Secure Folders to protect folders (and use as anti-executable)

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by Windows_Security, Oct 21, 2014.

  1. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    I remember older versions of Panda Cloud had such functionality with the Data Shield or how it was called. You could manually specify what app can access what types of files exactly (per file/app) or you could use Panda's own global whitelist. But then they sacked that amazing feature for some stupid reason. Luckily this app provides me with similar functionality.
     
  2. CGuard

    CGuard Registered Member

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    BTW, as it has been mentioned, its GUI doesn't have to be auto-started (only its driver) + toggling protection (even per file/folder) can be controlled from the command line.
     
  3. RTFM lazy, so could you give some examples of those command lines?

    Thx
     
  4. CGuard

    CGuard Registered Member

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  5. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    I've contacted the developer and let him know about this thread. Maybe he or she will join in. It's always good to have a direct contact with dev, so we can exchange ideas and stuff faster here.
     
  6. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Thanks a lot !
    My concerns are about crypto-malware and want to see what dev has to say about his program which looks very promising indeed.
     
  7. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    Can someone confirm this moronic bug (or something) when having SecureFolders installed.

    Windows 8.1 64bit

    Right click Start button so you get that old school menu and try to select any option from the top (like Programs and Features). For me, with Secure Folders installed, it refuses to open ANYTHING except "Run". Only that one works for some reason.
    Just disabling Secure Folders didn't help, I had to entirely remove it and then all the functions started working again in the Win8.1 Start button right click menu...

    Can someone check this so I can confirm it and report it to the developer? Thx

    EDIT:
    Nevermind, I've figured it out, it is caused by the "Integrate into Explorer context menu" function. If you disable it, right click Start menu works fine again...
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2015
  8. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Hi RejZoR

    Thanks for posting that. I did two different over the top installs of Windows 10 going from Win 7. I never did figure out why the start menu didn't work. I have SecureDesktop installed and have that function set, so apparently it may break Win 10 as well 8.1

    pete
     
  9. CGuard

    CGuard Registered Member

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    Probably, it's a Win8/10-hybrid-UI-related bug (Win7Ux86, here), but have you tried:

    1. the hidden/"portable" installation?
    2. unchecking "autostart with system" (applies only to GUI)?

    For what it worths, I had a different issue with the shell extension (cannot remember specifics), which was sorted out after performing a "portable" installation and/or unchecking the autostart option -not sure which one solved it.
     
  10. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    As you can see above I've figured it out. I've made it bold so it's mor eobvious now...
     
  11. Tarantula

    Tarantula Guest

    It can't hide folders from "everything" search engine > http://www.voidtools.com/
    Actually, all the programs I tested can't hide anything from "everything"
     
  12. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    I unchecked the option and it solved the problem on Win 10 as well.
    True but what is more important is it prevents writing to a drive if it is protected.
     
  13. Tarantula

    Tarantula Guest

    Speak for yourself. The most important thing for me is to hide some folders. I don't need to prevent writing to a drive. At least not right now.
     
  14. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    It depends. If you're protecting browser data storage files, you want them to be unreadable to the unauthorized apps.
     
  15. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

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    Hi Tarantula

    Okay if you want to hide folders where they won't be found whatever, I am not sure any of these programs will work. Here is what I did. I used Truecrypt and still do. I created a truecrypt folder(mounts as a disk drive) used a secure password, and the folder is named special.pdf, so it looks like a pdf file on my system. Obviously no pdf program can open it so it just looks like a corrupt pdf file. But when opened with truecrypt there is my private data.

    Something like this may be what you want.

    Pete
     
  16. quietman

    quietman Registered Member

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    I've had similar experience Tarantula .

    I played with " Protected Folder " from IOBit for a while , and thought it was OK
    It appeared to do what it claims , but it only works within Windows.

    I noticed by accident , running a live Ubuntu on the same machine , that if I mounted the HD , the files in the
    so-called Protected Folder were not only visible , but readable also !

    When CCleaner introduced Disk Analyzer , I tried it to search for the "hidden " files ....
    .... it sees them , but they can't be read .
     
  17. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Most likely those programs install a driver which control/filter disk access as @Windows_Security already stated.
    Obviously when you shut down Windows and access the folder via any other live cd or OS, it magically reappears LOL
     
  18. luciddream

    luciddream Registered Member

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    This project of yours has been so instrumental in getting me acclimated with Win7 Ultimate 32-bit and making me feel safe. This is great stuff!
     
  19. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    I've proposed an additional "action" for SecureFolders. "Hidden & Locked". This way it will hide and also lock the files, making them even more resilient to exploitation or bypassing.
     
  20. boredog

    boredog Registered Member

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    Can I ask a question? When you say hidden and locked, doesn't that mean a rootkit type technology?
     
  21. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    Well, technically speaking, this is rootkit behavior since it is initiated by a driver. But when something is under user control, I could hardly call that a "rootkit". Hidden & Locked would just combine two, currently separate functions in this program.
     
  22. CGuard

    CGuard Registered Member

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    1. RejZoR, if the solution that i propose works for you (or Peter2150, or anyone else facing the same problem), then you will be able to take advantage of the shell extension. IMO the shell extension is, not only a quick and convenient way to enable/disable protection on files/folders, but also a way to navigate through protected items (by toggling protection on the fly) using Windows Explorer without having to add it to "Trusted Applications". Personally, i avoid blind-"trusting" Windows Explorer, when it comes to security -for that very reason, i often use 3rd-party file-managers. The only shortcoming of this approach is that it doesn't work on disk/partition level (=no right-click menu), something that must have slipped from developer's attention.

    Anyway, since SecureFolders are 8.1-supported, the developer should address the Start Button problem.

    2. Regarding the "Everything seeing anything" issue: I'm not familiar with this search tool (i know it's highly recommended, though), but unless it installs a driver, i highly doubt it can do anything more than listing a folder's contents. A couple of months ago, i extensively tested a few (often recommended) file-lockers using various anti-rootkit tools (PowerTool and GMER turned out to be the most powerful). SecureFolders performed quite well, and certainly better than the others "participants". Here are my findings:

    -On the disk/partition level, a protected (HIDDEN or LOCKED) item was not accessible at all by the file explorers of PowerTool and GMER.

    -On the folder/file level, the contents of a protected (HIDDEN or LOCKED) folder were indeed visible (as a list of files) to the file explorers of PowerTool and GMER. *Using PowerTool, i was able to a) Force-Copy2 and b) Force-Delete files of a protected folder, but i could not Open, Rename, Force-Copy1, View Properties etc. these files. Also using GMER, i was able to (force) copy and delete the files of a protected folder ("Kill" is the only other GMER's file/process operation).

    Personally, i find SF to be a very effective and promising free security app, especially considering its short history and unique set of features -Kees has already brought to light its full potential, IMO. If what it takes for its protection to be (partially) bypassed is a very powerful driver, then i can live with that, because it means that my layered security plan is flawed (=how the driver got installed in the first place?).
    Now, if privacy is the primary question here, then Peter2150 has already stated the answer (encryption).


    *EDIT: Force- Copying and Deleting protected (HIDDEN or LOCKED) files were also possible. Opening, Renaming etc. were not.
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2015
  23. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Is the developer willing to post here in Wilders and give support for the product? I mean some people made contact with dev but no signs of him so far.
     
  24. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

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    Yeah, I've invited him twice. Maybe he is reading it though. He is certainly reading e-mails, got responses to all of them. I've mentioned few new features and also this Start menu bug and he'll look into it.
     
  25. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

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    Thank you.
     
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