How to Recover .CER Files Lost After a Sudden Computer Crash

Have files been deleted due to a user’s error or software error? Have you formatted a disk by accident and need to know how to recover the files? Read our .CER file recovery guide for Windows, MacOS, Android and IOS in 2024.

How to Recover .CER Files Lost After a Sudden Computer Crash
Data Recovery Tool

What is a .CER file?

A CER file is a security file provided by a third party Certificate Authority, such as VeriSign or Thwate, that verifies the authenticity of a website. It is installed on a web server to establish the validity of a certain website hosted on the server.

What Are Common Causes of ".CER" Files Lost or Failure?

There are several common causes of ".CER" file loss or failure:

  1. Accidental deletion: Users may accidentally delete ".CER" files while cleaning up their system or organizing files, leading to their loss.
  2. File system corruption: File system corruption can occur due to various reasons like power outages, hardware failures, or software errors. This corruption can result in the loss or failure of ".CER" files.
  3. Virus or malware attacks: Malicious software can infect and damage files on a computer, including ".CER" files. Viruses or malware can corrupt or delete these files, making them inaccessible.
  4. Software or hardware issues: Errors or glitches in software applications or hardware components can lead to the loss or failure of ".CER" files. This can occur during the installation, update, or operation of software programs.
  5. Improper file handling: Mishandling or improper use of ".CER" files can cause them to become corrupted or unusable. This can include improper transfer, storage, or modification of the files.
  6. Operating system issues: Problems with the operating system, such as crashes, conflicts, or errors, can result in the loss or failure of ".CER" files.
  7. Storage media failure: If the storage media where the ".CER" files are stored (such as hard drives, USB drives, or memory cards) fails or becomes damaged, the files can be lost or inaccessible.
  8. Human error: Human errors, such as mistakenly formatting the wrong drive, accidentally overwriting files, or improper handling of storage devices, can lead to the loss of ".CER" files.

How to recover lost ".CER" files?

Sometimes while working with a computer, laptop or other stationary or mobile devices, you may encounter various bugs, freezes, hardware or software failures, even in spite of regular updates and junk cleaning. As a result, an important ".CER" file may be deleted.

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🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

🧺 How to Recover Files and Folders After Sending Them to the Recycle Bin and Deleting? (Windows 11)

By no means should you think that the only way to recover a ".CER" file is always to create it once more.

Use programs for recovering ".CER" files if a file was lost after accidental or deliberate deleting, formatting the memory card or the internal storage, cleaning the storage device, after a virus attack or a system failure.

Programs to recover ".CER" files

Looking for a way to get files back? In cases when files were deleted and they cannot be restored by using standard operating system tools, use Hetman Partition Recovery.

Partition Recovery™ 4.9
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
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Follow the directions below:

  1. Download Hetman Partition Recovery, install and start the program.

  2. The program will automatically scan the computer and display all hard disks and removable drives connected to it, as well as physical and local disks.

    File Recovery Software

  3. Double-click on the disk from which you need to recover ".CER" files, and select analysis type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Analysis Type

  4. When the scanning is over, you will be shown the files for recovery.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Files that Can be Restored

  5. To find a file you need, use the program’s interface to open the folder it was deleted from, or go to the folder "Content-Aware Analysis" and select the required file type.

    Hetman Partition Recovery - Deep Scan

  6. Select the files you have been looking for and click "Recovery".

    File Recovery Software - Files List for Recovery

  7. Choose one of the methods for saving the files and recover them.

    Saving recovered files in Hetman Partition Recovery

How to open file with ".CER" extension?

Looking for how to open a stereo internet Security Certificate image file file?

Programs that open ".CER" files

Windows
Microsoft Internet Explorer Microsoft Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox
Other <a href=Web browser"> Other Web browser
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Adobe Acrobat DC Adobe Acrobat DC
Mac
Apple Safari Apple Safari
Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
Adobe Acrobat DC Adobe Acrobat DC
Apple Keychain Access Apple Keychain Access
Linux
Mozilla Firefox Mozilla Firefox
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

Additional Information

  • File type: Internet Security Certificate

  • File extension: .CER

  • Developer: Невідомо

  • Category: Web Files

  • Format: Binary

  • Mime-type: application/pkix-cert

  • HEX: 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 42 45 47 49 4E 20 43 45 52 54 49 46 49 43 41 54 45 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D

  • ASCII: -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----

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Comments (1)

  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 18.12.2019 16:14 #
    Leave a comment if you have any questions about Recovering lost .CER files after deleting, cleaning or formatting!
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Vladimir Artiukh

Author: Vladimir Artiukh, Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: Oleg Afonin, Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What is a ".CER backup" file and how is it created?

    A ".CER backup" file is a certificate backup file that contains a digital certificate and its associated private key. It is typically used to securely store and transport certificates for backup or migration purposes.

    To create a .CER backup file, you can follow these general steps:

    1. Open the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) by pressing Win + R, typing "mmc" and hitting Enter.
    2. Go to "File" -> "Add/Remove Snap-in" and select "Certificates" from the list of available snap-ins.
    3. Choose the appropriate certificate store (e.g., "Computer account" for system-wide certificates or "Current user" for personal certificates) and click "Finish".
    4. Click "OK" to close the "Add or Remove Snap-ins" window.
    5. Expand the "Certificates" node in the MMC and navigate to the certificate you want to export.
    6. Right-click on the certificate and select "All Tasks" -> "Export".
    7. Follow the Export Wizard prompts, selecting the option to export the private key and choosing the format as "Personal Information Exchange - PKCS #12 (.PFX)".
    8. Set a password to protect the exported file.
    9. Choose a location and filename for the export file, giving it a .PFX extension.
    10. Click "Finish" to complete the export process.

    The resulting .PFX file can now be considered the .CER backup file, which contains the certificate and private key.

  • How can a ".CER backup" file be restored or imported into a system?

    To restore or import a ".CER backup" file into a system, you can follow these steps:

    1. Open the Certificate Manager: Go to the "Start" menu and search for "Certificate Manager" or "certmgr.msc". Open the Certificate Manager application.
    2. Navigate to the appropriate certificate store: In the Certificate Manager, you will see a list of certificate stores. Choose the appropriate store based on the type of certificate you want to import. For example, if it's a personal certificate, navigate to the "Personal" store.
    3. Import the certificate: Right-click on the certificate store and select "All Tasks" > "Import". This will open the Certificate Import Wizard.
    4. Browse and select the ".CER backup" file: In the Certificate Import Wizard, click on the "Browse" button and navigate to the location where the ".CER backup" file is saved. Select the file and click "Open".
    5. Complete the import process: Follow the prompts in the Certificate Import Wizard to complete the import process. You may need to provide a password or specify additional options depending on the certificate and the system requirements.
    6. Verify the import: Once the import process is complete, you can verify that the certificate has been successfully imported by checking the certificate store where you imported it.

    Note: The steps may vary slightly depending on the operating system and the specific certificate management tools being used.

  • Are there any specific tools or software required to work with ".CER backup" files, or can they be opened and accessed using standard file management tools?

    .CER backup files are typically certificate backup files in the PKCS #12 format (.pfx or .p12 extension). These files contain both the private key and the corresponding public key certificate. To work with .CER backup files, you will need a tool or software that can handle PKCS #12 files.

    While you can manage and manipulate .CER backup files using standard file management tools like file explorers, you will need additional software to perform operations such as importing, exporting, or installing the certificates contained within the backup file. Here are some common tools and software that can handle .CER backup files:

    1. Microsoft Management Console (MMC): The MMC provides a Certificates snap-in that allows you to import, export, and manage certificates on Windows systems. You can access it by running the "certmgr.msc" command.
    2. OpenSSL: OpenSSL is an open-source toolkit that provides a command-line interface for working with certificates and cryptographic operations. It can be used to extract and manipulate certificates from .CER backup files.
    3. Keychain Access (Mac): Keychain Access is the default certificate management tool on macOS. It allows you to import, export, and manage certificates, including those stored in .CER backup files.
    4. Certificate management software: Various certificate management software, such as KeyStore Explorer, can handle .CER backup files and provide a user-friendly interface to manage certificates.

    Remember that the specific steps and tools required may vary depending on the operating system you are using and the specific tasks you want to perform with the certificates in the .CER backup file.
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