Protecting exports & sensitive data

Why this matters

N78-Ops keeps everyday quotes, clients, and money in private app storage, where other apps normally cannot read them under standard Android rules. Exports are different on purpose: backups, CSV, accountant ZIPs, and shared tax snapshots are written so you (or your accountant) can open them outside the app—on a PC, in a spreadsheet, or through email.

Every export asks first: Password-protected (recommended) or plain. That includes Data & files toolbar backup / CSV, Save for accountant (ZIP), Clients → Export spreadsheet…, Insights → Share tax snapshot, Today → QuickBooks (incremental handoff), and Settings → Accountant data → QuickBooks vault export. There is no global “always encrypt exports” toggle—each tap is its own decision. Plain paths show a short risk reminder before anything is written.

Password-protected uses your master password (the one you set when you lock your data; the app prompts you the first time you protect a backup or export). For each protected export the app asks you to enter that password again; only a secure verifier is kept on the device—not the password itself. Encrypted portable .zip files and password-protected accountant ZIPs are safer in transit, but anyone who has both the file and your master password can read everything inside—protect that password like a key to your business.

What attackers usually do here

They rarely need to “break” strong encryption. Most of the time they try to get the file: malware with broad storage access, someone watching your screen, a file left in a shared cloud folder, email to the wrong person, or a scam (“IT support” asks you to upload a backup). Portable exports are meant to be shared, so this path is the easiest way for business data to leak compared with information that never leaves private app storage.

What N78-Ops does in software

• Full backup (Data & files → Backup, password-protected) saves a normal .zip you can open on a PC or Mac; inside is the encrypted snapshot N78-Ops uses for Restore (and Import + Restore). Spreadsheet CSV exports (Data & files → CSV, or Clients → Export spreadsheet…) are not restored by the app: they are for Excel or other tools; when password-protected they are a .zip with a plain README_N78-Ops_Export.txt (why Windows may skip a second password prompt) plus N78-Ops_ClientRegistry.csv protected with ZipCrypto so Extract all can ask the first time—not the same AES layout as Save for accountant. Windows often caches the ZIP password for that file until you sign out or restart; deleting extracted files and extracting again can look like “no password,” but the archive is still protected. After extract, open the .csv in Excel. If Windows shows 0x80004005 or refuses to copy the file, close Excel/Preview on any same-named file, right‑click → Properties → Unblock (when shown), or extract again to a new folder.
• Accountant ZIP uses AES-256 ZIP entry encryption when you pick password-protected (strongest common .zip password standard; use 7-Zip or WinZip if a built-in unzip tool cannot open it), encrypted with your master password—choose plain only when you accept the risk.
• While you confirm password-protected or unencrypted export choices, the screen is marked no screenshots and hidden from recent-task previews to reduce casual visual leaks.
• Re-exporting the same ClientRegistry.csv path replaces that file on disk before writing again when you use the unencrypted Clients export.
• Backup rules try to exclude known export locations from Android cloud backup where the OS honors them (the release build also uses allowBackup="false").

Best practices for you

• Prefer password-protected exports; use plain only with a clear reason and trusted handling.
• Use a strong master password at setup (and keep it in a password manager); do not email the password in the same message as the file.
• Verify the recipient before sending; prefer private channels over mailing lists.
• Avoid public cloud links; revoke sharing when the accountant is done.
• On shared tablets, use a separate user profile or avoid exporting business data.
• Keep Android updated; avoid installing untrusted apps from outside Google Play that may request All files access.
• Lock your device; full-disk encryption is standard on modern phones—do not disable it.
• Delete stale copies from Downloads or mail Sent when you no longer need them.

Related topics: Philosophy of resilience, Data files & backups, Data portability (CSV Export), Manual Backups & JSON Snapshots, Accountant Data (dashboard QuickBooks vault, separate from the accountant ZIP pack).