Windows – How to decrypt files on a Windows domain, without user account password

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I have a Server 2008 file server, and and while here an employee encrypted several files, and has now since left to seek greener pastures.

I want to decrypt the files, so others can access them. Can I simply change the account password, then login as the user, and uncheck the encryption? Or will doing so destroy the encryption keys, rendering the files forever lost?

If logging in with a new password isn't going to work, how can I go about decrypting the files? The employees user account was a domain account, and I have domain administrator access.

I am not sure what method of encryption is being utilized, beyond the File Properties > Advanced > Encrypt contents to secure data checkbox, and the filenames are green.

Thanks

Best Answer

Use the recovery agent account, usually local admin or domain admin account.

Check out this answer over on StackOverflow

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Ssh – How to automate SSH login with password

Don't use a password. Generate a passphrase-less SSH key and push it to your VM.

If you already have an SSH key, you can skip this step… Just hit Enter for the key and both passphrases:

$ ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048
Generating public/private rsa key pair.
Enter file in which to save the key (/home/username/.ssh/id_rsa):
Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase):
Enter same passphrase again:
Your identification has been saved in /home/username/.ssh/id_rsa.
Your public key has been saved in /home/username/.ssh/id_rsa.pub.

Copy your keys to the target server:

$ ssh-copy-id id@server
id@server's password:

Now try logging into the machine, with ssh 'id@server', and check-in:

.ssh/authorized_keys

Note: If you don't have .ssh dir and authorized_keys file, you need to create it first

to make sure we haven’t added extra keys that you weren’t expecting.

Finally, check to log in…

$ ssh id@server

id@server:~$

You may also want to look into using ssh-agent if you want to try keeping your keys protected with a passphrase.

How to determine why a users password change did not succeed

Send them a written copy of the rules, because they're clearly failing to understand what they are. You can also ask them for the password that they're trying, and just have them make another one, once they understand what the rules are.

Best Answer

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Ssh – How to automate SSH login with password

How to determine why a users password change did not succeed

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