File Encryption - Win32 apps (original) (raw)
This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
File Encryption
- Article
- 01/12/2023
In this article
The Encrypted File System, or EFS, provides an additional level of security for files and directories. It provides cryptographic protection of individual files on NTFS file system volumes using a public-key system.
Typically, the access control to file and directory objects provided by the Windows security model is sufficient to protect unauthorized access to sensitive information. However, if a laptop that contains sensitive data is lost or stolen, the security protection of that data may be compromised. Encrypting the files increases security.
To determine whether a file system supports file encryption for files and directories, call the GetVolumeInformation function and examine the FS_FILE_ENCRYPTION bit flag. Note that the following items cannot be encrypted:
- Compressed files
- System files
- System directories
- Root directories
- Transactions
Sparse files can be encrypted.
TxF does not support most operations on Encrypted File System (EFS) files. The only operations TxF supports are read operations, such as ReadEncryptedFileRaw.
Note
When the source file is encrypted, CopyFile and CopyFileEx rely on the EFS service (hosted in lsass.exe) to create the target file and apply keys used in encryption of the source file. These operations are performed by EFS service while impersonating the caller of CopyFile or CopyFileEx.
In this section
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Handling Encrypted Files and Directories | A file marked encrypted is encrypted by the NTFS file system by using the current encryption driver. |
| Encrypted Files and User Keys | Lists the functions to use to create a new key, add a key to an encrypted file, query the keys for an encrypted file, and remove keys from an encrypted file. |
| Backup and Restore of Encrypted Files | The raw encryption functions enable backup of encrypted files. |
For more information about encryption, see Adding Users to an Encrypted File.
For more information about cryptography, see Cryptography.