Encryption Key Backup, and Encrypted File Recovery

You can recover encrypted files using a backup of your Encryption Keys from the SmartEncrypt Management console and an installed copy of the SmartEncrypt desktop client software. An activated subscription or internet connection is not required to decrypt data using the recovery process but you do need to have an existing backup copy of your encryption keys.

Backing up your encryption keys

After you create a new encryption key, it is important you take a backup of your encryption keys. To do this:

1. Navigate to Keys and Rules >> Manage Keys in the SmartEncrypt Management Console.
2. Click the Download Keys button in the top right-hand corner of the page.
   
   
3. Save the resulting policy.json file somewhere for safekeeping.  To protect the policy.json file, we recommend you use the SmartEncrypt Protect and Share feature.

It is critical to protect the policy.json as it contains a backup of all of your encryption keys and will allow anybody with access to this file to decrypt your encrypted data.

 

 

 

Restoring encrypted files using the backup 

To start the recovery process, you only need an installed copy of the SmartEncrypt desktop client policy.json file containing your encryption keys to decrypt any encrypted data.

Important! 
- You MUST exit the SmartEncrypt software before beginning the recovery process. It is not enough to log out, the software must not be running when you wish to switch to using the JSON policy file.

For Windows

To decrypt encrypted files:

1. Copy the policy.json file into the folder where the SmartEncrypt client software is installed. By default, this will be C:\Program Files\SmartEncrypt.
2. Launch the SmartEncrypt software.  It will not ask for login credentials but will load the encryption keys from the policy.json file automatically.
3. Using Windows explorer, navigate to the location where you wish to decrypt your files.
4. Right-click to select the file(s) or folder you wish to decrypt.
5. Select Decrypt from the SmartEncrypt context menu.
6.  Once you have finished decrypting all of your encrypted files, remove the policy.json file from the SmartEncrypt installation folder.  If the recovery process is complete, the policy.json file can be discarded.

 

For macOS

1. Copy the policy.json file into /Users/{UserName}/Documents/
2. Launch the SmartEncrypt software.  It will not ask for login credentials but will load the encryption keys from the policy.json file automatically.
3. Using mac Finder, navigate to the location of the files you wish to decrypt.
4. Select the files or folder you wish to decrypt.
5. Select Decrypt from the SmartEncrypt menu.
6. Once you have finished decrypting all of your encrypted files and the recovery process is complete, you can remove and discard the policy.json file.

 

Good to know...

When SmartEncrypt running in a recovery mode, only file/folder decryption is allowed. It is not possible to encrypt new files or use Protect and Share feature.

 

 

Related articles

1. Encryption Keys Overview