Recovering user passwords from an offline Nextcloud server

jqou · October 26, 2024, 8:02pm

Hi. I’ve ran into issues upgrading nextcloud and currently can’t use the web ui.

I have a backup of the passwords data, however it’s all encrypted. How would I decrypt the backup so I can get my passwords and other data in plain text?

tflidd · October 29, 2024, 5:11pm

Easiest if you have a backup is to go back to the last version of your backup. If you have things just partly updated, e.g. just the database, you might recover some tables (if the users haven’t changed, it might work, or at least you can recover data from these old users).

In case you don’t have a backup, at least do it now, that in any case you can go back to this version.

Decryption is a bit tricky, not sure if that works (I’d copy everything in a virtual machine and try to recover it there):

github.com

syseleven/nextcloud-tools/blob/master/rescue/decrypt-all-files.php

#!/usr/bin/env php
<?php

	# decrypt-all-files.php
	#
	# Copyright (c) 2019-2023, SysEleven GmbH
	# All rights reserved.
	#
	#
	# usage:
	# ======
	#
	# ./decrypt-all-files.php <targetdir> [<sourcedir>|<sourcefile>]*
	#
	#
	# description:
	# ============
	#
	# This script can save your precious files in cases where you encrypted them with the
	# Nextcloud Server Side Encryption and still have access to the data directory and the

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https://docs.nextcloud.com/server/latest/admin_manual/occ_command.html#encryption

jqou · October 29, 2024, 5:25pm

I just have the database backed up, not the nextcloud files. I’m not using SSE, the Nextcloud Passwords app seemingly has it’s own encryption.

mdw · December 4, 2024, 11:50am

Do you have a database backup or a backup made by the app?

jqou · December 10, 2024, 4:14pm

As is mentioned in the OP, I had a backup made by the passwords app. I also had a database backup.

mdw · December 10, 2024, 5:48pm

Ok, the app backup contains everything needed to restore the app as it was.

The recommended way to get access to the passwords is as follows:

Set up a blank Nextcloud (e.g. NextcloudPi, Docker container or a Virtual Machine)
Install the Passwords App
Create the users you need to access with the original user Id
Follow the server migration guide

system · March 10, 2025, 5:49pm

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