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shouldn't Windows warn you before "encrypting", if password is blank?
In Windows XP you can encrypt a file or folder just by right-clicking
on it and selecting the Encryption attribute -- no extra password or decryption key required -- so I assume the encryption key is derived from your logon password somehow. However, doesn't that mean that if you choose to encrypt a file but your logon password is blank (and many people have set their password to blank just so they can boot up their computer without entering one), then by "encrypting" the file you haven't really encrypted it at all? (Well of course you haven't, since anyone could boot up the computer and be automatically signed in as you, and access the file without ever authenticating themselves.) I'm writing some articles about tips and tricks for Windows, and one of the things I'm saying is that I consider it a user interface bug that Windows lets you "encrypt" a file, without giving you a warning if your password is blank. I'm just wondering if there is some legitimate reason why Windows doesn't warn you about a blank password before encrypting, otherwise I would call it a bug. (I haven't tried under Vista or Windows 7; does anybody know if those operating systems warn you if you try to set a file's "encryption" attribute and your password is blank?) Bennett |
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