Sector-level disk scanning decrypts files with deleted keys, even on reformatted drives

ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. has released the Professional version 4.0 of Advanced EFS Data Recovery (AEFSDR Pro) for Windows, a powerful data recovery application that makes it easy to recover (decrypt) files encrypted on NTFS (EFS) partitions created in Windows 2003, XP, 2000, Vista, and 2008. In addition to all of the capabilities of the Standard version, AEFSDR Pro can perform low-level disk scanning at the sector level, enabling data recovery and forensics specialists to find encryption keys that have been deleted, even on drives that have been reformatted.

The Professional version of AEFSDR lets data experts recover files where users have set up multiple logical disks, for example when a 'C' Drive that contains Windows plus a 'D' Drive that holds data. When the system has serious problems, users will often reformat the 'C' Drive, and reinstall Windows, knowing that their data is safe on the 'D' partition. However, EFS encryption stores its encryption keys in certificates that are located on the system drive. After reinstalling Windows, encrypted data files on the 'D' Drive are no longer accessible.

AEFSDR Pro can search all of the sectors on the 'C' Drive, one-by-one, and find the deleted certificates, even if the drive has been reformatted.

With both the Standard and Professional versions of AEFSDR, protected files can be decrypted, even when the system is not bootable so you cannot log on, or when some encryption keys (private or master) have been tampered with. In addition, decryption is possible even when Windows is protected using SYSKEY. AEFSDR effectively (and instantly) decrypts the files protected under all versions of Windows 2000, Windows XP (including Service Pack 2), Windows 2003, and Windows Vista.

The program includes faster decryption speeds under all versions of Windows, as easy-to use Wizard that lets computer novices and experts quickly identify and decrypt files, and improved support for non-US versions of Windows including Japanese, Chinese, and other versions that use UNICODE.

For more information and free trial version, please visit AEFSDR homepage.