Reside-IC

We have released a new version of our cyphr package, which makes data analysis workflows with R much easier. The aim of the package is to make encrypted workflows as easy as:

d <- cyphr::decrypt(read.csv("secret-input.csv"), key)
...
cyphr::encrypt(write.csv(processed, "secret-output.csv"), key)

using modern encryption technologies and taking care of most of the details so that data is not inadvertently leaked.

This new version has lots of small features which improve the behaviour of its collaborative data process

• The project directory is found automatically - this turned out to be important for working nicely with orderly.
• We added lots of guidance and improved error messages, so that when things go wrong, or when action is needed, this is more obvious to users.
• SHA256 is used for the key fingerprint, not MD5 (which is the default in the openssl package), and the internal directory structure is versioned - this should add a great deal more backward compatibility.
• The data key is cached within a session, making it easier for people to use password-protected ssh keys.
• Automatic handlers were added for reading and writing excel files with the readxl and writexl packages.

These are all fairly small, but together we think make the package more accessible. These features were driven by the use of the package as part of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis response to COVID-19.