Re: Question, how do I decrypt data files without encryption key?

From: Joe Richards [MVP] (humorexpress@hotmail.com)
Date: 09/09/02 

From: "Joe Richards [MVP]" <humorexpress@hotmail.com>
Date: Sun, 8 Sep 2002 18:21:45 -0400

Here's my view...

Use PGP. :o) 

--
Joe Richards
www.joeware.net
---
"Torgeir Bakken" <Torgeir.Bakken-spam@hydro.com> wrote in message
news:3D7BC4AC.79959488@hydro.com...
> Harold Huggins wrote:
>
> > My Windows 2000 O/S hard drive got infected with a virus.
> > I mistakenly reformated the  O/S drive without backing up
> > the encryption key. My new o/s drive does not recognize
> > the encrypted data files located on old the hard drive.
> >
> > I attempted to decrypt as follows:
> >
> >                 To decrypt a file or folder
> >                 In Windows Explorer, right-click the
> > encrypted file or folder, and then click Properties.
> >                 On the General tab, click Advanced.
> >                 Clear the Encrypt contents to secure data
> > check box.
> >
> > Question, how do I decrypt data files without encryption
> > key?
>
> Hi
>
> Sorry, you can't, that is the whole point with encryption.
>
>
> Here is my view on EFS:
>
> Do not to use encryption (EFS) unless you are in a domain and you know
what you
> are doing. Too much things can go wrong. You will most likely sooner or
later
> loose your data (for good). It is not without reason some people calls EFS
> the "delayed Recycle Bin". Use NTFS permissions instead to protect your
data.
>
> The major problem with EFS is not having as proper backup of the
encryption
> keys, as well not having created a Recovery Agent (with backup of the
recovery
> agents keys). If you don't have this in place before you start encrypting
your
> files, and you need to reinstall you OS of some reason or other, your
files will
>
> not be recoverable. They will effectively be gone forever. Read the links
below,
>
> and understand what they say before you start using encryption.
>
>
> But if you must, in this link:
>
http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/pro/techinfo/administration/recovery/defa
ult.asp
>
> it is described how to create a data recovery agent (DRA), and also gives
> information/links on to how to export keys, e.g.
>
> page 5 "Data Recovery on Standalone Machines"
> page 18 "Importing and Exporting Data Recovery Agent Keys"
>
> and page 49 "Knowledge Base Articles on EFS" you will find e.g.
>
> Q241201 How to Back Up Your Encrypting File System Private Key
> Q259732 EFS Recovery Agent Cannot Export Private Keys
> Q255742 Methods for Recovering Encrypted Data Files
>
>
> Reading Q255742, will give you this as well:
>
> Q241201 HOW TO: Back Up Your Encrypting File System Private Key in Windows
2000
> Q242296 How to Restore an EFS Private Key for Encrypted Data Recovery
>
>
> If your computer is not a member of an AD domain, this is obligatory
reading:
>
> page 34 "Using EFS with Standalone Machines or NT 4.0 Domains"
>
> --
> torgeir
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Corrupted Admin Profile
    ... > My view on EFS: ... > Do not to use encryption unless you are in a domain and you know ... as well not having created a Recovery Agent (with backup of the ... > Q241201 How to Back Up Your Encrypting File System Private Key ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: ciphered files
    ... > If you are not in a domin, and you did not export your encryption keys ... > My view on EFS: ... as well not having created a Recovery Agent (with backup of the ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: Question, how do I decrypt data files without encryption key?
    ... Next time, I will avoid EFS ... the EFS decrypy key must be located in a hidden file ... how do I decrypt data files without encryption ... as well not having created a Recovery Agent (with ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.security)
  • Re: decrypt my encrypted files
    ... If you use EFS, and since you are the admin of your own host, you are expected to read ALL the help articles in the included help regarding EFS. ... You then import that EFS certificate so the files that were encrypted using it can be decrypted using that same certificate. ... You can also designate another recovery agent to recreate the EFS cert for you, but you probably didn't do that, either. ... There is no backdoor to EFS if you don't have the cert to import or a recovery agent and there is no backdoor to TrueCrypt's password encryption. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin)
  • Re: cant access my EFS encrypted documents on win xp
    ... is the prob due to the asp account? ... creating a recovery agent earlier... ... caused the EFS certificate to become corrupted or be lost and you did not ... Encryption is meant to protect your data. ...
    (microsoft.public.security)
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