Is double clicking file to decrypt a security flaw if file captured by malware?

[David]

I use Axcrypt version 1.x to encrypt files and folders on my Windows laptop. To decrypt files, this version requires the encryption key to be supplied.  I have not upgraded to Axcrypt version 2.x because decrypting a file in this version is done by double clicking the file – encryption key is not needed.  My concern with Axcrypt version 2.x is that should I inadvertantly get malware on my laptop, the malware could steal encrypted files allowing the bad guys to simply double click the file to decrypt it.

Is my concern misplaced?  Am I missing something?

[Prabhukumar RModerator]

Hello David,

Yes, you are missing.

AxCrypt 2.x will not work without AxCrypt account. Email address is required to use the AxCrypt 2.x app. Without AxCrypt account, you cannot encrypt/decrypt the files in AxCrypt 2.x.

AxCrypt 2 asks you to sign in to your account, which AxCrypt 1 did not. We now use a single sign on model where the same password is used to sign in to our servers and to protect your files. The password that you’re being asked for is the password to your account, which you probably created when you first installed AxCrypt 1.

AxCrypt 1.x and 2.x are compatible in the sense that 2.x can open all files secured with 1.x. In addition to that, 2.x implements of lot of new rich features, while some functions of 1.x are deprecated. Files secured with AxCrypt 2.x are not possible to open with AxCrypt 1.x.You cannot have both AxCrypt 1.x and 2.x installed at the same system.

If you open files encrypted with a different password than your sign in password, which often is the case directly after upgrading to version 2, you will be prompted for that original password. If the file was encrypted with version 1, it will then be automatically upgraded to version 2 and to use the new sign in password which means you won’t be prompted again for the old password.

Still, you can open/decrypt the old encrypted files with the original file password(which was used in the file encryption process).

Please check out our video tutorials at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoSoXBjq6iCG5232fHoWStA and our other documentation at https://forum.axcrypt.net/information/get-started/ to get started with AxCrypt.

If the above does not help,Please provide more information about the issue and write a mail to support@axcrypt.net .

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