Restricting access to local databases

When you enable encryption for a local database, IBM® Notes® encrypts the database using your public key from your User ID. You are the only one who can then decrypt the database because you have the corresponding private key in your User ID. Nobody else's User ID can open the database.

About this task

Note: If you use a disk compression utility, databases using medium or strong encryption will not use significantly less disk space.

Results

To specify default local database encryption settings

About this task

Perform the following steps to specify the default encryption setting for new local databases. You can change the setting for a specific database.

Procedure

  1. Click File > Security > User Security (Macintosh OS X users: Notes > Security > User Security).
  2. Click Notes Data > Databases.
  3. Select one of the following options:
    • To turn off encryption for new local databases, select Do not locally encrypt.
    • To enable encryption for new local databases, select one of the following options:

      Simple encryption You can change to a different level when you create a local database.

      Medium encryption You can change to a different level when you create a local database.

      Strong encryption (Recommended) Once selected, this is the only level of encryption available.

Results

To encrypt existing local databases

About this task

Procedure

  1. Open the local database.
  2. Click File > Application > Properties> Encryption Settings.
  3. Select Locally encrypt this database using and select an encryption level. Strong is recommended and may be the only encryption level available.
  4. Optional: By default, your User ID is listed as the only User ID that can open the database when encrypted. If you would rather give a different person access to the database, click "For," then choose an address book and person from the "Select name" dialog box.
    CAUTION: If you choose a different user to have access to the database, you will lose your access to the database.

Results

Note: You may need to compact the database in order to fully remove the previous encryption settings.