ENCRYPTING FILE SYSTEM – XP/Vista
Overview In October 2006, The Department of the Army issued a directive that all laptops, portable notebooks, tablet-PCs, external media, and similar systems; commonly referred to as mobile computing devices (MCD); are highly susceptible to theft and loss and will be protected using Data at Rest encryption software. Of the many solutions available, MS Windows has a limited no cost solution to meet this requirement. MS Windows XP/Vista has the ability to encrypt data, but before an individual can encrypt files, there are some preliminary concepts that the user should understand. - Windows encrypts files by creating an encryption certificate from your CAC the first time that a user encrypts a file or folder. The encryption certificate contains the user’s public and private keys and is kept in the computer’s certificate store. - The public key encrypts data and the private key decrypts data. - When a file or folder is encrypted, the name of encrypted file and folder appears green when viewed with Windows Explorer, but it does not appear green on the desktop (although it is encrypted). - Moving unencrypted files into an encrypted folder will automatically encrypt those files in the new folder. However, the reverse operation will not automatically decrypt files. Files must be explicitly decrypted. - Encrypting a folder or file does not protect against deletion or listing files or directories. Anyone with the appropriate permissions can delete or list encrypted folders or files. - Files and folders cannot be encrypted on a network drive. Encrypting / Decrypting Files and folders that will be encrypted are located in the My Documents of a computer user system. DO NOT ENCRYPT SYSTEM FILES. PII is any information about an individual maintained by an Agency, including, but not limited to, education, financial, transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and information which can be used to distinguish or trace an individual identity. For example: Name, Social Security number, Date of Birth, Mother Maiden Name, Biometric Records.

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Right click on the file you want to encrypt/decrypt. Select the action as shown below. If you do not have this option when you right click on a file, please contact the NEC.

Encryption

Decryption

When encrypting, you will be prompted to select whether you want the file or file and parent folder encrypted. Select the option you want and select “OK”. The dialog box will close and the file and or folder will be encrypted.

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