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

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

  1. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    Same here, but Secure Folders seems to be the only no-bloat software that offers all the options in one app, including "read only" and "lock". When I began searching for an up-to-date alternative to Secure Folders, I actually thought that I would soon find a similar app, but now I know I was wrong. There does not seem to be at least one app (free or paid) that offers all the options you find in Secure Folders. Should you find something, please let me know.:geek:
     
  2. marzametal

    marzametal Registered Member

    Joined:
    Mar 19, 2014
    Posts:
    766
    Will do man, depending on how long this band-aid solution fits for me... might lose the plot before I find an alternative app!
     
  3. Krysis

    Krysis Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2012
    Posts:
    371
    Location:
    DownUnder
    It might be abandonware – but I think this is a nice little program – bugger all overhead and really easy to setup. As RejZoR said – would have been nice to have rules per Trusted apps, but that ain't gonna happen!
     
  4. paulderdash

    paulderdash Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2013
    Posts:
    4,639
    Location:
    Under a bushel ...
    Maybe some developer will see the opportunity here to write something afresh, and keep it as simple, but include this feature :)
     
  5. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    This is exactly what I hope. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this will happen soon.:cool:
     
  6. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2004
    Posts:
    17,546
    Location:
    The Netherlands
    I mist this post, but I can't answer this, I don't know.

    Yes this would be nice, I believe that RejZoR said that old versions of Panda AV did offer this feature.
     
  7. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    Having rules per trusted app would be nice indeed. I still hope that sooner or later a developer will come up who develops a similar app with all the features described in this thread. When it comes to ransomware, such an app could be an additional layer of security.
     
  8. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    Does anybody know how the developer of Secure Folders can be contacted? If so, I would try again to get in touch with him (or her).
     
  9. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2003
    Posts:
    20,590
    I would suspect the developer doesn't want to be bothered. If he let the website go he clearly has lost interest and moved on.
     
  10. EASTER

    EASTER Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2007
    Posts:
    11,126
    Location:
    U.S.A. (South)
    This is another one of those occasions where we can just be glad that it is what is, AS-IS, and that if SF compliments your current security setup without issue then chalk it up as a courtesy left behind by the original developer
     
  11. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    It's against my journalistic nature, but I promise to leave him (or her) alone. Instead, I will try to find an alternative app that's still supported by its developer (even though I know that I will probably not succeed in finding one).
     
  12. RejZoR

    RejZoR Lurker

    Joined:
    May 31, 2004
    Posts:
    6,426
    support[at]securefoldersfree.com

    Though, if domain went down, it's very likely e-mail domain did as well...
     
  13. Peter2150

    Peter2150 Global Moderator

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2003
    Posts:
    20,590
    Why. If you have the app try it. If itnstalls and seems to work, test it on your machine. If it works what more do you need.
     
  14. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    I just don't want to install "abandonware" on my machine that may soon prove incompatible with my computer. For the time being, I will keep on using Secure Folders (what else could I do), but I will also try to find an alternative app that isn't dead yet.

    As far as I know, good alternative software (free or paid) does not seem to exist, so I can only hope that sooner or later a good alternative to Secure Folders will be made available by a programmer who loves this app as much as I do. If not, well, I will either keep on using abandoned Secure Folders (reluctantly) or I will have to put up with an inferior alternative to this app.
     
  15. guest

    guest Guest

    i dont think SF will ever be incompatible, it doesn't install drivers or hooks; and if you worry , just make it portable :)
     
  16. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2013
    Posts:
    4,794
    Location:
    .
  17. guest

    guest Guest

  18. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2013
    Posts:
    4,794
    Location:
    .
    Yeah so even as a portable app it should install or something its own drivers, I think.
     
  19. paulderdash

    paulderdash Registered Member

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2013
    Posts:
    4,639
    Location:
    Under a bushel ...
    I don't see that driver (ippnp.sys) with portable installation.
     
  20. WildByDesign

    WildByDesign Registered Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2013
    Posts:
    2,587
    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I personally had never tried the portable mode of Secure Folders, so I don't recall if there were any filtering limitations between regular install or portable mode. It could be that it is using the driver on-demand, starting and stopping as necessary when in portable mode. It is unfortunate to see this software go, though. It would have been fantastic if the developer had open-sourced the code before calling it quits.
     
  21. Mr.X

    Mr.X Registered Member

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2013
    Posts:
    4,794
    Location:
    .
    Good point. If there's a filtering limitations for not using a mini-filter driver then I strongly believe we have a potential security weakness here.
    Rather I'd go with full install instead.
     
  22. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2004
    Posts:
    17,546
    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Isn't that because you can't install drivers with portable installations? And I didn't even know that SF could still work without loading a driver, sounds a bit weird.

    Yes good point, these types of apps should have the driver running all of the time, not on demand.
     
  23. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    Agreed, but if Secure Folders is no longer supported by its developer, it may well be the case that this program will sooner or later be incompatible with modern operating systems. "WildByDesign" is absolutely right when he says that the developer should have open-sourced the code instead of abandoning his much-beloved program.
     
  24. TestPersonX

    TestPersonX Registered Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2009
    Posts:
    39
    Location:
    Germany
    What about this one? http://fspro.net/hide-folders/ I used it to hide folders in 2009 (version 2 or something like this),since then it seems to have grown a lot, there is also a very new release on 19-Dec-2015.

    Is there any other program to lock / read-only certain folders? Do you know?

    And one thing in general which I'd like to know your opinions about: Im always a little bit sceptical about installing a program which needs to be "installed" so deep into my computer from a company about which is only little known. I mean, to lock or make read-only a folder, I guess the SW needs to be quite deeply connected into drivers / kernel of Windows... So you really gotta trust the company...!?

    Thanks in advance!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 2, 2016
  25. Buddel

    Buddel Registered Member

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2015
    Posts:
    1,920
    Hi, TestPersonX! The program you suggested is pretty close to what I like about Secure Folders but, as far as I know, it doesn't offer a "no-execution" option for files, which makes it inferior to Secure Folders and can therefore not be regarded as a true alternative. The search goes on .... and on ....
     
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.