Security
The safest server is the one that doesn't exist.
AcboBooks is built so that the only copy of your books is the one you control. Here is exactly what that means in practice.
Where your data is
Your company file (.acbo) lives on your computer, in a folder you choose.
We operate no server that receives, stores or can read your accounting data.
No analytics or telemetry is sent from the application.
Access control
Administrator, bookkeeper and view-only roles.
Passwords are hashed with scrypt; eight failed logins lock the door for a minute.
Company information is not shown before a successful login.
Closing-date password protects closed periods; the audit log records changes.
The application
Renderer runs sandboxed with a strict content-security policy; it cannot navigate to arbitrary sites.
External links open only over HTTPS in your default browser.
No third-party scripts, ads or trackers inside the app.
Licensing
Licence keys are Ed25519-signed entitlements verified on your machine with a public key built into the app.
No account, no phone-home: activation works offline.
Only the public key ships in the installer — a build check enforces it.
Backups & integrity
Automatic backup before any migration or upgrade.
Integrity check every time a file opens; corruption is reported, not hidden.
Stale lock files from crashes are cleaned up safely.
Third parties you choose
Bank Direct Connect sends your bank credentials directly to your bank's OFX server at download time; the password is not stored.
QuickBooks® import reads your own data on your device through Intuit's SDK or an exported file; nothing is sent to us.
Your side of it
What we recommend
- Turn on disk encryption (BitLocker on Windows). Your file holds employee SSNs if you run payroll; treat it and its backups as confidential.
- Back up off the machine. Copy the .acbo file to an external drive or a folder your backup software covers. Test a restore once.
- Use real passwords and give each person their own user. The administrator password cannot be recovered by anyone, including us.
- Keep Windows updated. AcboBooks runs on your OS; its security starts there.
Reporting a vulnerability
Email info@acbobooks.com with steps to reproduce. We acknowledge within two business days, fix confirmed issues in the next release, and credit reporters who want credit.