How to encrypt files in W2k

[Dooling37]

Could anyone guide me through how to encrypt files?
I am running Win2kServer and have certain files on a NTFS partition that I would like to encrypt (just for the hell of it really), but I can't seem to find anything like that in the computer management program. I'm pretty sure I've read this can be done w/ NTFS.

Thanks alot for any help.

 

[jsm]

That's a pretty easy one. Check out this link

Here is how you do it from the command line.

 

[Dooling37]

Well that was easy...I dunno I must have had my eyes closed last time I went into properties. 😉

Thanks alot.

 

[cipher00]

Can't say I'm too familiar w/Server, but, in any event, are you worried about casual decryption or other security issues? You may want to check out

MIT PGP Distribution Site

for industrial strength encryption with peer reviewed code. Some interesting downloads on the karma of encryption.😎

 

[jaywallen]

You probably don't need this cautionary note, Drooling37, but I thought I'd post it just in case it might benefit anyone who's thinking of experimenting. The W2K encryption system means business. If you encrypt data that's important, or data for which encryption is important, be sure to learn the rules about what happens when data is copied from an encrypted source to a non-encrypted target. Also learn what happens when you use standard backup backup procedures, lose the drive, restore the drive, then discover that you didn't save your encryption keys.

How would I know? Well, I have this friend...

😱

Regards,
Jim

 

[syf3r]

it should also be noted that the win2k encryption key is only a 56-bit cypher which has, in fact, been cracked. if you want strong encryption, follow the pgp link posted earlier in this thread. the last "secure" version of pgp is version 2.6.2 which allows you to manually enter a key-length as big as 2048-bit which is geometrically stronger than 56-bit encryption. just some thoughts.


-syf3r.

 

[Mark R]

Yeah, and remember that if you re-install (because the latest and greatest new software tries to change some system files) you lose the encryption keys (unless you backed them up).

That came back and bit me in the ass when I encrypted some important, confidential files (and deliberately excluded them from non-encrypted backup).

 

[live4spd]

Just make sure that you EXPORT the encyption key to a floppy disk. If you should ever change the SID / GUID of the machine you will have to import the encryption key to get your files back. If you don't have the key, you are basically screwed.

Ryan