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Encryption at Berkeley Lab  

Overview

Support for encryption at Berkeley Lab is best effort only; The below are CPP recommendations, not lab standards.

Remember that Personally Identifiable Information and Personally Identifiable Health Information as defined here may only be stored in the central business systems approved for PII (HRIS, FMS, etc).

If you hold sole source institutional information under encryption, you must archive your key and passphrase with your supervisor, two different individuals, or a designee. This is required in order to allow recovery of sole source institutional information in the event that it is deemed necessary by the Laboratory.

Encrypting Email

PGP - one of the commonly used methods to encrypt email is Public Key Encryption, or specifically PGP. For Email encryption, CPP recommends using Enigmail, an extension to the lab standard email client Mozilla. With Enigmail and Mozilla, you can seamless use GnuPG, an open source replacement for PGP, to encrypt email communications. CPP has prepared a presentation that documents the setup of Enigmail and GnuPG for Mozilla. The presentation can be found here. This is the strongest and best alternative for encrypting email.

Encrypting Files

PGP - using a PGP application such as GnuPG, mentioned above for email encryption, you can encrypt files. In addition, tools such as Windows Privacy Tools facilitate file encryption and key management for GnuPG..

Built-in - many modern operating systems have built-in capabilities to encrypt files. The use of these built-in capabilities is a recommended.

Utilities - the following utilities can be used to encrypt files.

  • 7zip is a utility that can be used to password protect [encrypt] and compess a file.
  • TrueCrypt is a free utility to encrypt entire disks or files:
  • Password protected MS Office documents Your colleague password protects an Office document and calls you with the password. MS office encryption is not robust and is easily breakable, however, this may be sufficient for transmitting OUO or other low-sensitivity information.

Entrust Use at LBNL

Entrust is a product used in some parts of DOE to provide Public Key Infrastructure based encryption. This section covers important information about Entrust at LBNL. Entrust is neither provided by nor supported by LBNL. LBNL does not have an Entrust server deployed nor do we expect to deploy an Entrust server in the near future.

Since all LBNL work is unclassified and non-sensitive, most LBNL employees do not have a regular need to exchange encrypted email with other DOE entities.

Entrust is commonly utilized within DOE to transmit information that is PROHIBITED on LBNL computers and on the LBNL site. You must take responsibility to inform your colleagues about the restrictions on your use of Entrust.Most "DOE Sensitive" information is prohibited at LBNL. UCNI is also sometimes transmitted in Entrust, but UCNI information is also prohibited at LBNL. OUO information is commonly exchanged in Entrust, however, OUO can be transmitted in other ways. The DOE OUO Directive recommends, but does not require the use of encryption in transit if a means of encryption is not readily available. As an alternative to either unencrypted or Entrust encrypted transit of OUO information, consider utilizing the tools referenced above for OUO information.

If you still need Entrust, you may be able to receive an Entrust certificate by being sponsored by a collaborator or colleague at another DOE Laboratory, at DOE HQ, or at a site office other then BSO. Inquire with your collaborators about getting Entrust through their facility. If you still need assistance getting or using entrust, contact cppm@lbl.gov Here are some instructions for the approved entrust users.

     

 

 

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