Explorer with Encrypted Zip Files

[John Peterson]

I believe there are a number of encryption systems used in zip files.

Does anyone know which types on zip encryption the inbuilt zip with Explorer
supports in Windows XP?

 

[Guest]

What is data encryption:
The scrambling of data into unintelligible characters using passwords. The
ENCRYPTED file can be restored to their original state using the correct
password.

What is a zip file:
A single file that is usually a package of a set of files, but can also be a
single file by itself. Files in the package are usually "COMPRESSED" so that
they take up less space. The smaller zip file is thus easier to store or to
send to someone electronically. There are a number of programs available for
zipping files. A zip file is recognizable due to its ".zip" suffix. If you
download a zip file, you may have to extract the files and decompress them
using a zip program.

The compression algorithm is 'standard' and any ZIP product can create or
extract such files. See PKZip, WinZIP and built in ZIP extraction in XP as
examples.

Thus one can encrypt a file and then ZIP it, but one can't use a ZIP
programe to created an encrypted / ZIP file or unZIP AND decrypt a file.

Is this now clearer for you.

 

[John Peterson]

I believe there are a number of encryption systems used in zip files.

Does anyone know which types on zip encryption the inbuilt zip with
Explorer supports in Windows XP?

Maybe I should rephrase this question....

WinZip (and others) have started using AES encryption in their zip encrypted
zip files in the latest software versions

Can the inbuilt XP Windows Explorer zip tool decrypt the new AES encrypted
zip files or only the older (weaker) encryption?

 

[John Peterson]

Thus one can encrypt a file and then ZIP it, but one can't use a ZIP
programe to created an encrypted / ZIP file or unZIP AND decrypt a file.

Is this now clearer for you.

No. Especially since WinZip says the opposite to you and claims to have a
number of encryption algorithms built in.

http://www.winzip.com/wzdaes.htm

The question is - has windows kept up with WinZip?