EFS and file update attributes

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sam Docker
  • Start date Start date
S

Sam Docker

I have pretty much filled disks where I wanted to apply EFS. When I do
so, each file gets the date of EFS application as the latest change
date. That's a real mess, since I really wanted to keep the original
dates e.g. of letters and other documents.

Is there a way to achieve that ?

I have one workaround which is to generate an EFSsed temp dir and move
my files there. Than move them back.

Funny enough when shifting them from temp up, they keep their encryption.

Strange enough sometimes the files keep their original dates when
wandering into temp, sometimes they don't.

Puzzled. Sam.
 
Though this suggestion is not EFS specific while in Explorer try selecting
view - choose details and make sure that creation date is selected as part
of the view for when details is selected as the folder view.

Also be extremely careful when using EFS in that you are backing up your EFS
private encryption keys to password protected .pfx files and ideally also
having clear text backups of your data so a situation does not arrive where
you can not access your encrypted files.

Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223316 --- EFS best practices

Why you must back up your certificates
Because there is no way to recover data that has been encrypted with a
corrupted or missing certificate, it is critical that you back up the
certificates and store them in a secure location. You can also specify a
recovery agent. This agent can restore the data. The recovery agent's
certificate serves a different purpose than the user's certificate.
 
---- Steven L Umbach -----
....
Also be extremely careful when using EFS in that you are backing up your EFS
private encryption keys to password protected .pfx files and ideally also
having clear text backups of your data so a situation does not arrive where
you can not access your encrypted files.

Steve
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I made my key backup, but more than that, I rely
on daily backups to a server. Beyond that, all incoming and outgoing
mail is captured on the transferring server too.

I come from using disk encryption, what I rated over EFS due to the
fact, that I don't have to care for folders, etc. and that also access
to the information of valuable target files is hidden.

But after 3 crashes (= destroyed master boot records) which means that I
couldn't access my files any longer, I got very cautions. Two of these
errors are related to software writing to the MBR ( one being a scanner
driver - what a nonsense for such a program to write to the MBR !!), one
was a failure of the encryption software itself.

So I go with EFS now. Let's see how long our relationship holds :-)

Bye. Sam.
 
Sounds good Sam.

Just FYI that EFS files will be backed up as EFS files and restored as EFS
files when using a backup program like NTbackup, Backup Exec, etc which is
why I recommend that users consider also having clear text backups of
important files "just in case" and of course if those are sensitive files
the media they are backed up to will need to be physically secured in an
appropriate manner. Sorry to hear about your experience with other
encryption methods.

Steve
 
Back
Top