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Encryption

H

Hawk001

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
225
Something I never understood completly.

I know you can create encrypted containers and mount them with the software they were created with. But you can encrypt folders and files by right clicking them and selecting properties > advanced > encrypt for secure data in windows xp. And in other programs you can say encrypt an entire USB drive or something. What I don't understand is how this data is anymore secure then all my other files. If I encrypt a usb drive, then put files on it and put it into a computer, you have complete access to the files. If you do the xp method by right click a folder with some files in it and encrypt it, you still can get to those files with no added security. So how come this is considered more secure? How does it work? Why use it?
 
I believe when u encrypt files in windows xp, thats meant more to protect files from other users (who logon as themselves) from seeing the files. Havent played around with encrypting thumb drives, but i'd assume that those are also meant for when u use the drive in a diff comp or different user et al. If u want to password protect files, u need some third party software, like PGP.
 
First of all, thumb drives are usually FAT format for portability. You'd have to change it to NTFS, then encrypt. After that's done, the only way you can unencrypt is if you have the cyptographic keys.

I'm assuming you're encrypting then browsing the folder on the same computer. If you're on the same computer, there isn't anything going to pop up and tell you it's encrypted. No password dialogue box will come up. The only time you'll notice it is if you remove the drive and plug it into a computer that (1.) isn't in the same domain you are, (2.) was never associated with the original computer -- you will not be able to access the files.
 
So if I used the winxp method and encrypted the files, how would they be secure.
 
You won't be able to read the files if the thumb drive is used on another machine.
 
No, like if I had a folder of files, pictures for example. And I right clicked on them and encrypted them. How would that make them more secure.

And for the thumb drive. If the files are encrypted on that thumbdrive and it is put onto anothercomputer. How would they be inaccess able. Would you not be able to see them, or not be able to open them?
 
Hawk001 said:
No, like if I had a folder of files, pictures for example. And I right clicked on them and encrypted them. How would that make them more secure.

And for the thumb drive. If the files are encrypted on that thumbdrive and it is put onto anothercomputer. How would they be inaccess able. Would you not be able to see them, or not be able to open them?
Click to expand...

If you put them into a folder on the machine in which others have no rights to view and what not, then they will not even be able to see them. If this is mounted with a linux live cd, yes they will be able to get to your files, but they are still encrypted. I do not know offhand what is used to encrypt those files. I am guessing for a computer that is not part of a domain that it is some combination of username and password to initialize the algorithm. IIRC if you change the login password of a user by inserting a new hash into the sam file, you wont be able to get to them.

If you are concerned about the USB drive, use truecrypt. Its pretty cool. The only downside is that you will need truecrypt on all of the machines you are using if you want to access them.
 
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