Help protect my files

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Kranor · #1 Post by **Kranor** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:24 am

Those sneaky beggers at work keep deleting some of my portable programs of my USB HDD via a autoscript. Now what I want to do is prevent deletion but still allow myself to use the programs at work. I do not want to encrpt the drive at all. for info i use PStart as my launcher and I run my portable stuff off a 10gb partition on a 400gb USB HDD. I have four days left to sort this out before I go back to work and they try to delete some more.

Cheers in advance

FlightGeek · #2 Post by **FlightGeek** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:53 am

Assuming you are using a FAT partition, there is little you can do.

You could try setting the read only bit.

You could try renaming the files that they delete.

If you could write a program which opens the files and locks them. Then sleeps in the background. I don't know whether this will interfere with running the programs.

You could leave the programs running. That locks the files down by keeping them in use.

Or you could decide to comply with the company policy and not have unauthorized software at work. This is the safest option.

Kranor · #3 Post by **Kranor** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 11:01 am

Ah therin lies the confusing bit.... The software is allowed in one case but for some reason it still gets deleted by this script. one of our IT bods is still scratching his head over that.....

teobromina · #4 Post by **teobromina** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 12:53 pm

Nothing is perfect, but my first collection of 'portable' programs was chosen amongh programs which were able to run from CDRom. And it covered more or less the same types of functions than my actual collection. If you can select portable programs fulfilling the condition that they run not only from USB pendrive but also from CD, then you have solved your program.

To avoid to use a real CD, you can make an ISO with the collection and mount the ISO as a virtual disc, bringing the ISO in the pendrive.

PStart is able to start programs that are part of a CD or an ISO. So you have no difference when have a little practice.

*JT.

cmmehl · #5 Post by **cmmehl** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 2:35 pm

teobromina wrote:... you can make an ISO with the collection and mount the ISO as a virtual disc ...

Any suggestion how to mount an ISO on a computer without administrative rights?

I'm also looking for way to protect my files - in my case it's a virus scanner on the company computer, that scans my drive the moment it is plugged in. Then it deletes vncviewer, obviously considering this as malware. Very funny ... I actually never use the prog on company computers (no use or need) but like to keep it on the stick for other situations.

For the time being my only solution is to hide the prog in a 7zip archive, where it is safe from the virus scanner, and to unpack it when needed. Not very comfortable, but it works.

Cheers
Chris

teobromina · #6 Post by **teobromina** » Sun Apr 22, 2007 5:58 am

cmmehl wrote: For the time being my only solution is to hide the prog in a 7zip archive, where it is safe from the virus scanner, and to unpack it when needed. Not very comfortable, but it works.

Hola Cris: Good point.

I said that nothing is perfect...

There is a thread in our forum dealing with the zip solution: AppZip
http://portablefreeware.com/forums/view ... ght=appzip
I made some trials and I like it. For me is not practical because the resulting 'menu' is not as good as the PStart menus and I cannot do search on my pendrive apps as with PStart. But I have in mind if I needed in the future.

*JT.

technicolordreamcoat · Sun Apr 22, 2007 2:12 pm

try dekart private disk:

http://www.dekart.com/products/encryption/private_disk/

not freeware, but portable and his an integrated disk firewall

there is a "light" version in the database but it is without the firewall

technicolordreamcoat · Sun Apr 22, 2007 2:53 pm

you could also try api guard:

http://www.portablefreeware.com/?q=api+guard

api guard is application "firewall" and will restrict access,
so if you run your desired application from within api guard,
(i think you will have to select "do not delete any files" from the menu)
they may not be able to touch your files,

i guess you will have to experiment with this stuff,
would be nice if you can post some results for the rest of us

AlephX · #9 Post by **AlephX** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:17 am

Hi!

The question is: does the script delete certain executables or all the files including the data?

Technicolordreamcoat has pointed the simplest solution (crypted disk), but Kranor does not want to encrypt his disk... but maybe it does not work if the encrypted unit is seen as removable...

Then another solution could be 50% Teobramina / Chris idea: you could keep a zipped group of datas and programs on the USB, launching them with an uncompressor/launcher on CD (then the files should be placed on temporary folders on the fixed disk). So the exe file on CD would not be deleted...

Basically, as first attempt, I would try to do what FlightGeek suggests, by protecting the files.

Kranor · #10 Post by **Kranor** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:32 am

Hi all

Tried making files read only. Progs were still deleted
after further delving it appears that the script is only deleting the executables. Also the script is deleting items based on matching any components of the software to lists in Mcaffee ePolicy orchestrator. Looks like i might have to go the encryption route after all.

Kranor · #11 Post by **Kranor** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:39 am

Seeing as I may have to go down the encryption route can anyone give me advice as to the software that works best for them. As I said I have a 10Gb Fat32 partition running around about 3 Gb of portable stuff so far using pstart as a launcher. Most of the PC's that I use I do not have admin rights on so the software must take that into account and still work......

AlephX · #12 Post by **AlephX** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:58 am

In the Collection, among different applications, I would suggest to try:

TrueCrypt V4.3
http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=199

FreeOTFE V2.00
http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=698

and, last but not the least,

Dekart Private Disk Light V1.22
http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=401

I am interested to know your opinion...

#13 Post by **Andrew Lee** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:05 am

Have been using TrueCrypt all my life with nary a problem, but it does requires admin privileges on your machine when used portably.

FlightGeek · #14 Post by **FlightGeek** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:46 am

Kranor wrote:Also the script is deleting items based on matching any components of the software to lists in Mcaffee ePolicy orchestrator. Looks like i might have to go the encryption route after all.

TrueCrypt, FreeOTFE, etc. require that drivers be loaded into the kernel, which requires administrator privileges. Further, when the encrypted disk is mounted, the script can read the decrypted data as easily as a normal drive, and delete the program anyway.

The only way I can think of to use the program under these circumstances is to run it in a virtual machine like QEMU. The program will be hidden in the VM disk image.

technicolordreamcoat · Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:53 pm

i would like to pick up on teobro's comment:

burn your apps to cd-r and run them off the cd,
here are some nice links for utils and pre-compiled stuff
just pop in your cd and run your fav apps, no need to reboot
(however ubcd4win and bartPe are bootable, but can also run without booting, just insert cd)
there is no way that they can delete it

hope this resolves the problem

links:

http://www.ubcd4win.com/

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

http://www.dirk-loss.de/win-tools.htm

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