The Encrypting File System (EFS) enables filesystem level transparent encryption on Microsoft Windows operating system. It was first introduced within NTFS. Folder encryption uses symmetric key which is then encrypted by a public key (asymmetric) pair. In our “SSH Public Key (/w RSA) Authentication and SSH Tunneling” post, we had briefly mentioned the hybrid cryptosystems that is driven by the usage of asymmetric and symmetric algorithms together. Now let’s check out how this hybrid process takes place in EFS;
In this document, we’ll be discussing the things to do step by step for establishing your Check Point Secure Client VPN connections by using USB based Aladdin eToken smart card and related PKI client. eToken Pro 32k is used within the said case. Platforms that I observed where the implementation runs free of problems are Windows XP and Vista 32-bit.
We can say that the primary advantage of the public key authentication is a higher level of security being provided as it doesn’t need a password input that will be transferred over the network and as the “private” one which constitutes the public-private key pair doesn’t need to be transferred or revealed to remote site or a 3rd party during the authentication process or in any time period.
