encrypting file system (Windows) (EFS)

The Encrypting File System(EFS) is a component of various Microsoft operating systems and an extension for the NTFS file system. The EFS system is an encrypting file system that works only on drives with the NTFS file system, but not on drives with File Allocation Table( FAT).

EFS encryption can be used to encrypt individual files but also entire directories. Also, files that are copied into an EFS directory are encrypted directly. Encryption and decryption are completely transparent. The EFS-DAteisysstem is available for Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista and Server 2003.

The certificate used by the EFS encryption with the key pair required for the public key procedure is automatically generated by Windows.