As authorised marriage celebrants, we’re entrusted with some of the most sensitive details in our clients’ lives. One of our colleagues – an Australian marriage celebrant – was recently hacked and the hackers gained access to their computer, the hard drive contents including all files and emails. We’ll discuss email security in a future article, but today I want to make sure you are protecting your client’s personal data.

Between the Notice of Intended Marriage (NOIM) forms, marriage certificates, and witness names, vows, love stories, and speeches, we hold more than just paperwork—these are pieces of our clients’ identities. This data is personal, valuable, and unfortunately, highly sought after by hackers – which is why I’d strongly encourage you to encrypt that data.

Encrypting your clients’ information not only protects them from potential harm but also safeguards your reputation as a trusted professional.

Why Encrypting Client Data is Vital

The personal details within NOIMs and marriage certificates—including full names, birthdates, parental details, wedding dates, and the names of witnesses (often the couple’s closest friends or family)—are more than just facts. In the wrong hands, this information can be exploited in a variety of ways, affecting clients’ finances, privacy, and even personal security.

How could this affect our clients?

  1. Identity Theft and Financial Fraud
    Hackers can use full names, birth details, and parental information to impersonate clients, leading to identity theft or fraud. With access to this data, a hacker could:

    • Open accounts in the client’s name, or apply for credit cards and loans, leaving them with debts they didn’t incur.
    • Access existing financial accounts by providing the stolen personal data as verification. Banks and other financial institutions often rely on birthdates, names, and parental details for identity confirmation.
    • Commit tax fraud by lodging fraudulent tax returns, signing them up for MyGov or other government services, leading to complications and financial repercussions for the client.
  2. Social Engineering Attacks on Clients and Witnesses
    Social engineering is a hacking tactic that manipulates people into giving away confidential information. With detailed knowledge of a client’s wedding, witnesses’ names, and other personal details, a hacker could:

    • Pose as a trusted celebrant or vendor to convince clients or witnesses to reveal even more personal information, like account details, or even to pay bogus “final invoices” for wedding services.
    • Target witnesses directly, pretending to be the couple or celebrant in need of urgent financial help, exploiting the trust and emotional connections linked to a recent wedding.
    • Gain access to online accounts by answering security questions based on public wedding details or parental names, allowing the hacker to reset passwords or gain further information.
  3. Data Sold on the Dark Web
    For many hackers, the ultimate goal is selling data to others on the dark web, where it can be used for a multitude of malicious purposes. If client details are left unprotected, a hacker could:

    • Sell the couple’s information to spammers or malicious actors, leading to endless spam, scams, and even attempts to sell fabricated “luxury services” or “honeymoon upgrades.”
    • Expose clients to location-based threats by revealing details of their wedding date and venue. This could be exploited by individuals looking to target empty homes during known travel dates.
    • Place both clients and witnesses at risk of stalking or harassment, especially if they’re public figures or have a strong online presence, by giving malicious actors a set of comprehensive personal details.

Using Cryptomator to Lock Up Your Clients’ Data

Cryptomator provides an effective and simple way to keep client data safe from these kinds of threats. It’s what I use, it’s open source which means many eyes from the open source community keeps the code safe, and it’s using industry standard cryptography.

By using encryption, you can create a secure vault – think of it like a fireproof-safe in your home but it’s on your computer, where sensitive client files are stored and protected against unauthorised access.

Even if your device is stolen, hacked, or remotely accessed, encrypted files remain unreadable to anyone without the vault’s password.

Here’s Why Cryptomator is Perfect for Celebrants

  1. Centralised and Encrypted Storage: All your client files—NOIMs, marriage certificates, and supporting documents—can be stored in a single, secure vault. Rather than scattering documents in various folders, you have one encrypted location that acts like a digital safe.
  2. Prevents Remote and Local Access: Once encrypted in Cryptomator, files are locked down. Even if someone hacks into your computer, they won’t be able to access your client files without the vault password.
  3. Works with Cloud Storage for Backup: Cryptomator integrates with cloud storage, meaning you can back up your client documents securely, knowing that even cloud-based breaches won’t compromise your data. I keep my vault on my Dropbox so I can access it anywhere.

For those not as familiar with tech, think of Cryptomator like a locked filing cabinet. While an open cabinet leaves all your client files exposed, a locked one keeps everything safe. Even if someone finds your filing cabinet (or your computer), they’d still need the key to open it.

Or, picture it as a safe deposit box in a bank. You store all your valuable information there, and even though people can see the box, they have no way to access it without the key you hold.

Getting Started with Cryptomator

  1. Download Cryptomator: As a free and open-source tool, Cryptomator is readily available and has no hidden fees.
  2. Set Up Your Vault: Create a vault for all your sensitive client documents—NOIMs, marriage certificates, witness information, and more.
  3. Add Documents to the Vault: Drag and drop files into your new vault to encrypt them instantly. Once stored, they’re secure from prying eyes, accessible only to those with the passphrase. When I set mine up I dropped my entire archive of NOIMs and Marriage Certificates in there.

Taking a few minutes to encrypt client data not only protects your clients but also reinforces your commitment to professionalism.

By using Cryptomator to secure NOIMs, marriage certificates, and other key documents, you ensure that sensitive information is protected from theft, misuse, and exploitation, allowing you and your clients to focus on the joy of the wedding day with peace of mind.

How to use Cryptomator

To access your files in the vault you’ll need to decrypt them, you do this by opening the Cryptomator app and unlocking it, entering your password, and you’ll find a new virtual (not-physical) drive attached to your computer. Now you’ve got access to all the files inside the vault.

Once you’re finished, open Cryptomator and lock the vault.