Disabling/Enabling the Symantec File Share Encryption Driver (Formerly PGP Netshare)

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Article ID: 157114

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Updated On:

Products

Symantec Products

Issue/Introduction


This article describes how to temporarily disable the PGP Netshare driver without permanently disabling the PGP Netshare functionality.

 

Resolution


PGP NetShare enables specific users to share protected files in a shared space, such as on a corporate file server, in a shared folder, or on removable media such as a USB drive.

The PGP NetShare driver controls how PGP NetShare protected folders are handled when the shares are accessed. When PGP Desktop is installed, and a user attempts to access a PGP NetShare encrypted folder, PGP NetShare performs a user lookup to validate the user and authenticate with the folder.

If a user does not have access to a specific PGP NetShare folder, and PGP NetShare is installed on the system, a notification pop-up displays a Access Denied message.

In some instances, a process may run on the system (such as a backup job) that may need to access a PGP NetShare protected folder and is denied access because the folder is protected. To backup files in a PGP NetShare encrypted folder, it may be necessary to temporarily disable the PGP NetShare driver to access the protected folder. Even though the PGP NetShare driver is disabled the contents of the folder remain encrypted.

When the PGP NetShare driver is temporarily disabled, access to an encrypted folder is not denied and the contents remain encrypted. The PGP NetShare driver can be temporarily disabled and re-enabled from the command line.

To disable/enable the PGP NetShare driver

-set-driver

The -set-driver command sets the condition of the PGP NetShare driver on the local system. The default setting is active.

 

Caution: Change the condition on the command line if you fully understand how it will affect PGP NetShare Command Line operation.


The condition of the driver is set by the following options:

 

  • active - PGP NetShare is operating normally, the default setting.
     
  • passive - Most PGP NetShare background functionality is disabled.

By setting the PGP NetShare driver to passive, the files in the protected folder remain encrypted by PGP NetShare without affecting other PGP services on the local system. Any new files are added to a PGP NetShare protected folder while the driver is set to passive will not be encrypted.

The usage format is:

pgpnetshare --set-driver <Option>

Where: Example:

pgpnetshare --set-driver active

This command sets the PGP NetShare driver to an active state.

pgpnetshare --set-driver passive

This command sets the PGP NetShare driver to an passive state.

When the command is run successfully, the command line returns the output pgpnetshare done.

 

Warning: Only use this functionality when needed. When the PGP NetShare driver is set to passive, any content created or copied from the computer which the PGP NetShare is disabled on to the PGP NetShare protected folder will be copied to the folder unencrypted.

Ensure the PGP NetShare driver is set to active once the process is run for encryption to resume.


Use the following steps to disable the PGP NetShare driver:

Windows XP

 

  1. Click Start>Run.
  2. Type cmd in the Open field and click OK.
  3. At the command prompt C:\, change to the C:\Program Files\PGP Corporation\PGP Desktop directory.
  4. Type pgpnetshare --set-driver --driver-state passive to disable the driver.

    Or

     
  5. Type pgpnetshare --set-driver --driver-state active to enable the driver.
  6. Close the command prompt.

When the command is run successfully, the command line returns the output pgpnetshare done.

Windows Vista & Windows 7

 

  1. Click Start>Run.
  2. Type cmd in the Start Search field.
  3. Click cmd from the list of Programs.
  4. At the command prompt C:\, change to the C:\Program Files\PGP Corporation\PGP Desktop directory.
  5. Type pgpnetshare --set-driver --driver-state passive to disable the driver.

    Or

     
  6. Type pgpnetshare --set-driver --driver-state active to enable the driver.
  7. Close the command prompt.

When the command is run successfully, the command line returns the output pgpnetshare done.

 


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