Newest Kid on the Block - Shadow Defender

Shadow Defender provides a new way to solve current security, data protection and disaster recovery problems. Our unique approach provides disaster prevention, eliminating security, data protection and disaster recovery problems before they occur. Why recover from a PC disaster when you can prevent it?

Shadow Defender uses a unique method called Shadow Mode to ensure PCs are protected. By placing PCs in Shadow Mode with Shadow Defender, you can be confident the system is going to be protected no matter what happens. Shadow Mode tracks each system change and redirects them to an unused location on the disk. These system changes can be permanently saved to disk, or completely discarded. With Shadow Mode, there is no need to specify regions on disk for backup or use BIOS functions to reserve space for OS images. Shadow Mode is the most efficient and intelligent way to protect PCs.

Shadow Defender provides non-restrictive, easy to use desktop security and protection for Windows operating systems. Shadow Defender is the best way to prevent unwanted or malicious changes from being made to a PC. Shadow Defender can restore the system state before Shadow Mode no matter what has happened to the PC. At anytime, authorized users can save changes to the system, save selected files and folders or simply return the system to its state before Shadow Mode.

Key Features


Optimal State - Configure your system exactly the way you want it ONCE and run in that optimal state at all times. No need to spend the time removing unwanted files or trouble shooting and eliminating unwanted PC changes.
System Recovery - Reduce the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for managing and maintaining your PCs by simply rolling the systems back to an optimal state.
System Security - Surf the internet without a trace of unwanted cookies, internet history, temporary files, spam applications or spyware.
Virus Protection - Prevent downtime and system damage due to virus and worm outbreaks. Prevent the virus from ever being written to the hard disk.
Change Management - Maximize system uptime by instantly undoing accidental or malicious system changes.
Patch Management - Safely test updates, patches and applications before permanently saving changes to your system.
Software Test Optimization - Quickly run various configurations on one system for software test scenarios. No need to reinstall or re-image a system to restore it to its original state.

 

Umm, a link would be helpful.

Thanks for the details.

 

Site Link: http://shadowdefender.com/

 

Seems that they are using ShadowUser technology and applying it on a much smaller footprint, ie. < 1MB file size. Wow !

 

This is only version 1 and will be developed further.

Improvements over ShadowUser are "commit" can be used in shadow mode, password protect, officially support Windows Vista and a much smaller footprint (672KB vs 6.3MB).

Exisiting ShadowUser users should seriously consider this application.

This can now only get better !

 

More interesting discovery !

Shadow Defender CAN go into shadow mode WITHOUT a reboot, matched Returnil and a big improvement over ShadowUser. Unfortunately, you will need
to reboot to get out of the shadow mode, just like the rest.

I know many members here had much problems with Returnil. But if going into the protected mode while still running Windows session is what you are looking for. Shadow Defender certainly delivers !

Both ShadowUser and Returnil have this competitive application on their backs.
ShadowUser is grossly outdated and Returnil fortunately is freeware and hence will survive.

This is an update that many ShadowUser users are looking for !

JUST TO CLARIFY, I AM NOT RELATED TO SHADOW DEFENDER IN ANY WAY.

 

Not quite sure I would agree that MANY members here had MUCH problems with RETURNIL. There are always teething problems with all new software, but I think Returnil is fairly problem free for a newly released program.

The fact that it has been released to home users for free and that a member of their team has been pretty active here also helps of course.
Not sure what niche exists for Shadow defender.

 

Followed the Returnil thread and noted that SOME members here had issues with protection of C system drive instead of D drive, SATA , etc. Returnil does not allow exclusion of program folders and files. Virus definition daily update is a problem. Have a create a virtual drive and mount, etc. Returnil is best known for being freeware and its ability to go into a session mode without rebooting.

Think that Shadow Defender will appeal more to exisiting ShadowUser users who had been waiting for update in vain for a few years now. Most of the improvement asked for is now fulfilled in Shadow Defender. That will be her niche, I guess.

I am pleasantly today surprised with this find myself. It makes my day !

 

Returnil / Sandboxie fanboy here.

Vista Ultimate

Installed SD which went smoothly.Can only see one process in taskmanager - dfmon.exe @ 244k

Enabled shadow mode for all three partitions and as a first simple test deleted the bin and another folder and rebooted.

Desktop bin and the folder were there as per norm.

Second test I fired up an XP vm on another partition, made a simple change and saved as such to the vm.

Rebooted back into shadow mode and started the XP vm.

The change that I had made wasn't there so it seems Shadow Defender is doing as stated in reverting any and all changes throughout all three partitions.

One thing is that after changes to the vm were made and rebooting the shutdown took much longer with heavy hd activity, probably changes being deleted?

Tried an offline/online defrag with PD out of shadow mode with no probs apparent.

And now for my highly professional summary - seems pretty good ATM.

 

nanana1,
OK. Let us see how good ShadowDefender is :

1. Take an image backup of your system first as a precaution, you might need it.

2. Put ShadowDefender in ShadowMode to protect volume [C:] with this unique intelligent method.

3. Click on Start / Run and type these commands

4. CMD + Enter

5. DEL C:\*.* /F /S /Q + Enter

6. REBOOT

Let me know, if everything was working properly or not

 

I don't have a disk imaging software yet to test your parameters.
It would be too risky to try it without a disk image backup.

Can anyone help to test and revert with results ?

 

Just tried it With this Vista install and it rebooted ok.

The Virtual Partition and a couple of others were deleted with the cmd but then I had to keep hitting "y" for any of the boot files which were denied deletion by the system.

Will try again and grab a screenie.

 

Well back again after a reboot so it seems to pass that test but XP may be different?

 

OK. I understand and I fully agree, such test would destroy your system completely, at least with winXPproSP2.

 

OK. It seems that winVISTA protects its files better considering the fact that it asks for a confirmation. In winXPproSP2 zillions of files are deleted.
Anyway, ShadowDefender seems to work very well. THANKS.

 

Franklin,
Try this one, I think this will avoid the confirmation.
DEL C:\*.* /F /S /Q

 

Those tests were run in the real system and not a vm.

Anyone willing and able to check out mbr corruption as that's a bit beyond me.

 

At the moment i think Returnil with their excelent support is top of the hill !!

 

KillDisk! KillDisk!

Anyone please?

 

Fired up a Vista vm for that one.

Went through Vista like a hot knife through butter.

Lost my quicklaunch, some desktop items and only had a logoff button left which I hit after the cmd.

The vm stalled at a black screen so I had to hit the reset for the the vm which then rebooted ok back into vista.

 

If you would have tried this in a real environment, I assume it would have been a disaster, even when ShadowMode was ON in ShadowDefender ?

 

Erik, how does Returnil and or PowerShadow handle those commands?

Ghosted back to Returnil here for the time being.

 

If my memory is good, I'm sure that PowerShadow would protect you against this very destructive command. Some member has tested this.
Don't know about Returnil, but I wouldn't be surprised that it also will protect you.
In September, I'm going to try and test Returnil as an alternative for my frozen snapshot.

FDISR's frozen snapshot failed, I've tested this personally. I had to restore my computer.

I assume that a well coded virus can execute this command or even a malicious screensaver.
Killdisk is even worse, it makes your Recovery CD useless due to damaged partitions.
A Recovery CD can only handle healthy partitions or a zeroed harddisk.

The point is, if ShadowDefender can't protect you against this destructive command, including KillDisk Virus, in a real environment, then it is not as good as the website tells you and certainly not $35 worth.

 

The tests you guys were doing is beyond me.

Thanks, Franklin, for taking so much time to run the tests and post results with screenshots, etc. !

Glad that Shadow Defender stood up to them all ....... ATM.