Data Encryption FAQ: Lost or Stolen Removable Media

• What happens if my encrypted media is lost or stolen?
• What happens to my encrypted data if someone tries to guess the password?
• Is there any way to get my data once the encryption keys are deleted?
• How do I access my encrypted data once the encryption keys have been deleted?

What happens if my encrypted media is lost or stolen?

Your encrypted data is completely protected even if the removable device is lost or stolen, though you should follow whatever your business process is for reporting the loss.

What happens to my encrypted data if someone tries to guess the password?

Your data will be fine, but the unauthorized person will not be able to read it. If someone tries to guess your password and fails authentication and enters an incorrect manual authentication code enough times, the software automatically deletes the encryption keys from the removable media so there is no way to access the data.

Is there any way to get my data once the encryption keys are deleted?

Yes. If you fail authentication and enter an incorrect manual authentication code enough times to trigger the deletion of your encryption keys, you can recover those keys – and access to your encrypted data - via your protected UC Irvine Medical Center computer.

How do I access my encrypted data once the encryption keys have been deleted?

• Log into your protected UC Irvine Medical Center computer and insert the encrypted removable device
• The encryption software on your computer recognizes that the media is yours, but the encryption keys are missing.
• You will be taken through the same process you completed the first time you Shielded the media and the encryption keys will be replaced.
• At that point, data access is reinstated.