Open Dental Forum

is the data in the mysql encrypted? what about opendental data. Does a server that sends information to your worstations outside your office over an encryted VPN have to me Hippa compliance or just password protected.

The data in the database is not encrypted, but you can use Windows to encrypt it.

jordansparks wrote:The data in the database is not encrypted, but you can use Windows to encrypt it.

I encrypted the MySQL folder (Properties, Advanced, Encrypt contents...)

1) Does that mean that if someone logs on in SafeMode or with another operating system, they can't copy the MySQL folder (or they can copy it but won't be able to use the data)? What if someone logs in to a limited user account that doesn't require a password?

2) What happens when you backup to a removable hard drive. Does the data remain encrypted? If not how do you keep it encrypted?

If you don't log in under the admin account, you can't access the data. The only way to copy it for a backup would be if you had logged in under the admin account. The data will not remain encrypted, so you have to take precautions with your backup. There are USB flash drives with built-in hardware encryption that will perform this task.

Jordan,
I encrypted the MySQL folder and also my Quickbooks data folder.
I logged in from home as an admin through Remote Desktop. I was unable to open Open Dental or Quickbooks. I was also unable to start or stop MySQL. I unencrypted the folders and everything worked as usual. Can you encrypt and still use Remote Desktop?
Also, can any user use OpenDental from a workstation?

You are getting into some very complicated areas. I'm not sure I can answer those questions on a forum in a way that will be very useful to you. I don't know why the RDP didn't work. Are you sure it was the same user that you used to encrypt? You said "an" admin. Does that mean you have more than one? What is the user for your mysql service? Domain or workgroup?

Yes, Open Dental should work from all workstations.

More details:
I have a workgroup, not a domain. I have one Windows 7 workstation in the office that holds the MySQL database. I only have one admin account (for me) and one limited account (for staff) on that workstation.
I routinely log in to that workstation from home with RDP using the admin account (can't log in to the limited account). Then I can view the desktop as if I was in the office.
I was logged in from home. I encrypted the two folders. The folders and all the subfolders turned green. After encrypting them I was unable to open both OD & QB. I unencrypted them and OD & QB worked fine. Don't know understand what if anything I did wrong. Any help would be appreciated as I believe encryption is a necessary security.

In your Computer Management console, right click on the MySQL service, properties. On the login tab, change the user for the MySQL service to be Admin. Then it will work.

jordansparks wrote:In your Computer Management console, right click on the MySQL service, properties. On the login tab, change the user for the MySQL service to be Admin. Then it will work.

Thanks Jordan, I give that a try and let you know if it worked.

did this work for you?

I am also curious if this worked to allow access remotely to the encrypted data.

I forgot all about this.
I am the only one in my office who has admin privileges. Everyone else logs in as either clinical staff or business staff (limited users) with specific rights/permissions and access to different sets of folders on the server.
I changed the MySQL service to Log On as .\"my admin name"
I encrypted the MySQL folder on my server.
So far everyone seems able to access OD for all workstations in the office. I haven't tried through Remote Desktop from home yet.

Think of it as encrypting the service, thus any computer connecting to the service should not be affected by the change. My guess is that remote access will work just fine.