Passware Enables Forensics to Extract Windows, Email and Internet Passwords from Registry of Seized Computers – MarketWatch

Passware, Inc., a provider of password recovery, decryption, and electronic evidence discovery software for computer forensics, law enforcement organizations, government agencies and private investigators, announces that Passware Kit Forensic v11.1 makes all passwords for Windows accounts, email and websites, easily available to computer forensics by decrypting the target system’s registry files.

Passware now makes it possible to instantly recover passwords for email accounts, websites, network, and remote desktop connections on a standalone computer directly from the target system’s registry files. In response to customer demands, the latest version of Passware Kit gives computer forensic experts the ability to recover passwords without needing administrator privileges for the target computer. This technical advance in password decryption is a powerful next step in computer forensics.

via Passware Enables Forensics to Extract Windows, Email and Internet Passwords from Registry of Seized Computers – MarketWatch.

Microsoft issues ‘critical’ patch for shortcut bug | BBC News

Microsoft has issued a “critical” security update to fix a flaw in the way Windows handles shortcuts.

The bug allowed attackers to craft booby-trapped shortcuts that allow them to take over a target computer.

Many users set up shortcuts to get to programs and places in Windows that they use regularly.

Microsoft said it released the patch because it had seen an increase in the number of attacks on the vulnerability.

The fix will be sent out to those that automatically update their machines. It will also be available via the Windows Update site.

via BBC News – Microsoft issues ‘critical’ patch for shortcut bug.

Passware Kit Forensic Decrypts TrueCrypt Hard Disks in Minutes | PRNewswire

Passware Inc., a provider of password recovery, decryption, and evidence discovery software for computer forensics, announced that the latest version of its flagship product, Passware Kit Forensic, has become the first commercially available software to break TrueCrypt hard drive encryption without applying a time-consuming brute-force attack. It was also the first product to decrypt BitLocker drives.

Long believed unbreakable, TrueCrypt is a free open-source full-disk encryption software for Windows 7/Vista/XP, Mac OS X and Linux, that creates virtual hard disks with real-time encryption.

In response to customer requests, especially from law enforcement organizations, Passware has enhanced Passware Kit Forensic to allow for memory acquisition of a seized computer over FireWire port, even if the computer is locked. When a target computer is seized and turned on with the encryption disk accessible, the software scans its memory image and extracts the encryption keys, so law enforcement personnel can access the stored data.

“Our law enforcement customers requested decryption of TrueCrypt disks, and we developed a practical and effective method for quickly obtaining encrypted data,” said Dmitry Sumin, president of Passware, Inc. “We are proud to be the first to market with a solution that empowers police, law enforcement officials and private investigators to bypass both BitLocker and now TrueCrypt encryption of seized computers.”

via Passware Kit Forensic Decrypts TrueCrypt Hard Disks in Minutes — MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 30 /PRNewswire/ –.

BitLocker Encryption Cracking Tool Now Available

Passware Inc., a provider of password recovery, decryption, and evidence discovery software for computer forensics, has created the first commercially available software to break Microsoft BitLocker hard drive encryption.

The new version of its flagship product – Passware Kit Forensic 9.5 – now recovers encryption keys for hard drives protected with BitLocker. The software scans a physical memory image file of the target computer and extracts all the encryption keys for a BitLocker disk.

BitLocker is an advanced, full-disk protection feature available in Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008.

“Full-disk encryption was a major problem for investigators,” said Dmitry Sumin, Passware President. “We have been able to provide police, law enforcement, and private investigators with a tool that allows bypassing BitLocker encryption for seized computers.”

[continued] Passware Software Cracks BitLocker Encryption Open.