ECCouncil CND 312-38 Question # 7 Topic 1 Discussion

The Encrypted File System (EFS) is a feature of the NTFS file system available in Windows that provides filesystem-level encryption. It allows for the transparent encryption of files, protecting confidential data from attackers who might gain physical access to the computers. EFS uses a combination of symmetric key encryption and public key technology to protect files. The symmetric key, known as the File Encryption Key (FEK), is used to encrypt the file data, and then the FEK itself is encrypted with a public key associated with the user’s identity and stored with the file. This ensures that only authorized users can decrypt the encrypted files. EFS is particularly suitable for protecting sensitive data on laptops that might be lost or stolen, as it ensures that the data remains inaccessible without the appropriate encryption key.

References: The information about EFS is consistent with the features and capabilities as described in the Windows documentation and resources on filesystem-level encryption123.