Why do I have a Crypto folder on my computer?
The folder you have referenced is a normal Windows 8.1 folder and has nothing to do with the similarly named "Crypto virus". The so called Crypto malware actually encrypts various common data file types in an attempt to extort you to pay for the decryption of these files.
This folder is used to store certificate pair keys for the system and its users. I wouldn't touch the files there as you could delete certificates used by Internet Explorer or other services, which would make them unusable after.
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys folder.
Machine keys are precision metal parts used to join together a rotating shaft and a wheel, gear, or other part so the shaft turns the part it is joined to.
| Key type | Directory |
|---|---|
| User private | %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Crypto\Keys |
| Local system private | %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Crypto\SystemKeys |
| Local service private | %WINDIR%\ServiceProfiles\LocalService |
| Network service private | %WINDIR%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService |
Windows has a cryptographic key store, and it is simply located in a folder on your hard drive. On my Windows 10 machine, this path is C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto and inside that folder, there are various other folders for each key type. In this example, we will be looking at the RSA\MachineKeys subfolders.
RSA (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman) is a public-key cryptosystem that is widely used for secure data transmission. It is also one of the oldest. The acronym "RSA" comes from the surnames of Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir and Leonard Adleman, who publicly described the algorithm in 1977.
- Download pCloud for desktop or mobile or open my.pCloud.
- Open the Crypto subtab and select Buy/Try for free/Set up.
- Enter your Crypto Pass and Hint.
Machine keys are usually made of steel or stainless steel and plated with zinc for wear and oxidation resistance.
We manufacture several kinds of machine keys in many sizes: Woodruff keys are half-circle shapes, with radius or flat bottoms. DIN-6888. Parallel keys are rectangular shapes with ends that are square (DIN-6885-B), round (DIN-6885-A), or both (DIN-6885-AB).
What is Crypto API?
What is CryptoAPI? CryptoAPI is a core component of the latest versions of Microsoft Windows that provides application programming interfaces (APIs) for cryptographic security services that provide secure channels and code signing for communication between applications.
Appdata\roaming folder contains data that can move with your user profile from PC to PC. If we configured roaming profile, the data is expected to move with the profile.
