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Sync issue

Hi Mike,


I am facing an issue with Wi-Fi sync. Let's assume you have device A , device B, and a Master Computer C, each loaded with the appropriate mSecure app. I am encountering a bug in which if a record is modified on device A, but not synced right away, and if later the same record is touched or copied (but not modified) on device B, somehow when the devices are synced to the Master Computer, the record that was modified on A is not captured and what you are left with after the synchronization is the original unmodified record. It appears that the effect of touching the record on device B made the record on device B appear to be the latest record even though it was not modified in any way. It does not matter if A is synched first or B is synched first - the end result is the same and any modifications made on A are lost unless those modifications are made at a later time.


I believe what happened is that the synchronization takes the date/time from the recents list rather than the modified list. This is probably why the Master Computer overrode the record with the data from device B as it was touched at a later time.


This issue might not be restricted to Wi-Fi sync alone. I can think of a scenario whereby if device B were to lose its connection to the cloud server, for example, at a low signal area or when B is on roaming and intermittently connected to Wi-Fi hotspots, any changes made on device A and synched to the cloud would likely be reverted back to B if B's record was touched at a later time than when the modification was made on A.

Hi JSeow,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Before I get to far into this, I need to make sure we're on the same page as far as what you mean by "touching" the record on device B. If you mean that you're simply opening the record, something is definitely wrong here. However, if you mean that you're tapping on data in a field so that an action occurs, then I think I understand what's happening.


For example, I have a record on device A, B & C as you described. On device A, I change the password and save it while I'm not connected to my network. When I get home, even if device the server (device C) is on and unlocked, device A is in the background and the change is not synced. Before opening mSecure on device A, I grab device B and tap the "Password" field in the record to copy its data to the clipboard. Later, I open mSecure on device A to sync with device C.


Is that a good representation of the issue? When you say "touch," do you mean that you perform a programmatic action on the record in one of the mSecure apps? This would include tapping a field to copy data, tapping the reveal/conceal toggle on a field, tapping the Star to favorite the record or possibly copying the record, though I'm not sure why that one would be causing the problem.

Hi Mike,


OK, let me explain what I mean by "touching" a record. I am borrowing the term from the Linux "touch" command which on Linux helps to update the timestamp on a file so it will be recompiled into object code. Similarly, on mSecure such a record would just appear to jump to the top of the Recently Used list. This could happen by copying the password, username, notes, etc, or it could happen by just clicking on the options icon at the end of a url field and performing any of the functions to open the url or to copy it, and by doing so, resetting the Recently Used timestamp of the record to a new date and time.


I hadn't actually thought of some of those scenarios you portrayed in your third paragraph, but I have just done a quick test. And indeed, the issue is happening even in those scenarios: by simply tapping the reveal/conceal toggle on a field or tapping the star to set a record as a favorite, or as I have mentioned by copying a field or opening a url.


The same issue is also occurring if you "touch" the records on device C before synching, so this suggests it is not a platform issue. In my case, it happens on both Windows and Android.

Hi Mike,


I am afraid I have to bring up this issue to your attention once again, but this time I found that the issue is also manifested while syncing with mSecure cloud and is not purely affecting Wi-Fi sync as I had previously thought. It is also not restricted to the rare occasion where the device is not able to contact the mSecure cloud server in a low signal area or while roaming.


To be absolutely clear that we are on the same page regarding the issue, I am detailing the exact steps I used so you can replicate them at your end.


1. Create a test record with username and password on device A and sync it to the cloud. Sync device B and make sure the test records match.

2. Change the password on device A. Check that device B is synced correctly. Thus far there is no problem.

3. Now remove mSecure app from memory on device B - you can either force stop the app or launch the recent apps and swipe the active app to the right. This is to simulate the event that mSecure has not been actively in use for some time on devices that you do not normally access.

4. Now change the password on device A and press the sync button to make sure the password is updated to the cloud.

5. If you now open device B, you will see the previous password is still shown in the test record. Copy the username or password or toggle the favorite icon without changing the password.

6. Open the test record on device A - the new password that was changed in Step 4 has reverted to the original password that was entered in Step 1.


In Step 5, if the data was synchronized first before any task was performed, the correct password would have been saved into device B. However, it should not be a prerequisite for the user to perform the sync manually on devices the user has not used in a while.


What do you think? Is this something that should be addressed ASAP?

Hi JSeow,

I'm sorry I didn't get back to you after your last post, so thank you for responding. Somehow, I missed that I needed to respond back on November 6th, which was not intentional.


Something is not working correctly on your devices, because I'm not able to reproduce the issue you're reporting following the steps you mapped out. mSecure is designed to run a sync at 3 different times on iOS, Mac and Android, and 2 different times on Windows. For all devices, mSecure will check to see if a sync is needed immediately after it's opened, and it also polls it's sync source every 60 seconds to see if a sync is needed. So if the data source is "dirty," meaning it needs to sync in data that is newer than is stored locally, it will sync in the data after it's opened or every 60 seconds.


For iOS, Mac and Android, only when using mSecure Cloud syncing, it also responds to push notifications. So if you change a record on any of those devices, and mSecure is opened on the other devices, a sync should take place within about 5 seconds but typically takes place within about a second. Again, I have checked this functionality, and it's working properly.


I'm not sure if you happened to test this at a time of very heavy traffic, or if some glitch was taking place, but I can assure you everything is working correctly on my devices at this time. 


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