Encrypted files copied to remote PC

[mborchers]

Hi guys,

I have a central server that runs encryption to secure the file contents. On occasion, an authorised user may request the server copy archived files to his/her computer for local manipulation.

My VB program which receives the file copy request duly copies down to the user's computer the files requested, but they are still encrypted! (Therefore the user cannot open or delete or move them).

What are my options for ensuring the files are decrypted when they arrive on the user's computer? The encryption was applied on the central server - so the central server has to decrypt the files before delivery.

For some (wrong) reason, I thought that if encrypted files were copied to somewhere, they'd be decrypted. This is obviously not the case!

Note that the user's computer is running NTFS. Perhaps changing the user's file system to FAT32 would help? Is there a switch on the "copyfile" API to decrypt files on copy?

Help appreciated!

Mark

[phinds]

so the central server has to decrypt the files before delivery

yes, that's exactly right.

they are still encrypted! (Therefore the user cannot open or delete or move them).

that makes no sense --- whether or not you can move or delete or open a file has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not it is encrypted (granted, the open might not do you any good, since you could actually get the data)

Is there a switch on the "copyfile" API to decrypt files on copy?

that doesn't make sense either --- the API to copy files has absolutely no way to know what encryption algorithm was used so cannot possibly decrypt your files.

Perhaps changing the user's file system to FAT32 would help?

pointless