Cloak Pass FAQs:

 1. The program won't run.
 2. I forgot my cloaking key. What do I do?
 3. Why are the pay programs more secure?
 4. Since I don't enter many passwords, can I close the program each time rather than leaving it running?
 5. I downloaded the program and put it on my desktop. Do I have to put it in the Programs Directory?
 6. I tried to sign in at several sites and none of my passwords work.
 7. How do I get a cloaked password of a certain length?
 8. Why doesn't this program save my passwords?
 9. Can I uncloak my passwords?
 10. I clicked the enter box on the website but nothing happened.
 11. The site will not accept my passwords.
 12. I can't get the passwords to work in my terminal session.
 13. I forgot my pin drive and can't get my passwords.
 14. Can I use all the keys on the keyboard for passwords?
 15. What do I do to my passwords when I upgrade to the registered program? Do they change?
 16. How do I email my program to myself if I can't get into my email without the password?
 17. I have several people using one computer.  How do I keep our programs separate?
 18.Sometimes when I encrypt, the first letter doesn't show up.

1. The program won't run.
Have you installed .NET?  .NET is required and can be downloaded from Microsoft for free at http://snipurl.com/mhq0 Also, check to insure the program is running.  Check for the spook icon in the taskbar.

2. I forgot my cloaking key. What do I do?
We're sorry, but there is absolutely nothing we can do to help you out here. We do not gather or maintain any information about what you are doing. You will have to apply at the site to have your password sent to you and then change it manually.

3. Why are the pay programs more secure?
They use character symbols as well as letters and numbers, and you can enter much longer and more complicated passwords.  Also, the Pro version of the software is unique to you, so even if someone types in your key generation code and your personal password, they will get the wrong encrypted password. Your key typed on someone else's version of CloakPass will not yield the same results.

4. Since I don't enter many passwords, can I close the program each time rather than leaving it running?
Sure. You can start and stop the program as you desire. Check the taskbar to see if it is running.

5. I downloaded the program and put it on my desktop. Do I have to put it in the Programs Directory?
No, you can leave it on your desktop if you want. Or, you can put it anywhere you want and make a shortcut to it on the desktop. However, if you have more than one copy of CloakPass, each person's file must be in a separate directory.  Don't forget to put it on your portable or pin drive, too.

6. I tried to sign in at several sites and none of my passwords work.
Check your Cloaking Key. It must be typed EXACTLY, using the SAME keys and the same upper or lower case. If the Cloaking Key is not typed correctly, none of the passwords will work. Obviously the same holds true for your password.

7. How do I get a cloaked password of a certain length?
By default the password is the same length as the number of characters you type. However, in the Standard and Pro versions the "do not limit" check box allows for passwords which may be longer than you typed.

8. Why doesn't this program save my passwords?
We want a secure program, and if the passwords are stored on your computer any thief can get them and clean out your bank account - it happens every day. Better to be safe.  We also suggest you turn off any functions that automatically remember your usernames and passwords as these are stored in a file which can be compromised. Hackers are much more savvy than people think. Even your encrypted storage programs can be broken.

9. Can I decrypt or uncloak my passwords?
No. The cloaking mechanism uses a non-reversible encryption and data has been removed from the encrypted string.  Even a brute force attack which could take years would yield multiple results.

10. I clicked the enter box on the website but nothing happened.
Cloak Pass uses Enter and Tab as signals to encrypt your password.  If you just click off the field, your password will not be entered until you press the enter or tab key.  If you were filling in two password locations and used the tab key this could happen, You have to use the Enter key, not the mouse click. Try again. Type Ctrl-Alt-P and your password, then the tab key, enter the second password with Ctrl-Alt-P, and now hit the Enter key. It will work. 

11. The site will not accept my passwords.
The free program only enters letters and numbers so there shouldn't be any problem with entering passwords. If you are using the Standard or Pro version, use the menu checkboxes to limit entries. Some sites do not like long or special characters like %#@#$^.  If this is the case, check the letters/numbers only check box.

12. I can't get the passwords to work in my terminal session.
Some terminals work and others don't. A workaround is to temporarily put your password on a note file and then copy and paste it where you want it. Then delete the note file. DOS sessions work, CYGWIN X terminals do not (for example).  It depends on how your terminal captures and accepts keystrokes. We would appreciate feedback on which terminals do and do not work for you.

13. I forgot my pin drive and can't get my passwords.
Next time rename your CloakPass.exe file to CloakPass.exeBAK or CloakPass.bac and email it to yourself. When you get where you're going, just download the file from your online email account  and change the name back to CloakPass.exe. You're in business again! Leave the message in your mailbox and then you will always have it handy.  If you just use the free program you can download it again from our site however if you lose your registered version of cloakpass we cannot replace it without losing all your passwords as each pro program is unique. Make sure you can sign into your online mail account without using cloakpass. (see the FAQ 16)

14. Can I use all the keys on the keyboard for passwords?
Yes and no. Some keyboards have special keys that don't work. The program works on keystrokes, not ASCII letters. So, a capital letter is not the same as a lower case one. All the F-keys should work (if they don't activate another function) as part of your password, too. If you use a key that won't work, you'll still get a password. Other special keys may or may not work on your keyboard.  Experiment with notepad first and see what works and what doesn't. But, be aware that if you use special keys, they may not be there on someone else's PC!  So when you go on the road you may be unable to retrieve your passwords. There are differences between a 104key keyboard and a 101key keyboard.

15. What do I do to my passwords when I upgrade to the Standard or Pro program? Do they change?
Yes, they change. If you use CTRL-ALT-O (for Old) you will get a cloaked password as if you still had the unregistered version.  Then you can press CTRL-ALT-P or CTRL-ALT-N for your Present or New cloaked passwords as described in the help file.

16. How do I email my program to myself if I can't get into my email without the password?
There are several workarounds.  1.  Use a clear text password that you can remember for your email program.  2.  If you use the basic program, download it from our site and use it.  3.  Sign up for a new email account that only has your program in it.  Use a clear text password for that email account only. Write the password down and save it without reference to what it is.  4.  Use the "Cloaker" link on the web site menu to create a secure password.

17. I have several people using one computer.  How do I keep our programs separate?
You cannot run two CloakPass programs simultaneously.  Close one down before opening another.  You can keep each program in a different file folder.

18.  Sometimes when I encrypt the first letter doesn't show up.
Apparently this happens depending on the browser and security settings you are using.  Try encrypting the same word or phrase twice.  If you get the same result it won't matter to the web site as you enter your password.