- Sep 16, 2011
- 6
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- 18,510
What is the correct procedure for removing McAfee Endpoint Encryption from an encrypted HDD formatted via eSATA?
My work laptop's lease ended, and my IT helpdesk said that I should just transfer my files using an external HDD (the network share is almost full).
So I grabbed my brand new SSHD (trying to be 'good' and use a 'known clean' drive), and my HDD dock, hooked it up via an eSATA cable and formatted the drive like I normally would.
Turns out, the McAfee software treats internal & external drives differently and automatically encrypted the drive without prompting to do so. Apparently ITS configured McAfee to treat all eSATA drives as internal, and apply McAfee Endpoint Encryption when you format the drive.
Also, it seems like the encryption is linked exclusively to the laptop that I now have to send back, so my new computer can't even read the drive. (the workaround was to use RDP to transfer the files)
Now, I'm done transferring data, but I don't want to brick the drive when I try to reformat / wipe it (or when I send the laptop back). I still have access to the laptop for another day or two, but then it has to go back. McAfee's "Decrypt Drive" option doesn't work (I guess b/c it thinks it is an internal drive).
What is the 'right' way to go about getting the encryption off of this drive. Again, I can still access the drive for a couple of days, so if there are keys to export, or somehow a setting that would 'allow' this to be read at a minimum on another machine running the corporate encryption key that would at least buy me more time to figure this out.
Also, I asked my system admin / IT POC, and said he has the same issue one of his drives, so if I figure it out, let him know (go figure). So 'corporate assistance' is an option either.
Thank you in advance!
My work laptop's lease ended, and my IT helpdesk said that I should just transfer my files using an external HDD (the network share is almost full).
So I grabbed my brand new SSHD (trying to be 'good' and use a 'known clean' drive), and my HDD dock, hooked it up via an eSATA cable and formatted the drive like I normally would.
Turns out, the McAfee software treats internal & external drives differently and automatically encrypted the drive without prompting to do so. Apparently ITS configured McAfee to treat all eSATA drives as internal, and apply McAfee Endpoint Encryption when you format the drive.
Also, it seems like the encryption is linked exclusively to the laptop that I now have to send back, so my new computer can't even read the drive. (the workaround was to use RDP to transfer the files)
Now, I'm done transferring data, but I don't want to brick the drive when I try to reformat / wipe it (or when I send the laptop back). I still have access to the laptop for another day or two, but then it has to go back. McAfee's "Decrypt Drive" option doesn't work (I guess b/c it thinks it is an internal drive).
What is the 'right' way to go about getting the encryption off of this drive. Again, I can still access the drive for a couple of days, so if there are keys to export, or somehow a setting that would 'allow' this to be read at a minimum on another machine running the corporate encryption key that would at least buy me more time to figure this out.
Also, I asked my system admin / IT POC, and said he has the same issue one of his drives, so if I figure it out, let him know (go figure). So 'corporate assistance' is an option either.
Thank you in advance!
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