.KEYWORD cloak
.FLYINGHEAD PRODUCT REVIEW
.TITLE Create encrypted accounts with Cloak v2.0
.OTHER
.SUMMARY If you’re accustomed to placing highly sensitive account information on your Palm handheld, you could probably use a good encryption program. Bill Beaulieu reviews version 2.0 of Chapura, Inc’s Cloak file security product, which allows you to selectively create encrypted accounts for credit cards, bank accounts, Web sites, or just about any other kind of account you may have.
.AUTHOR Bill Beaulieu
Chapura, Inc has introduced Cloak 2.0 (at http://www.chapura.com/cloak.php), a new release of their Cloak file security product for Palm handhelds. If you’re accustomed to placing highly sensitive account information on your Palm handheld, Cloak, at $19.95, is one of the best investments you can make. And if you already own a copy of their original release from the fall of 2001, you’ll see some really useful improvements.
.H1 The value of Cloak
Today, the Palm OS doesn’t come with a utility that allows you to encrypt files stored in the device memory. Although you can hide information, it’s very easy to dump the memory or hack into your device to retrieve that sensitive hidden information. Cloak solves this problem by allowing you to selectively create encrypted accounts for credit cards, bank accounts, Web sites, or just about any other kind of account you may have.
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.H1 Account management
Cloak provides the ability to create accounts that are linked to categories on the Palm handeld. This feature is intuitive and easy to use.
.H1 Flexibility
You can change label fields on the Palm handheld or on your desktop. Likewise, you can change the type field on either the device or desktop to provide more clarity as to the purpose of the account. In all, you can create up to fifteen unique categories to store account files for easy reference. Chapura synchronization keeps both sides up-to-date.
.H1 New import/export functions
Cloak 1.0 focused on creating password accessible encrypted accounts that could be synchronized from the desktop to your device. Using Cloak to create and synchronize account information is very simple and intuitive, so this review focuses more on the new functionality. Release v2.0 retains all the functionality of the initial release, but it adds new amenities that assist advanced users in moving data from other applications to the Cloak desktop and ultimately to the device.
Cloak v2.0 provides the ability to store and share Cloak accounts via secure, encrypted files called vCloak files. You may import, export, and email vCloak files among other Cloak users.
When creating a vCloak file, you choose a password that’s used to encrypt and decrypt the account data. The file import and export capability provides a mechanism to back up your data or import data from an existing database. The other application you’re working with must have the ability to create a Comma Separated Value (.csv) or Text (.txt) file.
The new vCloak files allow you to create an encrypted account record that you can email or beam to another Palm handheld or store on your PC. This is an ability that has long been needed, especially by those of us who tend to beam around contact information that may have sensitive data associated with it.
.H2 Import
Cloak v2.0 can be used to import information from a .csv file into the Cloak Desktop. This feature is useful if you already have information in a spreadsheet or desktop database on your PC that you want to pull into Cloak. However, using this feature takes some work. I found it to be somewhat confusing, and I really needed to dig into the documentation to get a good understanding about setting up the Import template.
The import utility is only capable of handling a .csv file, and the record layout must follow strict guidelines to work properly. This function is for a more advanced user who feels comfortable manipulating file formats. If you decide to do this, I suggest you download the Cloak documentation in Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf file) from the Chapura Support site and carefully read the chapter on Cloak Import/Export.
.H2 Export
The Cloak export function has two options. One option allows you to export account information (defined as Export Categories in the pull down screen) from the Cloak Desktop to a .txt file or .csv file. The text file can be opened with a text editor such as Microsoft Notepad or Microsoft Word, and the Comma Separated Value file can be opened with a spreadsheet application such as Microsoft Excel.
Exporting is a convenient way to create a backup of your records. You have the option of selecting one or more records and selecting export from the pull down menu. Cloak automatically pops up a dialog box that requests a password and shows you the number of records selected.
The second option allows you to export a vCloak file. You can create a backup vCloak file and protect the file with a unique password. You don’t have to use the same password you created to open Cloak. In fact it’s suggested that you do not do so. The only way to import this file is to input the correct password when prompted by the import utility. Otherwise you receive an error.
Finally, you can beam a vCloak file between two devices. Once again you must have the correct password to complete the transaction.
.H1 Email vCloak files
Forwarding a vCloak file allows you to bundle a file as an attachment to an Outlook email message. The person receiving the attachment then opens the attachment, enters the correct password, and assigns a category. The import utility then places the new account in the account list on the desktop. The same rules apply for opening the file as before. If you’re not using Outlook, then this feature is not available.
.H1 Print your accounts
The print utility not only prints the vCloak account files but also arranges them in alphabetical order. This can be a real helpful feature if you have a large group of accounts. It’s also possible to print out accounts by category, which gives you another level of precision in cutting down on the amount of paper around your desk. This is a great feature, but I strongly suggest that you take great care in using it. It would be a real shame to take the time to encrypt your files only to have someone pull the information off a printout they found in your trash.
.H1 Summary
If you’re like most people, you have more accounts and passwords than the average human mind can comprehend. With Cloak it’s possible to save this information securely in one place and not have hundreds of Post-It notes in every conceivable place at home and in the office.
I rate this package as highly user friendly, as it doesn’t require vast amounts of reading, nor does it require a lot of trial and error to get it up and running. Cloak offers the same user experience as most other Palm OS software, so experienced users will have no problem understanding how to set up this product. The installation follows the same process as with any Windows program complimented by the traditional process for loading application to the Palm handheld via a .prc file.
The only place you might have any problems is importing a file. Even here, if you take my advice and review the Import/Export documentation first, you’ll have little trouble. Overall I rate this product a "Must Have" on price, functionality, and utility. A trial version of Cloak is available on the Chapura Web site, along with a data sheet explaining all the new product features.
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Chapura Cloak, visit http://www.chapura.com/cloak.php.
For a trial version of Chapura Cloak, visit http://www.chapura.com/free_downloads.php.
For more information on Palm handhelds, visit http://www.palm.com.
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.BIO Bill Beaulieu is a Senior Partner at The Selmont Group (at http://www.selmont.com), a Technology Marketing Management firm based in Londonderry, NH.
