[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Thanks Sputnik,

We appreciate your input. And, I mostly agree that it’s not what I think, but what you think that mostly matters. Except when it comes to actual security. AxCrypt will never add features just because it makes some users feel secure, unless the feature actually does add some security or at least does not lead people to think it’s more secure than it is.

That’s why I brought up the AES-256 example – that’s there because a lot of users want it. Not because I want it.

I think you’re bringing up an important point too which is separate from the “encrypt to .exe” function. That’s sharing between users. Your text made me think that maybe I’ll add a function so users can add secondary, or “sharing” passwords to their files for that particular purpose.

I’ve added a proposal to our issue list with that feature. You can follow progress here: https://bitbucket.org/axantum/axcrypt-net/issues/131/add-sharing-password .

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Yehuda, we’ll still be investigating your issue. There was no need to uninstall, deleting the %localappdata%\AxCrypt folder would have sufficed.

Anyway, yes you’re right – AxCrypt 2 has the behavior you describe. The reason is that although AxCrypt 1 was sometimes ‘smarter’ – it also failed worse. AxCrypt 2 has complemented a simple detection mechanism, with the ‘clean up’ broom. Which should work, if you in fact have closed the application. Otherwise, it will not.

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hi Sputnik!

Actually, the motivation for removing the self-decrypting option was not connected to Free vs. Premium as such. I just didn’t (and still don’t) think that it has sufficient merit.

That it’s not just to re-introduce it does have some connection to Free vs. Premium in the sense that we’re still very resource-constrained, so there’s a natural limit to what can be done in a given amount of time. If I had limitless resources, I would probably just add it back, since it would then be easier to do so than to defend the (still in my mind correct) decision to not include it in the first place.

Another similar issue that went the other way is AES-128 vs. AES-256. For the vast majority of encryption users (not just AxCrypt) in the world, there’s absolutely no difference in achieved security. However, AES-256 is very much in demand, and it does not hurt (anymore – it used to due to performance reasons) so there it is!

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Rob!

Glad we could help you out.

For the theft scenario, nothing really has changed security-wise between AxCrypt 1 and 2, since it’s unlikely (I h0pe) that someone would actually steal your computer with you being fully logged in to Windows. And, even in AxCrypt 1, there was a check box to remember the password and then it would stay remembered until you signed off, not just a screen saver went active or so. So in that situation, AxCrypt 2 is actually better than 1.

Svante

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello John,

First of all, there’s a fundamental difference between authentication and access control vs. encryption, i.e. in your case NTFS vs. AxCrypt. See http://www.axcrypt.net/blog/encryption-vs-authentication/ for a detailed discussion.

From what I can, AxCrypt can handle your requirements with the Premium function (it does require a small amount of co-operation from the ‘normal’ HR Managers.

Each user would simply designate their own folder (or any folders) as a Secured Folder, and set Key Sharing by adding the Senior Managers e-mail.

All files in such a folder will be accessible (decryptable/openable) by the ‘normal’  HR Manager (the owner as it were) and the Senior Manager and no-one else. The ‘normal’ HR Manager and the Senior Manager would user their own personal passwords to sign in to AxCrypt and will never have to share any passwords.

If I understood the requirements correctly, it’s pretty much a perfect fit.

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Yehuda,

Thanks for your comment! That is a great point and we have now added this functionality to the forum.

You can enable notifications on topic updates by checking the “notify me of follow-up replies via email” when adding a topic or a reply.

 

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

As Robert says… Thank you, Robert!

There’s a related blog post about some aspects of this here: http://www.axcrypt.net/blog/leaving-computer-axcrypt/ .

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Sputnik!

Well, it’s good that I’m consistent, right?

The thing is I get quite a bit of support from people who do have problems with the feature and it getting blocked. So it’s a kind of “damned if I do, damned if I don’t”-situation.

But, as I have mentioned, we’re thinking of bringing it back “by popular demand” ;-) That’s one of the things with these forums, that we get an idea about what people want.

The self-decrypting files, does not actually harm security for the content but there are other issues to consider as well. One known use of self-decrypting AxCrypt files is to slip malware past virus checks (just like encrypted .zip files are used). In order to bring the feature back, we’ll also have to add some safe-guards against that too.

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Raphael,

The reason for excluding encrypt to .exe is actually not to do with the “key sharing” feature, it’s due to executable attachments usually being blocked, so the feature as little use.

But, if you are sending the files, you should of course use the “key sharing” feature instead of having the problem of managing and communicating many different passwords to others.

With version 2 – you can actually use the full-featured standalone portable to send with the encrypted files, so there’s little difference with version 1. You’ll still have the executable blocked usually, so you can also include a download link.

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Stephen,

You can still encrypt many files in a single operation with the Free version, for example via right-click.

Svante

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Mathieu,

Working on it as we speak ;-) There *are* actually two issues. A performance issue, and indeed a hang/lock up issue. Working on the latter first.

Follow the progress here:

https://bitbucket.org/axantum/axcrypt-net/issues/119/wiping-is-reported-not-to-work-from

https://bitbucket.org/axantum/axcrypt-net/issues/130/improve-performance-and-seeming-hangs-when

Svante

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by  AxCrypt Support.

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello Jennifer,

I’ll try to keep this as short and straight-forward as possible, but there were many things there…

– Your issues with AxCrypt not responding is likely due to a known performance issue when selecting multiple files from Windows Explorer. For multiple file selections, please use the program window and it’s toolbar and menu for now. We’ll be fixing this shortly.

– You will not be prompted to convert your files if you are selecting to decrypt them permanently, since that would not make sense. You’re asking to decrypt them, conversion is about converting AxCrypt 1-encrypted files to AxCrypt 2-encrypted files.

– You do not need Premium to do what you are doing, so the trial period length is irrelevant here.

– You do not need to change the AxCrypt 2 password to decrypt AxCrypt 1-files with varying passwords. As required, AxCrypt will prompt you for the AxCrypt 1-file password.

Regards,

Svante

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello,

What should happen with the secured folders feature is that if you create a new file there, AxCrypt will ‘see’ it and allow you to encrypt it with a single click of the ‘Broom’, which should turn red. You can also do this from the menu.

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Here’s the link (you’ll need to sign in with your e-mail and password – the same one you use to sign in to AxCrypt 2):

https://account.axcrypt.net/Home/Support

Svante

[AxCrypt SupportModerator]

Hello John,

Sure thing – can you please use the Premium Support form on the web to request this, since that will give us a definitive e-mail address for you?

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