Security

Security - confidentiality

This program does not provide any! Which is a matter you should be aware of.

The program creates a database in a common database format easily readable, it is neither encrypted nor password protected. The same is true for any backup files created, which are merely compressed copies of this database file.

Anyone with access to these files will have a copy of the entire database, and can view it or alter it.

The database and backup files include the supplier and customer names, addresses and contact details you have input, which may come under the data protection act. You should therefore ensure the program is running on a safe PC, and the backup files are stored securely.

Though you can choose to transfer pdf files, and even full database backup files, over a network yourself, VATStuff does not use or generate any form of network connection, it is an entirely stand-alone program. It does not connect over the internet to look for updates to itself.

You may consider the logs as a security risk. The location of the log files can be seen by pressing the 'Statistics' button under the manual tab.

These are plain text, and record application processes as they occur (but not names, addresses or any bank or money details) - these log files are created for debugging purposes, and are not necessary to the running of the program. Logging can be turned off by running the program with the '--nologs' option:

python vatstuff.py --nologs

Or alternatively, the configuration file vatstuff.cfg, has an option:

[logging]
enabled = yes
debug = no

Setting 'enabled = no' will turn off logging.

Any pdf or csv files you create from VATStuff are saved wherever you specify, and could be passed on to whoever you like. You may consider these to be confidential, if so please be aware that VATStuff has no mechanisms to protect these or to restrict their creation.

Security - data resilience

Data is saved to the database as you create it, and is held in a single database file. It is possible for files to become corrupt, therefore you should use the backup facility under the Admin tab frequently. You should store the backup files created on a separate computer, or saved to a safe location such as a CD.

On restoring from a backup file - any data entered since the backup was made will be lost.

You should not run VATStuff with the database file on a remote drive across a network - this slows down the program, and increases the chance of the database becoming corrupted. VATStuff is not client-server software, the database file is opened and read continuously, and must be held local to the machine VATStuff is running on.

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