Secure your important information using encryption .

What is encryption?
Encryption scrambles the audio files.  If an unauthorized 3rd party intercepts an audio file then they cannot playback the audio. All they will hear is a noisy hissing sound. However, your users will be able to hear the audio in the usual crystal clear audio to which Boston Bar's customers are accustomed.

Why should I encrypt my audio files?
If you are sending sensitive information over the Internet then encryption ensures that no unauthorized person may intercept and listen to this sensitive information. Also, if an unauthorized 3rd party gets access to files stored on your server then they will not be able to listen these files. So your audio will be protected both during transmission and while they are stored. In the USA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires encryption for patient information that is sent over the Internet and recommends that patient information be encrypted in storage.

How does encryption work?
Encryption requires an encryption key which is used as part of a mathematical calculation to scramble the audio file. This same encryption key is also used to decrypt the audio file. To enable encryption you must install an encryption key into the product that you are using. This is known as private key encryption since only the dictator and the transcriber have access to this unique encryption key. The same encryption key that was used to encrypt the file must also be used to decrypt the file. Any other encryption key will not decrypt the file.

What is a private encryption key?
An encryption key is just a sequence of characters stored in a file. This key is unique - no two encryption keys are the same. When a file is encrypted using this encryption key file then it must be decrypted using a copy of the same encryption key file. For all users within an organization to share all files then create one encryption key file and install a copy of this encryption key file into each Boston Bar product that you are using.

Where do I get an encryption key?
First, check with your system administrator for your organization. The same encryption key file must be used by both the dictator as well as the transcriber. So only one encryption key file should be used in one organization.  If you are the system administrator for your organization then click on the Create Encryption Key File  button below. Remember, that to playback an encrypted file you need a copy of the same encryption key file that was used to encrypt the audio file. 

How many encryption keys do I need?
In most cases, one organization will use one encryption key file. A copy of this file can be given to each user so that it may be installed into our Boston Bar product.

Which products support encryption?
All of Boston Bar's products support encryption. OPUS, TeleWave, VoiceWave and the Converter.

How do I install an encryption key?
For VoiceWave, use the Options...Set Encryption Key File menu option. For TeleWave, enter the name of the encryption key file on the Settings tab. For Opus, open the Settings notebook and set the encryption file name of the Encryption tab.

When does the file get encrypted?
For OPUS and VoiceWave, the files are encrypted straight to disk while the file is being recorded. For TeleWave the file is encrypted after the caller hangs up the phone and before it is sent to the transcriber.

Can I decrypt a file encrypted by a Boston Bar product using a non-Boston Bar product?
Any file encrypted by a Boston Bar product can only be decrypted by a Boston Bar product. The Converter can be used to decompress and decrypt an encrypted file.

Can I use the encryption version of VoiceWave to playback files that were created by an older version of VoiceWave, TeleWave or OPUS ?
Yes. All products that support encryption can playback files created by previous versions of our products. For example, VoiceWave 4.x will playback files created by TeleWave 3.x, OPUS 3.x, and VoiceWave 3.x.

Important: Please read all of the information above before you create an encryption key. Be sure to store the encryption key file in a safe place - if it is lost then you will not be able to playback any encrypted files.