Windows XP certificate lost?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sukhoi47
  • Start date Start date
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Sukhoi47

Hello,

I am running Windows XP with all updates.
I have 2 disks:

C: with the opetational system
D: with personal data

Some files at D: are encrypted with the NTFS system

Yesterday I setup a certificate for Acrobat professional 7 and, by
accident, deleted an existing certificate (digital ID) using the
Acrobat "Digital ID" management tool (under the menus Advanced ->
Security settings -> Digital IDs)...

Well... the deleted certificate was not from Acrobat, but from the
Windows XP and now I am unable to access the encrypted files.

Testing I found Windows XP maybe created a new certificate for encrypt/
decrypt files (and other functions need certificate).

I am not sure if the certificate was deleted or only removed from
certificates list.
Maybe is possible find the disk location of the certificates files and
restore it, but I have no idea where the certificates are located in
the disk.

Some one can help me with this problem?



Thank you very much,

Sukhoi
 
Hello,

I am running Windows XP with all updates.
I have 2 disks:

C: with the opetational system
D: with personal data

Some files at D: are encrypted with the NTFS system

Yesterday I setup a certificate for Acrobat professional 7 and, by
accident, deleted an existing certificate (digital ID) using the
Acrobat "Digital ID" management tool (under the menus Advanced ->
Security settings -> Digital IDs)...

Well... the deleted certificate was not from Acrobat, but from the
Windows XP and now I am unable to access the encrypted files.

Testing I found Windows XP maybe created a new certificate for encrypt/
decrypt files (and other functions need certificate).

I am not sure if the certificate was deleted or only removed from
certificates list.
Maybe is possible find the disk location of the certificates files and
restore it, but I have no idea where the certificates are located in
the disk.

Some one can help me with this problem?

Thank you very much,

Sukhoi
Click to expand...

Man, you messed everything up. No wonder you think there are no human
beings in a favela. Maybe you should enroll in a workshop to heighten
your IQ. I think your best bet now is to kiss Bill Gates´ ass and buy
another copy of Windows XP.
 
Man, you messed everything up. No wonder you think there are no human
beings in a favela. Maybe you should enroll in a workshop to heighten
your IQ. I think your best bet now is to kiss Bill Gates=3F ass and buy
another copy of Windows XP.
Click to expand...
Nice response... I think you need some of your own advice
 
Let's try a more sane answer...
Chances are that you are out of luck. The deletion of the certificate
may have resulted in the loss of the underlying files (depending on how
Acrobat deletes the certificate).

Your only option is 3rd party tools, such as Advanced EFS Recovery.
(http://www.crackpassword.com/products/prs/mswin/efs/)
These tools are more typically used when you reinstall the operating
sytem, losing access to the EFS certificate and key material.
These tools rebuild access to the certifcate as long as you know the
original user name and password used to protect them (your current user
name and password in this case.

Knowledge of the user name and password allows the tool to decrypt the
protected information using the DPAPI

HTH,
Brian
 
Let's try a more sane answer...
Chances are that you are out of luck. The deletion of the certificate
may have resulted in the loss of the underlying files (depending on how
Acrobat deletes the certificate).

Your only option is 3rd party tools, such as Advanced EFS Recovery.
(http://www.crackpassword.com/products/prs/mswin/efs/)
These tools are more typically used when you reinstall the operating
sytem, losing access to the EFS certificate and key material.
These tools rebuild access to the certifcate as long as you know the
original user name and password used to protect them (your current user
name and password in this case.

Knowledge of the user name and password allows the tool to decrypt the
protected information using the DPAPI
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, Brian.

I tested, but was not possible decrypt the files. I believe the
encryption key was lost.
I am surprised Microsoft have a so fragile encryption solution; to
much easy to loose vital encryption files.

I will ask the network administrator, maybe he have a "back door" key;
he told me something on that few time ago.

In any case, the encrypted files are not much important and, if I
need, I am able to download from the internet again.

Thank you very much,

Sukhoi
 
Take ownership of the files

Hello,

I am running Windows XP with all updates.
I have 2 disks:

C: with the opetational system
D: with personal data

Some files at D: are encrypted with the NTFS system

Yesterday I setup a certificate for Acrobat professional 7 and, by
accident, deleted an existing certificate (digital ID) using the
Acrobat "Digital ID" management tool (under the menus Advanced ->
Security settings -> Digital IDs)...

Well... the deleted certificate was not from Acrobat, but from the
Windows XP and now I am unable to access the encrypted files.

Testing I found Windows XP maybe created a new certificate for encrypt/
decrypt files (and other functions need certificate).

I am not sure if the certificate was deleted or only removed from
certificates list.
Maybe is possible find the disk location of the certificates files and
restore it, but I have no idea where the certificates are located in
the disk.

Some one can help me with this problem?

Thank you very much,

Sukhoi
Click to expand...

Man, you messed everything up. No wonder you think there are no human
beings in a favela. Maybe you should enroll in a workshop to heighten
your IQ. I think your best bet now is to kiss Bill Gates´ ass and buy
another copy of Windows XP.
 
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