Local Backup

🏛️ Built for Regulatory Compliance

Local Backup is designed to satisfy the encrypted off-site backup requirements that apply to Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), attorneys, public officials, and other professionals who handle sensitive client data under federal and state regulations.

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Encrypted Archives

Password-protected ZIP with AES encryption protects data at rest on the removable drive.

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DPAPI-Secured Settings

Entire configuration file encrypted with Windows Data Protection API — tied to the user account.

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Removable Media

Backups stored on portable drives that can be secured off-site in a safe, lockbox, or vault.

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Audit-Friendly Logging

Hidden log folder on the removable drive records backup activity for audit trail purposes.

Features

Everything you need for secure, portable, encrypted backups

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Removable Drive Backup

Back up multiple local directories to any removable hard drive or USB storage device.

Select multiple folders to back up
Compressed ZIP archives
Timestamped backup sets (YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS)
Configurable max backup count
Real-time progress & status display

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Password-Protected Encryption

Every backup archive is encrypted with a user-defined password using strong encryption.

AES password-protected ZIP files
Optional — can be enabled/disabled per preference
Password stored encrypted via Windows DPAPI
SharpZipLib-based compression
Archives unreadable without password

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Full Settings Encryption

The entire configuration file is encrypted — not just the password. Folder paths, drive settings, and all options are protected.

Entire INI file encrypted with DPAPI
Tied to current Windows user account
Temporary decryption only during read
Auto-cleanup of decrypted temp files
No plaintext settings on disk
Backward-compatible with older configs

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Automatic Restore to Original Locations

Each backup stores metadata recording the original paths. Restore puts files exactly where they came from.

backup_metadata.json stored with each backup set
Preview restore locations before restoring
One-click restore to original paths
Fallback to Documents\RestoredBackups
Works even with older backups (no metadata)

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Secure Audit Logging

Backup activity is logged to a hidden folder on the removable drive for record-keeping and audits.

Logs stored in .LocalBackupLogs (hidden)
Records backup & restore operations
Timestamped activity entries
Travels with the removable drive

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Modern WPF Interface

Clean, professional desktop interface with settings, about, and status pages.

Add/remove folders for backup
Settings page for drive & password config
About page with usage guide
Status bar with real-time feedback
Refresh & browse available backups

How It Works

Simple three-step backup and restore workflow

1

Configure

Open Settings, point to your removable drive, and optionally enable password protection. All settings are encrypted and saved automatically.

2

Back Up

Add the folders you want to protect, plug in your removable drive, and click Start Backup. Each folder is compressed into an encrypted ZIP and copied to the drive with a metadata file for easy restore.

3

Restore

Select a backup set, preview the original restore locations, and click Restore. Files are decrypted and placed back in their original directories automatically.

Technical Details

Built on proven Microsoft technologies

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Requirements

.NET 10.0 Runtime
Windows 10 or later
Removable hard drive or USB storage

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Security Stack

Windows DPAPI (DataProtectionScope.CurrentUser)
AES password-protected ZIP (SharpZipLib)
Encrypted .enc settings file
Temporary files auto-deleted after use
No credentials stored in plaintext

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Backup Structure

Settings: %LocalAppData%\LocalBackup\settings.ini.enc
Backups: <Drive>\Backups\YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS\
Metadata: backup_metadata.json per set
Logs: <Drive>\.LocalBackupLogs\ (hidden)