aep extension

[Joe Messina]

I recently tried to decrypt a full directory of files.  They now have “aep” added to their extension, and Axcrypt won’t open them.  I tried encrypting them again, hoping the “aep” would go away.  It doesn’t and Axcrypt rejects them.  They were originally “pdf” files, but Adobe won’t open them now, either.

What does “aep” mean, & how do I get rid of it?

Thanks for any help you can offer.  These files are important to me.

 

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Joe,

Looking at https://fileinfo.com/extension/aep it seems you might have confused AxCrypt with some other software called ‘Advanced Encryption Package’. Does this ring a bell?

[Joe Messina]

Thank you for your reply, Svante.

At different times I’ve tried different encryption software, and it’s possible that I once had “Advanced Encryption Package” on my computer.  It’s not there now, so I don’t see how it could have intruded itself into my work with Axcrypt.

The problem is that when I tried to decrypt files encrypted by Axcrypt, that strange file extension was added, presumably by Axcrypt.  I don’t know how else the aep could have been inserted; these were files encrypted by Axcrypt, and Axcrypt is the program that tried to decrypt them for me.  They are now “alien” files that Axcrypt doesn’t recognize.  Neither does any other program I’ve tried.  (They were originally Adobe files, but Adobe can’t open them now.)

I don’t see a way to attach files in the program I’m writing in.  So I’ll have to settle for reproducing for you the extension of one of the “alien” files: File Name.pdf-aep.axx

This strange extension appeared when I asked Axcrypt to decrypt the file.

Joe

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Joe,

Nope, AxCrypt does not even contain the string “aep”, so there’s no way AxCrypt could have done that in the first place.

However, your sample file name “File Name.pdf-aep.axx” tells a different story.

This looks like a PDF file that was encrypted with “Advanced Encryption Package“, causing it to be named “File Name.pdf.aep”, and subsequently it has been encrypted once again, now with AxCrypt, causing it to be named “File Name.pdf-aep.axx”.

So, when you decrypt the file, it’ll once again become “File Name.pdf.aep”, i.e. successfully decrypted by AxCrypt. A PDF-file encrypted with “Advanced Encryption Package“.

The “File Name.pdf.aep” will of course not be recognized by AxCrypt or Acrobat, but presumably by “Advanced Encryption Package“.

[Joe Messina]

Thank you again, Svante.  I’m becoming convinced that Advanced Encryption Package was on my computer at some time and performed the first encryption of the files in question.  I think Axcrypt performed a double encryption on them; that woud account for “axx” in the extension.  I just hope I can get AEP somewhere & use it to help with the decryption.

I appreciate your help.  You’ve led me to the likely solution of my problem.

P. S.  What I still don’t understand is the double futile extension—the “aep.axx.”  It makes it seem that the files with that extension are doubly encrypted.

Joe

 

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Joe,

Yes, they seem are likely doubly encrypted. First with “Advanced Encryption Package”, and then with AxCrypt.

In the light of this, I don’t really understand your statement “What I still don’t understand is the double futile extension—the “aep.axx.”  It makes it seem that the files with that extension are doubly encrypted“.

Exactly!

First you encrypt the file with “Advanded Encryption Package”. This tacks on the “.aep” extension to the original.

Then you encrypt the file with AxCrypt. This changes the “.aep” to “-aep”, then tacks on the “.axx” extension

So a file named “File.pdf-aep.axx” seems to be double encrypted because it is!

[Author]

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