the lower left hand corner of the login window. You are only asked to enter a password.
If you have more then one file, pull down the list box to view all your files listed in alphabetical order.
Select the file you want to open. Enter the password for that file. Select OK.
View and/or edit your MDG data file contents, and exit when you're done.
Choose a file name that will be meaningful to you. You can use your own name or a name that indicates the kind of data the file will hold such as "MyDiary" or "Finances".
User experience has told us that it is best to create just one file for all your private data. This makes it easy to locate the information you need when you need it. If you do decide to create more then one file (example, one for finance, one for diary) we highly recommend using the same password for each. This will help insure that you don't forget the password.
Your password is the 'key' that encrypts your file. Your password may be anywhere between 5 and 25 characters. the longer you make your password the more secure the encryption of your data will be.
Spaces are ignored. If you were to type 'My Mother is wonderful' as your password, the actual password would be entered as 'MyMotheriswonderful'. Use the space key as you like, The program strips spaces for you.
The password is case sensitive, meaning that if you enter "animal" as your password "Animal" will not work.
It is also recommended that you include symbols (` ~ ! @ # $ % ^ & * _ + - = { } | [ ] \ : " ; ' < > ? , . /) and numerals to make the password more secure, for example G0neToP$hoenix.
Use a password that is not obvious but easy for you to remember. A combination of letters and numbers and characters is best such as 'mounT2+0live'. In this case the 'o' is a zero and the 'T' is a capital 'T'. If you write your password down, keep it in a place well away from your computer and do not identify it as a password for your MDG data file. NOTICE! If you forget your password you will not be able to retrieve your data. For security reasons there is no "back door" or other ways to access your data. The correct password MUST be provided.
The most important part of creating a password is to create one that you can remember. A password may be highly secure based on its makeup, but it can't be remembered, then it is a poor choice for a password. You might also consider just what is the likelyhood of someone trying to discover your password as you decide how complicated to make it.
You may change your password at anytime from the file menu.
To open another file from within the program:
Choose the File menu, then Open.
Select the MDG data file name you want to open. Enter the password for that file.
Click OK.
My Data Guard employs the standard Window's editing functions. The following commands may be called through the MDG Edit menu, the MDG Toolbar, or the standard Window's key combinations.
Undo - Undoes the most recent edit you made to your data.
Cut - Removes the highlighted data and places it in the window's clipboard, replacing any existing clipboard data.
Copy - Copies the highlighted data and places it in the window's clipboard, replacing any existing clipboard data.
Paste - Paste's the contents of the clipboard into you data.
CTRL + HOME.
CTRL + END.
Page Down and Page Up keys.
Vertical Scroll bar.
If you use a computer in two locations, one at home and one at the office, or one desktop and one laptop, you can easily transfer your MDG data file between them.
If a file with the same name and password as the file you want to transfer between machines does not already exist on the target machine use the import button on the login page to import the file.
If a file with the same name and password as the file you want to import already exists, you must import it using the File | Import command from within the program. This is for security. No one may import a file from the login screen that already exists. They must first load the original file by entering it's correct password.
See 'Export' below for more information.
The export process allows you create a backup of your MDG data file and also to share it between two computers that both have the MDG program installed. There are two ways you may export: 1) to an external memory device like a floppy disk or USB memory drive or 2) Using email.
Insert your USB Flash drive or floppy disk that you wish to export to.
Choose File menu, then Export.
Select the drive you want to export to. The default drive will be the Flash drive or floppy disk you inserted initially. If no external storage device is attached, then the export will be to your own C: drive. If the drive you want is not the default, use the pull down to select it.
Click OK.
Export copies your Data File to the drive of your choice. In most cases you will want to export to a USB Flash Drive. You may export to any portable data storage device that is interpreted as a drive.
Export creates a backup copy of your MDG Data File. A backup copy is always recommended for data safety. If the hard drive on your PC should fail or become infected with a virus, you will still have a copy of your data available to you.
Export allows you to transfer the latest copy of your MDG data from one computer to the other. For additional details see 'Importing Your Files'.
The export process copies your encrypted MDG Data File to a specific folder on the target drive's root directory. This folder's name is MDGBackup. The import process looks to this directory and folder to find the data file to import. This is why you are not asked to enter a complete path but only the drive. This keeps the process simple and consistent, eliminating potential confusion.
Each you exit the program, if you have edited your data, you will be asked if you want to create a backup copy (export).
To use Email to Import/Export your MDG files see Export by Email.
This is another easy way to keep a backup of your file. You can email the file to yourself. The file is encrypted, so the data cannot be deciphered by anyone unless they know the password and have a copy of the MyDataGuard program.
Use the Email menu option under the File menu OR select the EMAIL button when you are asked if you would like to Backup you data (This happens each time you exit the program if you have edited your data).
The email option includes two ways to email. You can enter server information yourself or select Microsoft Outlook (not Express) if that program is installed on the computer. To use Outlook check the check box on the Email Form labeled 'Use Microsoft Outlook instead of SMTP'.
If you select the Outlook check box and your version of Outlook is 2003 (12) or later, you will need to re-enter the TO address on the Outlook email page.
MyDataGuard detects which version of Outlook you are using and will warn you if you need to re-enter the TO address.
Outlook 2003 or later, with its added security requirements, prevents emails generated outside of itself from being sent. The way around this limitation is to re enter the TO address on the Outlook Email page. See Google for 'Microsoft article 872896' for more information on this Microsoft issue.
To use your own email server you must fill in the required fields including: Mail From, Send To, Server, Username, and Password. Here is a typical example: me@mytoemail.com, me@myfromemail.com, smtp.myserver.com, myusername, mypassword. The program will store and reuse your most recent settings so you will only need to enter this information one time.
The attached file is entered automatically and is based on the file that is currently being viewed. The file is encrypted and included as an attachment to the email when you select the 'Send Email' button. You may also use the ADD button to attach additional files. If you are using Outlook however, you must add any additional files from within the Outlook Email page.
The Status box reflects the progress of your connection to your server. Review the information in this box for status and errors.
Yahoo, Gmail and other free email accounts do not allow you to send emails through their servers unless you are logged on to their web site. Therefore, these free account SMTP server addresses will not work in MyDataGuard. An SMTP email service that you pay for, for instance, those provided by your internet service provider, will in most cases work for you. If you use an email program, like Microsoft Outlook, you can find these settings under Tools | Email Accounts.
Here is a list of SMTP addresses for some of the major internet providers taken from OneWebHosting. To see a complete listing please go to their web site at: www.onewebhosting.com/esupport/?_a=knowledgebase&_j=questiondetails&_i=7
Verizon Internet service: outgoing.verizon.net
SBC Internet service: smtp.sbcglobal.yahoo.com
Earthlink Internet service: smtp.earthlink.net
Qwest Internet service: pop.dnvr.qwest.net
OPTOnline Internet service: mail.optonline.net
SBC Internet service: smtp.sbcglobal.yahoo.com
SCB (Pacbell): mail.pacbell.net
SCB (SBC Global): smtp.sbcglobal.net
StarStream Communication: smtp.starsteam.net
Comcast Internet service: smtp.comcast.net
AT&T (Broadband): mail.attbi.com
AT&T (Dialup): smtp1.attglobal.net
Bellatlantic.net smtpout.bellatlantic.net
NetZero: smtp.netzero.com
The Import process allows you to share your MDG Data File(s) between two computers that both have the MDG program installed. It also allows you to replace an existing file with its backup copy. To import an existing file:
Choose File menu, then Import.
Select the drive you want to import from (normally a USB flash drive or 'a:'). Click OK.
You may import from any portable data storage device that is interpreted as a drive as well as from your own computer's hard drives.
Import allows you to transfer the latest copy of your MDG data from one computer to the other. This is useful if you are running the MDG program on more then one machine and want to move the most recently edited copy of your data from one machine to the other. For additional details see 'Export' and 'Moving MDG files between Two Computers'.
During the import process, if the file being imported is older then the file that it will overwrite, you are warned and asked if you want to continue the process.
Import allows you to restore your MDG Data File. If the hard drive on your PC should fail or become infected with a virus, and you have created a backup copy of your file, you can use the import process to restore your data.
If you are unable to open the file you want to replace from within MyDataGuard delete it manually. See 'Bypass the Import Process' for more help.
The default import process looks to find a directory named MDGBackup on the drive you point to when importing. This is the same directory that the export process exports to and creates if it does not exits. This keeps the process simple and consistent, eliminating potential confusion. You may import from any directory however by selecting the Free Style button on the import dialogue box.
To import an existing file, overwriting the installed file, you must provide its password. This is by design and prevents overwriting a file unintentionally. It is also for security as no one may import a file other then their own. The currently loaded file must have the same name and password as the file you wish to import. This feature is for security. No one may import a file other than their own.
To Import an emailed file into the My Data Guard program copy (save) the file from your email to your desktop.
If this is an existing file that you are importing:
Start MyDataGuard.
Open the file of the same name and password as the imported file.
Use the File Menu | Import | Free Style option to import the newer file. If the imported file is not as current as the existing file, you will be warned.
If this is a new file that your are importing:
Select the import button on the log in screen.
Use the find file interface to find and import a new file manually.
If you try to import using this second method with an existing file, you
will not be able to. This is a security feature to prevent others from
overwriting your file with another file of the same name.
Choose File menu, then Save. Or... Click the Save icon on the toolbar.
Note - If you've made changes to your data and choose exit without saving, the MDG will ask you if you'd like to save your changes before exiting.
To delete your MDG data file Choose File menu, then Delete. Read the warning. Select Yes. Click OK.
Warning: This action permanently deletes the current file. After you delete a file, the data cannot be retrieved.
Once you have entered the program you may add a new file. To create a new MDG data file you enter a new file name and password.
Choose File menu, then New.
Enter your new MDG data file name. Enter a password for the file (twice).
Click OK.
Type in your personal data.
If you are going to have more then one MDG data file it is strongly recommended that you use the same password for each. This way you will not have to remember multiple passwords. The requirement to be within the program before being allowed to add a new file keeps others from adding their own file to your program without your permission.
While in general most will have a separate window's account on a computer for each user, so that each interacts with their own personal copy of the program, you may wish to simply share the same program instance with others. This would be the case where several people share the same computer and the same login or account, as in a general office setting or at home. When sharing one instance of the program a new user can only gain access if an existing user allows them to. To do so do the following:
Choose File menu, then New. Your personal data disappears from the screen so that the new user cannot see it.
Instruct the new user to enter their own New MDG Data File name and password. If the new user enters a MDG data file name that already exists, they will be notified and asked to enter another.
When finished, the new user clicks OK.
The new user enters some data, then saves and exits. Now both files are encrypted each with its own password known only to the user that created the file.
The next time the program is started, each user will need to choose their own MDG Data File to open and enter it's password. If the user does not know the file's password, they will not be able to view that file. In this way each user's personal data is kept secure from all other users. The whole family or office can keep their personal data information secure even while sharing the same user profile and program instance on one computer. Since you must be within the program to add a new MDG data file, new MDG data files can only be added with the express permission of an active user. This keeps strangers from adding themselves to your program. It also increases security in that the only person who can enter the program is a person with a MDG data file and a valid password. The exception to this rule is when a user selects the Import button on the Log in screen to import an existing MDG file for which they have the password. Even then, they will only be able to import their file if a file by that name does not already exist.
Each MDG data file has its own password. The password may be changed once you have opened the file.
Choose File menu, then Change Password.
Enter your new password two times.
Click OK.
You may want to change your password periodically for added security. Once you change your password, your old password will no longer work. See 'More on Passwords' above.
Choose File menu, then Print.
View security warning. Select Yes.
Make print selections.
Click OK.
Note: If you print your personal data, be sure to place the printed copy in a safe place. Printing your data defeats the password protection that MDG Data Guard offers.
Search looks through your MDG data file from start to end for the word or phrase that you want to find.
Choose Search menu. Enter the word or phrase to search for. Click OK.
The default search setting does does look to match case (Capitalization) but you may choose to do so. The search process makes it easy to find exactly what you're looking for in your data. It is for this reason that we recommend that you keep all your private data in just one file where feasible. If you have more than one MDG data file, and cannot remember which file contains the data you want, you will need to open and search each file in turn.
To change the window view
To hide or display the Toolbar, Font Bar, and Status Bar, according to your preference.
Choose View menu. Select or de-select each item to hide or view.
This is a licensed product. Copyright 2005 - 2007 by CRS. All rights apply.
Understanding the Inactive versus the Active License:
The author grants a inactive license free, to any user who wishes to use this Software.
The author grants an active license to any user who purchases an active license from the author.
The inactive license is a free license. The freely available version of this Software ships with an inactive license. An inactive license is defined as one that causes a sponsor’s web page to be viewed at the close of the program in consideration of the free use of this Software. This product may be freely distributed with an inactive license. An inactive license does not interfere with your rights to operate this program. However, when using the program with an inactive license, the availability of an internet connection is verified. If no connectivity is available, you will be able to view your data, but you will not be able to edit it. This requirement makes it possible for the sponsor's web page to be viewed in consideration of your free use of this program. With the purchase of an active license, this requirement is removed and no sponsor's web page is displayed.
To purchase an ACTIVE license
Choose Help menu, then Website. Purchase and download your new license directly from the My Data Guard website.
Note The web address is www.MyDataGuard.com
The free version of the MyDataGuard Software loads a sponsors web page into a browser page after you have closed your MDG program.
There are no cookies written to your machine (as other web sites, including major newspapers and search engines do) and there is no information passed to our web site that can in any way identify you or your machine. The information passed to our web site consists of your zip code (if entered) and your advertising preference.
The web site has no connection in any manner with your MyDataGuard file. It cannot view or access your file. As a further assurance remember that, without your password, even with access to your file NO ONE can view your data. This is why, should you forget your password, CRS has no way to retrieve your data for you.
Software updates are free. Check our website periodically for update announcements.
As an additional low level security tactic, before saving your MDG file, select all your data and format it with a Wingding or other unreadable character font. For the average user, even if they know your password, they will not be able to read your personal data unless they also know to select and change the font back to a readable font like Arial or Sans Serif. Then next time you open your file, select your data and format it back to a readable font.
If you are comfortable with the following instructions and warnings you may find it at times convenient to bypass the MDG program's Import process. For instance, On the receiving machine, you can copy and paste and email MDG file attachment directly to the your 'My Documemts\MyDataGuard\MyData' directory.
Warning: Bypassing the Import process means that normal program protections are not available. You will not be warned if you are replacing a newer file with an older one. You will not be warned if you are replacing a file with the same name but a different password, as may occur if bringing in MDG files that belong to different users from different machines.
Each time you start the MDG program or open an existing MDG data file, the program needs to know which file you want to open.
If the program has only one MDG data file then that file is used as the default file. You are only asked to enter a password.
If you have created more then one MDG data file then you must select which file you want to open. The default file listed is the last file that was opened. Pull down the list box to view the remaining files listed in alphabetical order.
If you've made changes to your data and choose exit without saving, MDG will ask you if you'd like to save your changes before exiting.
If you've made changes to your data and exit the program, MDG will ask you if you'd like to Backup your data. See Export File.
All MDG files are encrypted using 256 bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. Without your password and a copy of this program, no one will be able to access your data.
AES is a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS).
Each MDG data file is encrypted using a password that you provide and which is used to build the AES encryption key. The program adds an additional series of characters, in addition to your password, for an even greater level of security.
" What is the chance that someone could use the 'DES Cracker' -like hardware to crack an AES key? Assuming that one could build a machine that could recover a DES key in a second (i.e., try 255 keys per second), then it would take that machine approximately 149 thousand-billion (149 trillion) years to crack a 128-bit AES key. To put that into perspective, the universe is believed to be less than 20 billion years old." *
* For more information on AES see http://csrc.nist.gov/CryptoToolkit/aes/aesfact.html
My Data Guard uses 256-bit AES encryption A virus or other Trojan programs will not be able to access your data, since all your data is kept in its encrypted state until you choose to access it by using this program AND providing the proper password.
DO NOT FORGET YOUR PASSWORD - Without the proper password you data will be irretrievably lost. The manufacturer of this program has no way to decrypt or otherwise restore your data should you lose your password.
To view your data, as it would appear to someone trying to access you data without knowing your password AND using MyDataGuard , open your MDG data file using notepad or any word processor. Your Personal Data File has the extension '.MDG' and may be found in the directory named My Documents\MyDataGuard\MyData. ** Warning **: Make a backup before examining your file in this manner. Any change made to the file in its encrypted state and the data will be lost since your password will not longer work. This is an added security feature.
The most probable reason that someone else would be able to view your data is that they guess or steal your password. Use a password that is not obvious but easy for you to remember. If you write your password down keep it in a place well away from your computer and do not identify it as a password for your Personal Data.
One MDG file
The simplest way of using the MDG program is to keep all your personal data in one file. This means that each time you run the program, all you will need to do is enter your password, and use the default SEARCH dialogue box to locate your data
Many MDG files
There are two reasons why your program may have more then one MDG data file:
You create more then one MDG file for your own use. See 'Add File'. You allow others to use the program and create their own MDG files. See 'Sharing your Program'.
You may want to create more than one MDG data file for your own use so that you can store different categories of personal data in different files. For instance, you might create two files, one named 'MyDiary' and the other named 'MyPassWords'.
There are a few things to consider when deciding to create more then one file to hold your data:
We recommend that you use the same password for each of the MDG files that you create. If you use a different password for each, you will need to remember each password. This defeats the intended design of the program... to protect all your personal data with one simple password.
When doing a search for a particular word or phrase, you will not be able to search all your data files at one time. Each search command searches only the currently loaded file.
When exporting and backing up your data you will need to keep track of more then one file.
With more then one MDG data file, each time you run the program, you will need to select which file to open and then enter the proper password for that file. With just one file all you need to do is enter the correct password.
When creating new MDG file names, the program will not allow you to enter duplicate names.
If I import another user's MDG data file that has the same name as one of my own files will it overwrite my file?
The only time this action would overwrite your file is if both files of the same name also had the same password. MDG will only import a file with the same name AND password as the current file. This keeps users from importing any files other then their own.
This protection is given only when using the MDG program's import process to bring in your files from another source. If you manually copy the files into the directory (using the window's Copy | Paste method) then you will overwrite any existing file with the new file without warning.
You can set your document's font settings from the Toolbar or the Font Menu. Use Font size and color to break up your MDG data file into sections. For example: using a large bold font with a blue color as the title of each section will make the sections easier to distinguish. To set the font for existing data, highlight the data then change the font settings. If you change your font setting when no data is highlighted, the font is set for the current cursor location.
You can use MyDataGuard to send secure messages by email or on disk to another person. Each person will need a copy of MyDataGuard (which is available free on the Web). You would agree on a password to use between you and then create a file with the agreed upon password. The receiving party imports the file into their copy of MyDataGuard. You can use this file to send encrypted data between you, either as an email attachment or transported in a portable drive.
If you forget your password you will not be able to retrieve your data. For security reasons there is no "back door" or other way to access your data. The correct password must be provided.
Since each MDG data file is listed at the start of the program, you may want to remove a file from the list if you've lost it's password.
Locate the file in your 'My Documents\MyDataGuard\MyData' directory and change change the extension from 'MDG' to 'UNK' (for unknown). This will keep the file available but remove it from your drop down list. If you later find or remember the password you may rename the file extension back to 'MDG' and then open it again by running the program and providing the password.
Each time you make changes to your MDG data file and exit the program you are asked if you'd like to make a backup copy. We suggest that you always do so.
If you lose a file due to a hard drive failure or accidental deletion, and you have made a backup copy, then you can restore your file from your backup.
When I open the program it only asks me for a password, it does not ask me which MDG data file to open...
This is because there is only one MDG file. This logic is by design. If you only have one file there is no need to ask you to select one. If you add another file you will be asked which of the two files you want to open the next time you start the program.
After uninstalling the My Data Guard program, all the program files will be removed except for your your MDG data files and your settings files, which were created to store your preferences. This is by design to prevent their accidental deletion.
To remove your MDG data files after uninstalling the program, manually delete the 'My Documents\MyDataGuard\MyData' directory.
Although the makers of this software believe the software to be error free, have tested this software thoroughly and use the software for company and personal business on an ongoing and regular basis, we must include the following warning in order to protect ourselves from legal liability.
Please read and understand. By using this software you agree that:
This Software is provided "as is". Author makes no warranty, expressed or implied, with regard to the Software. All implied warranties, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular use, are hereby excluded. Licensor does not warrant that the Software is error free or that it will operate without interruption. AUTHOR'S LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE PURCHASE PRICE. Under no circumstances shall author of this product be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, nor for any damages in excess of the original purchase price.
Licensor shall not be liable to you or any other party for any damages arising out of the use of, or inability to use, this Software including but not limited to inability to access data, loss of business, loss of profits, or any other perceived or actual loss or damages. The foregoing limitations on liability are intended to apply to the warranties and disclaimers contained within this document and all other aspects of this software.