Windows 10: Error: The File could not be decrypted

I already had Windows 11. I Reset PC remove everything and did clean install of Windows 11. I have external drive connected to my laptop. In this external drive I had applied folder & Files Encryption to a specific folder and files inside it. Now, after re-installing Windows 11 on my laptop, I cannot access that specific folder from my external drive. I followed the steps as per the below link: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/error-0x80071771/4d6140a5-8989-4ea4-bae1-88e4ed623812I have taken ownership of the folder, sub-folders and files. I have enabled audit permiss

:)

 

How to Decrypt *.cerber3 files?

AFAIK it's still not possible to decrypt your files for free...

In addition to what has been mentioned in the prior posts, you might want to read this:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cerber-ransomware-switches-to-cerber3-extension-for-encrypted-files/

And I strongly suggest to read/do:

• How to remove ransomware the right way: A step-by-step guide
• The smartest way to stay unaffected by ransomware? Backup!

 

Corrupted Win10 Profile, and Can't Decrypt Files

Hey there, Andre:

Thank you very much for your quick response. I finally got a chance to try troubleshooting per your suggestions. Here's what I came up with.

I apologize if I wasn't clearer in my issue originally. The files themselves were never actually ON the same drive as the OS. THE OS was on drive C. My files were on drive F. However, I had somehow encrypted those files with my profile... and now that
profile is corrupted.

I tried the suggestions on that you linked, and these are my results:

• Option 1: Change File Ownership to "Personal" in the context menu results in following error:
  
  • An unexpected error is keeping you from applying properties to the file. IF you continue to receive this error, you can use the error code to search for help with this problem.
  • Error 0x80071771: The specified file could not be decrypted.

• Options 2 and 3: Decrypt Folder or File, (respectively), in Advanced Attributes:
  • Trying to remove encryption by deselecting the "Encrypt contents to secure data" checkbox in the Advanced Attributes window yields the following error:
    • An error occurred applying attributes to the file: F:\EXAMPLEFOLDER\EXAMPLEFILENAME: The specified file could not be decrypted.
• Options 4 and 5: Decrypting Folders and Files in Command Prompt, respectively:
  • When running cmd prompt in Admin mode, and executing the cipher /d and cipher /d/s: commands, the following error is thrown:
  • F:\EXAMPLEFOLDER\EXAMPLEFILENAME\: the system cannot find the path specified.0 file(s) [or directorie(s) were decrypted.
  • This is problematic, because I can click on the folders and files themselves from the windows GUI.
    

I still have the corrupted profile on my computer... is there a way to reach into it to extract the cipher?

Thank you so much for your help! (Didn't expect to take a crash-course in Windows security, but there we are, LOL).

Best,

Chris

 

Error: Error: 0x80071771, The Specified File Could Not Be Decrypted when accessing an Encrypted file

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.



I understand that you are unable to access the files that you have encrypted and you receive an error while decrypting the files.



I suggest you to refer the suggestions provided by Shafeeq_Khan in the thread

Error: 0x80071771, The Specified File Could Not Be Decrypted replied on April 14, 2019 and see if that helps in resolving the issue.



Please reply with the status of the issue, we will be glad to help you further.



Regards,

Nikhar Khare

Microsoft Community - Moderator