[2.2.169] FSE-Windows - March 27, 2025

1. Overview

This article provides an overview of new features and improvements in the Fortanix Filesystem Encryption (FSE)-Windows 2.2.169 release.

2. New Features

• The users with host administration permissions can now create, configure, and manage FSE policies for Windows clients using the FILE DECRYPTION POLICY tab in Fortanix DSM user interface (UI) to manage and control access to services, users, processes, and groups on the Windows client effectively (JIRA: FSE-132).
  For more information, refer to Filesystem Encryption for Windows as a Service Using Fortanix Data Security Manager - Policies.

3. Improvements

• The Fortanix FSE installer now bundles Dokany and Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime dependencies into a single package for a streamlined installation on Windows (JIRA: PM-441).
  For more information, refer to Filesystem Encryption for Windows as a Service Using Fortanix Data Security Manager - Installation.

4. Known Issues

• Users cannot access files shared through a network path on Windows Server 2019, 2022, and 2025, even if the FSE policy allows access in the Fortanix DSM UI and the user has the correct NTFS permissions. This issue does not affect Windows Server 2016 (JIRA: FSE-419).
  Workaround: To resolve this issue, set a permissive policy in the Fortanix DSM UI that allows all users, groups, processes, and paths. This will enable network file sharing to work as expected.

• If the Fortanix FSE Agent UI is already running in an admin login session, it might not open or may freeze when attempting to launch it as an admin in another user's login session (JIRA: FSE-321).
  Workaround: To prevent the UI from freezing or failing to open, launch it only once per user at a time or only once as admin across all user sessions.

• The Fortanix FSE agent does not restrict access to files such as databases and logs by default. This means that unauthorized users might access them (JIRA: FSE-185).
  Workaround: Set file permissions to ensure only the Fortanix FSE Agent’s service account and authorized administrators can access these files.

• Named pipe squatting occurs when an unauthorized process listens on a named pipe before the Fortanix Filesystem Encryption service starts. This may lead users to mistakenly connect to the unauthorized process instead of the legitimate service (JIRA: FSE-161).
  Workaround: Ensure that no other service or application on the server uses the same named pipe as the Fortanix Filesystem Encryption service.

5. Installation