Tao Effect Forums

Espionage => Espionage 3 => Topic started by: tt2222 on January 29, 2014, 12:56:42 PM

Title: Accessing external HD encrypted files after deleting original user profile
Post by: tt2222 on January 29, 2014, 12:56:42 PM
Hello,

Hopefully someone knows how I can salvage my encrypted files after I made a seemingly fatal mistake!

I have Espionage 3 loaded on 'User 1' on a newer iMac with latest OS.  I created an unencrypted folder (call it BBB) from 'User 2' on the iMac, encrypted it (BBB.sparsebundle) and saved it on an external hard drive (both the unencrypted folder BBB and BBB.sparsebundle were saved to the external hard drive).

I recently securely deleted the 'User 2' from the iMac.  Now I cannot open the BBB.sparsebundle on the external hard drive from 'User 1.'

Working from 'User 1', if I double click the BBB.sparsebundle on the external hard drive, it asks for a password.  I enter the master password, which does not work.  I then learned that I need the password only available from the file list for that particular file.  But BBB does not appear on my file list. I read about going to the /Users/[your username]/Library/Application Support/com.taoeffect.Espionage3/Backups.  I renamed the current database and copy/pasted one of the older ones, renaming it to 'database.'  Quit Espionage and restarted.  But still, BBB does not appear.  I think it should be there because the dates of the backup databases are dates I accessed that particular file (even though I was accessing it from 'User 2').

In short, I have the sparsebundle, the original file folder (think it's called mount point?), and the master password.  But I'm unable to access the encrypted file because I'm working from 'User 1' rather than 'User 2' which was securely deleted.

I can see now reading this that perhaps I should have closed Espionage FIRST before replacing the database with an older one from the backup folder....?....I'll try that when I get home.  Either way, I'll post the result.

Any additional suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks
Title: Re: Accessing external HD encrypted files after deleting original user profile
Post by: zsolt on January 30, 2014, 03:01:32 AM
Hello, this does not look good.
Each user on OS X has it's own user Library folder, this is where the applications are saving their things, like prefs, settings and a lot more.
Espionage uses it to store the disk images, the license, the settings and also it's database which contains the passwords of the disk images it created.
This database is then encrypted with the master password.

So now if you deleted the user 2, then it's library is gone too, together with the espionage database.
You do have the disk image, but not the password for it.
And this is where all stops.

If you do not have a backup of the user 2 Library folder, or more precise, the com.taoeffect.Espionage3 folder, then there is no way we can unlock the disk image.
There is a way to save out the passwords, but this is only possible while you have the database active, I assume you did not do this as otherwise you would have mentioned it, I guess.

Sorry
Zsolt