PGP, TrueCrypt-encrypted files CRACKED by GBP300 tool

ElcomSoft has built a utility that forages for encryption keys in snapshots of a PC's memory to decrypt PGP and TrueCrypt-protected data.

Forensic Disk Decryptor attempts to unlock information stored in disks and volumes encrypted by BitLocker, PGP or TrueCrypt. The tool is designed for criminal investigators, IT security bods and forensic specialists. PGP and TrueCrypt set the industry standard for whole-disk or partition encryption.

Normally, the unencrypted content of these data containers is impossible to retrieve without knowing the original passphrase used to encrypt the volume. Vladimir Katalov, chief exec of ElcomSoft, said encryption technology, in the right conditions, can be circumvented thanks to human laziness.