Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ for SafeBoot EEMS²

 

How much bandwidth will my EEMS² client use?

After your first synchronise a typical synchronise will only use approximately 13k of bandwidth, 6.1KB up and about 6.5KB down.  This includes the audit log so your machine can be kept secure and an update of the policy you set.  This process takes approximately 60 seconds.

What ports must I open?

Port 5555 TCP must be open outbound, if you would like the list of predetermined ports for your environment call you account manager or email Support.

No inbound ports must be opened!

What about corporate firewalls?

Both personal firewalls and corporate firewalls must have port 5555 TCP open outbound

What functionality will I have?

The encryption software allows for the administrator to setup policies, as if the Encryption servers were onsite.

Where are my Encryption Keys stored?

Your keys are securely stored offshore in Jersey and Guernsey at three different locations is high security data centres.

What about backups and resilience?

Your keys are safe and there is a dedicated team that look after the maintenance and support of the encryption solution.  The keys are backed up and there is DR and BCP contingency plans in place to ensure your keys are kept safe.  We guarantee your keys…

Can EEMS² link to my AD and is it secure?

Yes, a connector is installed in your environment that reads and parses LDAP usernames, the service is updated over a very secure VPN Encrypted type connection and the names are populated into secure groups on the service.  This enables the customer to use AD to manage who can access what machines.

When I encrypt my data can I decrypt it back to an unencrypted state?

Yes, the administrator can set the decryption on the service, once this is done and the client has synchronised, the decryption process will start.

How long will encryption take?

Encryption is a painless process and happens in the background, the process depends on a number of factors like speed of the hard drive and user activity.  An average time for most encryption solutions is over 3 hours for an 80gig hard drive this solution will perform better and will be under 2 hours for an 80gig hard drive. 200 gigs take just a bit longer than four hours.

How long will decryption take?

Full disk decryption takes about 20% longer than encryption.

What can I do whilst the machine is encrypting?

You can use your machine as normal, work on documents, email, shut the machine down, hibernate etc as if you had no encryption.

Will I notice a difference once encrypted?

No, you will not notice a performance difference; you will notice that when you turn the computer on a new authentication screen is presented.

What is the performance overhead?

The performance overhead is very low, less than 5% and compared with other encryption software it performs favourably most are over 7%

Can this encryption be hacked?

This solution has not been hacked and has been around for a very long time, other solutions have been hacked and this one stands out as being a strong pillar of confidentiality…

What about if someone gets my password?

Your password is the key to getting into your machine; if it has been compromised or you suspect it has been compromised you should change it right away!  Just change your password in windows and synchronise, or log onto the EEMS website and change it there.  A better protection mechanism is two factor authentication so a card or token and a password/PIN.

If you have any doubts call the help desk and you will be put through to a leading security professional that will advise you on the best approach, its all part of the service  J

Who uses this solution?

We are in the game of confidentiality, what we can tell you is that sectors of clients that use our solution.  We have thousands of clients, in the following sectors, Finance, Legal, Governmental, Aerospace, Retail, Telecoms, Manufacturing, Motor Racing, Insurance, Health and many more. 

What gets done on the backend?

We maintain the whole solution, update it on our QA servers, make sure it doesn’t break anything and then once its signed off we upgrade the live servers.  This process is transparent to the user. All work is done by highly skilled security professionals.

Where is service found through out the world?

Right now in EMEA, we have presence in the Europe, Middle East and Africa; because of the nature of the service it is possible to use the service internationally. 

How can I recover my keys?

By asking your administrator, or if you have registered with your security questions on the website you are able to call the helpdesk, on the 24 hour number or on the day number according to your contract.

What type of support can I expect?

Gold support only in the day and at night, we will not desert you and there is always someone knowledgeable to assist you.  The best thing to do is when logging a call is to provide us with:

·         Your name

·         Your location

·         Your telephone number and email address

·         Your organisations details and your role

Once we have verified your identify on the phone we can proceed to the next steps.

Can I help myself?

Yes, by logging onto the website portal you are able to help yourself by following the prompts, you might have to register first, so it’s a good idea to do this in case you forget your passwords, or call your administrator, he will also be able to help.

Can I remove the software?

Yes, the software can be easily removed, the software consists of two parts the pre-boot authentication and the encryption component.   You have to remove the encryption before removing the Pre-Boot authentication.  This can be done by the administrator on the console, or by calling the service desk, then once the client has synchronised the software will start automatically removing itself.  Manual procedures are also available. 

What happens if my hard drive fails?

If the hard drive fails an error will be displayed telling you hard drive can not be found or a problem with the hard drive has been detected, an associated error code will be associated. If you are unsure you can call the help desk.  There are various recovery procedures and depending on the hardware failure, the respective remediation will be suggested.