MongoDB Password Encryption Using Cryptographic Key Store

Studio 3T 2020.5 and later offers the option to use a cryptographic key store when storing and encrypting connection passwords in the Connection Manager.

When you choose to use the cryptographic key store, Studio 3T will ask you to enter and confirm your new master password.

Studio 3T users can select between the default encryption or cryptographic key store in the initial setup wizard. The default encryption encrypts passwords when stored. The cryptographic key store adds a master password to the encryption. Studio 3T will require that master password whenever it starts up. The password will then allow it to decrypt the stored passwords and present them to MongoDB when connecting.

When switching to the Cryptographic Key Store, Studio 3T imports all connections into the store. The files that previously stored the connections will be deleted to ensure that they are no longer accessible. 

If you install a version of Studio 3T that predates version 2020.5, it will not know how to read the key store. It will appear as if no connections are configured. 

To preserve the connections when downgrading to a version pre 2020.5 you should take steps before installing the older version. Specifically, ensure you turn off the Cryptographic Key Store using Preferences > Passwords. This process will recreate the default encrypted connection files which are compatible with the earlier versions. It will then be safe to downgrade.