Windows 7 bug - .zip file content encrypted after download from https
Here is an unwanted "feature" in Windows 7. I used Internet Explorer to download a .zip file from a HTPS server. I then unblocked the .zip file and unzipped the file with "Extract all...". The extracted files were all encrypted. So, the files were unreadable when I moved the files off my computer.Vista did not have the same behavior - the extracted files were not encrypted.
December 8th, 2009 8:53pm

Windows does do that you have something else going on
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December 8th, 2009 11:58pm

Yup, I agree. Windows has nothing to do with the encryption of zip files. Someone encrypted the files and then packaged them up in the zip file you downloaded. I have seen this before.Sometimes there is a small .txt file among the encrypted files that gives the password to decrypt them.Sometimes the password is sent separately in an email to an address you provide. If neither has been provided then you will have to go back to where you downloaded the zip file from and look for the info needed to decrypt them.
December 9th, 2009 4:10am

Some uploader will encrypt the file when zip it with third party zip programs such as WINRAR. You can check the site you get the file to see if there is a password provided to unencrypt it.
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December 10th, 2009 6:33am

He said when he moved them to another computer he could not open them. Could it have something to do with drive encription?Seasons greetings!
December 11th, 2009 6:19am

Here are more details of what I did1. downloaded a .zip file from a HTTPS server to my computer.2.unziped the .zip file on my computer using "extract all...". The files were NOT unzipped to an encryped hard drive.3. Used file manager to view the unzipped files.4. I was surprised that the unzippedfile names appeared in green text - the green text means the files are encryped.5. I was able to open and edit the unzipped files using notepad. I saved the files with notepad - the saved files were still showing up in green text6. I then moved these files from my computer to a web server (some of these files were HTML files)7. The files could not be accessed using HTTP from the web server because the files were encrypted and could only be viewed when the files were located on my computer.8. I could unencrypt the files on my computer by right clicking on the fules and selecting unencrypt from the properties dialog boxI did not create the original .zip file. So, I do not know if the original .zip file had some sort of encryption. I am guessing the the .zip file was not encrypted but there is no way to know for sure. I downloaded the same .zip file to a Vista computer and unzipped it - the unzipped files were not encrypted on the Vista computer.I think it would be better if Windows 7 asked me if I wanted the unzipped files encrypted on my computer.
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December 11th, 2009 7:28am

It's still unclear weather this encription thing happend only with the .zipsLeo Lucas discussed here or for that matter all of his .zips. Seasons greetings!
December 11th, 2009 9:52am

To put it bluntly, why not download a cab or rarto test this theory?.zippySeasons greetings!
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December 11th, 2009 10:13am

Edit:I performed more tests.1. If the folder I put a ZIP (not encryped) file to is encryped, the ZIP file will change to green --- but the folder or file inside(open the zip file with Windows Explorer)will not changed to green until you unzip them to the same folder.2. I tried to send a zip file which included an encryped file to another computer. After unzip it, it is not a green file.Thus it seems that the "encryption" is still caused by your local settings especially you can uncrypt the green files.
December 11th, 2009 11:30am

Only one .zip file caused this problem. The unusual thing about this .zip file was that it came from a HTTPS site. In the past, I have only downloaded .zip files from HTTP sites.
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December 12th, 2009 2:26am

If you can you provide the the URL for .zip obtained from the HTTPS SSL encrypted website we may learn more.Seasons greetings!
December 12th, 2009 2:34am

sorry, I cannot provide the URL for the .zip file. The .zip file is on a pasword protected HTTP site and the contents are confidential.
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December 14th, 2009 1:45am

Then can you test the same file on a different computer? As other downloaded files are fine in same folder, let's check the downloaded file.
December 15th, 2009 5:12am

I had this same thing happen to me only last night while downloading a few things and when I tried to extract the files, they came out in green text, and windows 7 told me that the files were encypted. they still worked, it just told me to backup encrypted files etc.So, I opened the zip file. selected the files and hit copy. and pasted them else where and it fixed the issue and made them all normal.hope this helps others.
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January 29th, 2010 2:37am

I can tell you that Windows 7 treats file zipped on the Mac OS (10.5.8) differently than files zipped on Windows XP. When you unzip a file zipped on the Mac, Windows 7 (and 2008 Server) will encrypt them (make the green.) If you unzip a file zipped on XP, it will unzip fine.
February 23rd, 2010 8:46pm

Same issue here. Zipped files on Mac OS X (Snow Leopard), unzipped on Windows 7, all appeared green and were encrypted. I could open and work on them just fine, but was concerned I wouldn't be able to open them later on the original Mac. You can remove the encryption in bulk by Extracting All files from the zip, then selecting all the green files/folders as a group, right click, properties, advanced, then unselect "Encrypt contents to secure data".
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March 8th, 2010 9:53pm

Have the same problems with encryption of zipped Mac OS X files. More datails: 1. I have extracted from zip files which was unzipped on Windows XP. I had normal access to these files on Windows XP. 2. My HDD failed recently and I moved to Windows 7 (I had back up of all my data files). 3. While copying data from backup drive to new one (using Windows 7) I got errors for all files that previously was zipped on Mac. All these files are green and have encrypted attribute set which I can't switch off. I can't delete or access those files. ZIP file sample: http://www.i-marco.nl/weblog/jquery-accordion-menu-redux/demo.zip
June 21st, 2010 5:13am

This seems to be standard behaviour from Windows 7 when downloading files from https. Just right click on the folder and choose 'properties'. Then 'advanced' - uncheck 'encrypt contents to secure data' - OK - OK. Then the files should no longer be green or encrypted. Roz www.geekette.com.au
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July 5th, 2010 2:11am

I get the same problem when downloading a zipped file from: http://www.friendsofed.com/download.html?isbn=1430215984 Pick "Most files to accompany the book (58.5 MB)". Note that this is downloaded from http, not from https. Judging by the presence of a ".DS_Store" file, I'd guess this was zipped on a Mac. It only takes a few moments to download the file but then ten minutes for Windows 7 to unencrypt the files that it shouldn't have encrypted in the first place. Is "unwanted feature" a euphemism for "bug"? Allen
July 21st, 2010 6:53pm

Un-Zip with 7-zip. 7-zip does not have this issue.
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May 27th, 2011 6:34am

I have also confirmed the following: 1. the problem does occur with http 2. the problem is not standard behavior with https 3. 7-Zip does not have the problem I have confirmed the problem on three different Windows 7 installations, both x32 and x64. All three machines are default installations of Windows with very minimal additional software loaded - they mainly have Office applications installed. Has anybody tried other unzip utilities? Could this be a bug in Windows?
July 9th, 2011 6:15pm

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