Data Protection and Recovery in Windows XP

What are the new EFS features in Windows XP?

Microsoft Windows 2000 introduced the capability for data recovery with the implementation of Encrypting File System (EFS), and this capability has been enhanced in Windows XP. Microsoft Windows XP provides many enhancements in the area of data protection – especially Encrypting File System (EFS). Windows XP provides significant advancements in data recovery and protection, and private key recovery.
This article provides a technical walkthrough that illustrates how to use important data recovery and protection features in Windows XP. Also included are best practices and the steps you need to take to build an effective data recovery and protection strategy.
In addition to explaining strategies for data recovery and data protection in Windows XP, this article includes many step-by-step examples that illustrate how to set up the data recovery and data protection features you’ll want to use when deploying a Windows XP data recovery and protection solution.
Note: EFS is only available on Windows XP Professional; it is not supported on Windows XP Home Edition.
The increased functionality of EFS has significantly enhanced the power of the Windows XP Professional client. Windows XP Professional now provides additional flexibility for corporate users when deploying security solutions based on encrypted data files and folders. These new features include:

• Full support for revocation checking on certificates used by the system
• Alternate color support (green) for encrypted files
• Support for encrypted offline folders
• Multi-user support for encrypted files in the shell user interface (UI)
• Support for the Microsoft-enhanced cryptographic service provider (CSP)
• Additional support for FIPS 140-1 Level 1 compliant symmetric algorithms (3DES [Data Encryption Standard])
• End-to-end encryption using EFS over WebDAV
• Enhanced recovery policy flexibility
• Additional security features for protecting EFS data.

Related articles

You might also want to read the following related articles:

• Create a mountable virtual encrypted hard drive in Windows Vista using TrueCrypt
• Access Denied Error in EFS Encrypted Files
• Compression and Other Attributes in EFS
• Copy Encrypted Files on the Network
• Disable EFS in Windows 2000
• Disable EFS in Windows XP/2003
• How does EFS Work?
• New EFS Features in Windows XP
• Quickly Check EFS Attributes
• Quickly Check Which User Encrypted a File
• What’s EFS?

Links

Data Protection and Recovery in Windows XP
What’s New in Security for Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition