How secure axcrypt deal with temporary file when decrypt a large encrypted file?

[Allen]

How secure axcrypt deal with temporary file when decrypt a large encrypted file? I think axcrypt will use a temporary file when decrypt a large file for example a video file and stream to a video player, after played the decrypted video file, axcrypt will delete that temporary file, then will the temporary file can be recovered by file recover tool and make it insecure?

[Abraham]

That’s a good point Allen and it’s one of the reasons why you should always use whole disk encryption in conjunction with AxCrypt.

My understanding is that AxCrypt automatically deletes the temporary file when you close the decrypted file. You can also manually delete the temporary files by clicking on the red broom.

However I’m not sure whether Axcrypt deletes the file (which would mean it could be recovered by forensic software) or shreds (securely deletes with an overwrite) the file. If it does the latter this would prevent it from being easily recoverable by specialist software.

Shredding on demand (file wipe) is a premium feature.

So the question for Svante is whether free users have their temporary files deleted or shredded?

[SvanteSpectator]

Hi Allen & Abraham,

Temporary files are always wiped / shredded (i.e. overwritten with random data) before deletion. This is the same for both Free and Premium users.

Please note that modern SSD devices often have a feature called “wear levelling”, which causes such wiping to be less secure than it might seem. With the proper software, it’s often possible to recover data that logically is overwritten (but in actual physical fact is not). It’s not trivial, and it can’t be done with regular file recover tools. It needs special software that interacts directly with the SSD device, but the point is that it’s possible.

[Allen]

Thanks Svant and Abraham, which location axcrypt use to save temporary files? we can avoid use SSD to save these files, since I only use SSD for system drive, but the system temp folder on it.

[SvanteSpectator]

Hi Allen,

AxCrypt stores it’s temporary and working files in “%localappdata%\AxCrypt\” and folders below .

[Anonymous]

I moved the temporary file folder to a HDD drive I:, everything shows fine, thank you very much Svante.

mklink /J %localappdata%\AxCrypt I:\AxCrypt

 

 

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