Blue Screen of Death references Encryption Desktop PGPfsfd driver

Products

• Encryption Management Server
• File Share Encryption Powered by PGP Technology

Issue/Introduction

Windows generates a BSoD (Blue Screen of Death). Analysing the Windows Dump file with the Windows Debugger shows references to PGPfsfd in the STACK_TEXT section.

Environment

Symantec Encryption Desktop 10.4.1 and above using File Share encryption.

Cause

PGPfsfd refers to the pgpfsfd.sys driver which is used by Encryption Desktop File Share encryption. This driver is loaded by Windows even if File Share encryption is disabled in Encryption Management Server consumer policy.

Resolution

Symantec Corporation is committed to product quality and satisfied customers. This issue is currently being considered by Symantec Corporation to be addressed in a forthcoming version or Maintenance Pack of the product. Please be sure to refer back to this document periodically as any changes to the status of the issue will be reflected here.

To workaround this issue, disable File Share by preventing the pgpfsfd.sys driver being loaded by Windows. Add the AutorunsDisabled registry key by running the following command with local administrator rights:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\pgpfs" /v AutorunsDisabled /t REG_DWORD /d 0

To enable the pgpfsfd.sys driver, delete the AutorunsDisabled registry key by running the following command with local administrator rights:

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\pgpfs" /v AutorunsDisabled

If you are not using File Share encryption, you can prevent the pgpfsfd.sys driver from loading by installing Encryption Desktop with msiexec and using the PGP_INSTALL_NETSHARE=0 switch. See article TECH249430 for further details.