Keep the archival source, digital scan, citation, family-recipient permission, encrypted copy and recovery copy distinct. For living people, minimize birth, marriage, address and identity details before any family handoff.
01 / DECISIONProtect the genealogy record without hiding ownership
Encryption should protect a retained archive while the editable genealogy record remains governed in its approved genealogy workspace. Define where plaintext working copies exist, how a release is exported, when it enters the encrypted archive and how temporary files are removed after verification.
A family historian freezes a private collection for relative review. The team first proves the workflow with fictional genealogy scans, documents each authorized role and preserves the working source separately.
Run the control sequence
- 01
Keep the authoritative working genealogy record in the approved genealogy service.
- 02
Export one named collection to a controlled staging folder.
- 03
Verify the export, then import it using the tested archive procedure.
- 04
Lock and reopen the archive; compare the manifest and file counts.
- 05
Remove or retain plaintext staging according to the recorded policy.
Preserve decision evidence
Record collection, source system, export time, staging path, archive ID, import result, reopen test, manifest comparison, plaintext disposition and operator.
Stop when
- The encrypted archive is mistaken for the live genealogy workspace.
- An import is assumed successful without reopening it.
- Untracked plaintext exports remain on local or synced storage.
The record should show the approved collection, tested environment, responsible people and known limitations without storing passwords or unnecessary genealogy record content.
Separate the surrounding controls
Does not replace provider permissions, guaranteed backup, password recovery or enterprise identity management. Encryption does not assign provider permissions, verify a recipient, preserve every backup or remove plaintext working copies automatically.
Genealogy archive questions
Should the encrypted archive become the live genealogy record?
No. Keep the authoritative source and citation in the approved genealogy workspace and archive named scan collections deliberately.
Does resetting a password recover an existing archive?
Do not assume so. Document the product-specific recovery boundary and test a separate recovery copy.
Primary references
References support specific boundaries and do not imply endorsement.