Password Locking a Windows Folder

[Gnitzman]

I was wondering if there is a way to lock a folder in Windows XP/Mandrake 8.2? Any help would be cool.


-Gnitz

[bofhandpfy]

http://support.microsoft.com/view/tn.asp?kb=308989
http://support.microsoft.com/view/tn.asp?kb=307877

^ How to encrypt folders and files

And for further info

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/security/default.asp

as for Mandrake

a linux guru will be able to explain better than I can

[bofhandpfy]

Not being 100% au fait with linux .. I'll take a stab in the dark

to give and take permission to see / access files and folders in linux, try using the "CHMOD" and "CHOWN" commands.

Caveat ..

as i said above. A linux guru will know better. I can prattle on for hours about file system security on some platforms, but not Linux. (I will, I will learn)

[souleman]

chmod 700 <folder>
Then, only the owner of the folder has access to it (and root of course).

[Jabberwocky]

if you're only trying to hide text files, then you could set the umask value in your .cshrc file to 66. that make the default ownership of the any files you make to 600 (owner can read and write). then if you needed to you could always change anything manually with chmod 700.

[ac1dsp3ctrum]

http://www.securitywriters.org/texts/misc/htt_pass_folders.html

That shows you how to edit the inner workings of Windows to bring up a dialog for password protection whenever you try to access a folder :)

[jethro]

FolderGuard on http://www.winability.com protects folder files along with many other features. I'm not sure of the exact list of systems it works on (it'll be on the website), but I'm sure it'll work in XP.

[{P²P}Apocalypse]

Even to that point. Hiding a folder does no good in Linux (Mandrake) or XP to a certain point. No system is absolute when it comes to security. If you want some extra protection use crypto on the files as well as what other sugested for you.

Crypto can be broken, but it's harder than finding a hidden file. Use a long password with random charachters and it would prove to much trouble to get at. In other words. Someone would have to get a CIA super computer to crack a password such as *^$$TK^%*$$^%$ encrypted with the Twofish algorythm. So it would'nt be worth their effort.

Here are two good progies for Winblows........
http://www.finecrypt.net/
http://www.mooseoft.cjb.net/

[slarty]

Clearly merely restricting the permissions is not enough, as they can be easily bypassed by even a not-very-determined individual.

Encrypting it does a lot better, on Windows I'd highly recommend Scramdisk (search for it), but this may be commercial for WinNT (free for win95)

Of course you've still got the problem of keyloggers, Scramdisk uses a mechanism which defeats some (but not all).

Some encryption programs use a password entry mechanism which defeats even hardware keyloggers, however if there's a trojan in there it can just copy your files after you decrypt them.

It finally depends on where you live and who you want to prevent seeing the files.

If it's your kid sister you want to beat, the file permissions will probably do it. A reasonably determined but not very imaginative attacker can be beaten by using a good encryption program like scramdisk. Beating more determined individuals requires some jolly expensive hardware (think crypto discs, smart cards, biometrics)

Beating your own country's government is very difficult if you live in the UK as you then need plausible denaibility otherwise they can lock you up just for not telling you your password.

[cybermagellan]

Slarty,
You were partialy right if it is your kid sister you want to beat then do it, I suggest a club or a stick of some type however if it is your goverment then just save it to disk and hide it somewhere. However if you want more tips on how to beat your kid sister then just e-mail me!

[System_Overload]

hey here is a real simple way to lock stuff up.... If it's a small folder put it on a disk and keep it with you.... If it's a large file put it in a zip disk or burn it to a cd and keep it with you... *lol* I like to do the the simple way....


System_0verload