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tiCrypt 2.17.15

Get Started

Access to tiCrypt begins the same way for every account type: install the Connect Application, register an account, then sign in with the key file that registration generates. The account type you register determines what you can do once you are in. It does not change how you sign in.

Account types​

Identify yours before you start.

Account typePositions that use itWhat it does
UserPrincipal investigator, research staff, postdoc, graduate researcher, lab assistant, lab manager, data custodian, HPC analyst, system administrator, compliance officerWorks with files and virtual machines inside the secure enclave
AdminLab manager, HPC or system administrator, compliance officer, departmental ITNot a separate registration. Register as a user; an existing admin then assigns the Admin role and a permission profile
Site-key adminOne designated security administrator per deploymentSigns escrow certificates. Operates outside tiCrypt with its own login
Escrow userMembers of escrow groups responsible for key recoveryHolds one escrow group's key part of the recovery key

Almost every position registers the same way, as a User account. Sub-Admin and Admin are roles an existing administrator assigns afterwards, not different registrations, which is why a job title can appear on more than one row above. Only Site-key admin and Escrow user are separate registrations.

For the full mapping of a position to its role, permissions and typical VM role, see Institutional Role Mapping.

Most people start here

If your administrator told you to create a tiCrypt account, you want a User account. Follow this page straight through.

1. Install the Connect Application​

You can only get the installer from your host institution or from Tera Insights.

Minimum requirements
  • Processor: 8 cores
  • Memory: 32 GB RAM
  • Operating system: macOS, Windows, or any modern Linux distribution (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 or later, Fedora 40 or later, Ubuntu 24 or later, or equivalent)
  • App storage: 44.1 MB
  • Machine storage and graphics: based on intended use
  • Network: an internet connection
  • Browsers: Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
caution

The Connect Application does not run on mobile devices or tablets.

macOS​

  1. Open the Connect Application.dmg installer.
  2. Click Continue.
  3. Review the storage requirement and click Install.
  4. Enter your password when prompted, then click OK to allow access.
  5. Click Close.

Windows​

  1. Open the Connect Application .msix package.
  2. In the App Installer window, click Install (Update if an older version is already installed).

Linux​

Fedora 40+

dnf install <URL_TO_RPM>

Ubuntu 24+

wget <URL_TO_DEB>
dpkg -i <DOWNLOADED_FILE>

2. Register your account​

Your private key is your identity

Registration generates a private key, stored in a key file on your device. That key encrypts and decrypts all your data.

  • Download the key file and back it up in more than one secure location.
  • Never share it with anyone, including administrators.
  • Changing your password generates a new key file. Delete every copy of the old one: if your deployment stores encryption credentials on the server, the old file stops working, and otherwise it still opens with the old password.

If you lose both your password and your key file, your data cannot be recovered unless your deployment has key escrow configured.

Start the same way whichever account you are creating:

  1. Open the Connect Application.
  2. Select your deployment card.
  3. In the login window, select your account category.
  4. Click the create account button in the center.

The category and button differ by account type, and so does what happens at the end:

Account typeCategoryButtonActivated by
UsertiCryptCreate new user accountAn administrator
Escrow userEscrowCreate new escrow accountThe site-key administrator
Site-key adminSitekeyCreate new sitekeyTera Insights, by counter-signing

Then work through the wizard. Users and escrow users go through the same steps:

  1. Under Fill out your information, enter your account details and any optional information, then click Next.
  2. Under Set up your password, enter your password in Password and Confirm Password, then click Next.
  3. Under Review, check your details. To change something, click the header of that step.
  4. Click Register (user account) or Finish registration (escrow account).
  5. Save your key file: choose a folder and click Save. This is the file you must back up.
  6. Wait for your account to be activated by whoever is listed in the table above.

Three differences are worth knowing before you start:

  • Users click Link MFA Account first when the deployment requires multi-factor authentication, and enter a login ID (usually your organization or institution email) with your first and last name. When you log in later, you may be asked to complete an MFA prompt again.
  • Escrow users must select their escrow group before entering any account details. Ask your administrator which group you belong to before you begin, because it is the first thing the wizard asks. There is no MFA step. After Finish registration, download both files: your private key and the certificate you send to the site-key administrator.
  • Site-key admins skip the name and email step entirely, going straight from the start of the wizard to setting a password. After Next, download both files: the public key you send to Tera Insights and the private key you keep.
note

tiCrypt assigns your key a unique color and icon on the login page. It is generated automatically and cannot be changed. It exists so you can tell multiple keys apart.

3. Log in​

Once your account is active:

  1. Open the Connect Application.
  2. Select your deployment card.
  3. Click Load Key and open your key file, named your-user-name_yyyy-mm-dd.key.json.
  4. Click the dropdown next to the user name and select yourself.
  5. Enter your private key password.
  6. Click the Login button.

On deployments that require multi-factor authentication, users also complete an MFA prompt when they log in.

Where to go next​

If you are aGo to
Researcher or analystResearch for files, virtual machines, and drives
AdministratorGovernance for users, teams, projects, and key custody
Escrow userEscrow Users
Site-key adminSite Key
System administratorDeploy & Operate

Managing more than one key or deployment, or checking which version you are running, is covered in Connect Application and Private Keys. If something goes wrong during any of the three steps above, see Troubleshooting.