Tao Effect Forums

Espionage => Espionage 3 => Topic started by: dontfencemein on October 19, 2014, 04:17:48 PM

Title: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: dontfencemein on October 19, 2014, 04:17:48 PM
I have some old folders on an external drive that I encrypted at some point with Espionage.  They show the message, "This folder contains encrypted data....etc).

So looking at the manual on how to decrypt them here (https://www.taoeffect.com/espionage/EspionageHelp/pages/usg-restore_builtin.html), it seems to be referencing Espionage's Backup function, which looks like it's missing in version 3.6.1, which I am running.  I'm also running Mac 10.8.5

Sorry, I have no idea how to decrypt these, since they don't show up in the list of things I can decrypt in Espionage.  Any help?
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: zsolt on October 22, 2014, 11:14:22 PM
Hello, the 3 folders named "this folder is encrypted...do not modify" is from Espionage 2. Also, the fact that you are seeing those folders mean that Espionage 2 is not working properly and is allowing you to enter into the folder without showing the password prompt.
This is what you have to do to recover you data:
- download the following software http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/24682/ivisible 
- launch it, and click on "make files visible" button (in case OS X does not allow to launch ivisible, you have to go to System Preferences -> Security & Privacy, click on padlock icon in lower left corner and authenticate, then under General Tab, under "Allow apps downloaded from" select anywhere, wait for confirmation window, and then try to launch iVisible again)
- now revisit the protected folder and you will see a disk image inside, named same as the folder name, but having a dot in front of the name
- dobleclick it, it should ask you for password, enter it, and the image will mount as a volume, like for example an USB stick would mount
- open it and you will access to all your files
- copy them out, unmount the volume and delete the protected folder containing the disk image you just opened

Once you recovered all the files, I suggest to properly uninstall Espionage 2 by deleting all the files related to it:
Here is the list of the files/folders you have to remove to uninstall Espionage.
Note that some files are in your home Library folder and some in your root Library folder. Your home Library folder is hidden since Lion, to enter into it from Finder, switch to Finder, hold down the option key and select Library from the list of "places to go".:

/Users/[your username]/Library/Application Support/Espionage
/Users/[your username]/Library/LaunchAgents/com.taoeffect.EspionageHelper.plist
/Users/[your username]/Library/Services/EspionageMenu.service (might not exist)
/System/Library/Extensions/iSpy.kext
/Library/iSpy
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.taoeffect.ispyd.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.taoeffect.Espionage.plist (might not exist)
/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.taoeffect.Espionage (might not exist)

once you removed the files/folder, please reboot your Mac

#########
Note that support for Espionage 2 ended at the end of last year, we are also not developing it any more, it is there just in case you have Macs which cannot be upgraded to Lion. Espionage 2 does not work properly since Maverick, so if you want to continue with data protection offered by Espionage, you should upgrade to version 3.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Rgds
Zsolt
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: dontfencemein on October 23, 2014, 10:23:30 PM
A little progress.  Was able to make the encrypted file visible.  Double clicking didn't do anything but right click to Open brought up the password screen.  I entered the password but the image did not mount in Finder.

I didn't have Espionage 2 installed, so I found an old dmg of it.  (First I unencrypted the folders I had encrypted in Espionage 3, just in case the two versions fought).  I installed Espionage 2.  Double clicking the image with the dot in front of the name didn't do anything, so I tried Open With and pointed to Espionage 2.  I got a password prompt, and then Espionage 2 asked me if I wanted to import this folder in order to encrypt it, to which I said No since it's already encrypted.  Should I have said yes? This folder does not show up in Esp 2 list of files (it's empty).

So what is my next move?  thanks!
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: zsolt on October 23, 2014, 11:09:44 PM
When you double click the disk image or right click-open it, and you get the password prompt, the password you have to enter is the one from the folder, not Espionage. I.e. the password you choose for that particular folder and not the one you use to unlock Espionage.
The other way is what you almost did, yes, you can import the image back to Espionage, but you will again be asked the same password, so I think it is easier to do it just directly over disk image.
You remark that you did not want ti import the folder because it is already encrypted, yes, it is encrypted but it is not know to Espionage, so importing it would not encrypt it again, instead, it would just add it to the list of folders in Espionage and then you would be able to manage it over espionage.

If you think this is to much for you, we can make a remote session and I can do it for you.
Just let me know your availability.

rgds
Zsolt
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: hurangeshu on February 18, 2015, 06:28:15 PM
Hello!  I am having this same issue.  I double-clicked on the dmg, filled in the password and there was some window action which made it seem like it was working... and then nothing.  Nothing mounted and I don't see the files within the folder either.

I'm not sure if dontfencemein got this worked out or not, but I could sure use the help.

Many thanks!
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: zsolt on February 19, 2015, 03:19:54 AM
Hello, open terminal and write the following command

mount

then hit enter.
It should show you all the mounted volumes. Do you see one named as the disk image you opened, i.e. the folder you protected?

If you do, then write

cd ""

and copy paste the path you got from mount command between the quotes in the command I wrote above.
hit enter, now write

open .

this should open a new window in the finder showing the content of the disk image.

Let me know how it went.

Rgds
Zsolt
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: hurangeshu on February 21, 2015, 09:42:07 AM
Took me a few days to get to this, but I'm not having any luck.

First, I found the path and entered it with cd "" and entered open.

I got a list of commands that Terminal said needs to be used with the open command.  I tried a few of them with no luck, including [-R].

Here's the list that came up:
QuoteUsage: open [-e] [-t] [-f] [-W] [-R] [-n] [-g] [-h] [-b <bundle identifier>] [-a <application>] [filenames] [--args arguments]
Help: Open opens files from a shell.
      By default, opens each file using the default application for that file. 
      If the file is in the form of a URL, the file will be opened as a URL.
Options:
      -a                Opens with the specified application.
      -b                Opens with the specified application bundle identifier.
      -e                Opens with TextEdit.
      -t                Opens with default text editor.
      -f                Reads input from standard input and opens with TextEdit.
      -F  --fresh       Launches the app fresh, that is, without restoring windows. Saved persistent state is lost, excluding Untitled documents.
      -R, --reveal      Selects in the Finder instead of opening.
      -W, --wait-apps   Blocks until the used applications are closed (even if they were already running).
          --args        All remaining arguments are passed in argv to the application's main() function instead of opened.
      -n, --new         Open a new instance of the application even if one is already running.
      -j, --hide        Launches the app hidden.
      -g, --background  Does not bring the application to the foreground.
      -h, --header      Searches header file locations for headers matching the given filenames, and opens them.

Any other suggestions?

Many thanks!
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: hurangeshu on February 21, 2015, 09:49:35 AM
I should clarify - when I say no luck, the response that keeps coming back is that the file "does not exist".  I see the path to the folder when I enter "mount", so maybe it's because it thinks it's opening a file and not a folder? 
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: hurangeshu on February 21, 2015, 09:51:58 AM
Lol, one more update!

Success!  I entered open, plus the file path and that worked!  I'm in and have gotten the files out of the folder.

Thanks for the help!
Title: Re: how to decrypt, missing from list
Post by: zsolt on February 21, 2015, 10:42:04 AM
I would need the command outputs to know why did the first method not work, but most important is that you figured it out.
I'm glad you have all your file now, let me know if you run into some further difficulties,

Rgds
Zsolt