Windows folder protection?

[Kooldino]

I keep getting asked this question by different people:

"Is there a way in Windows to password protect a folder".

My response is always to ZIP and password protect it. But is there a better way?

[VJ]

Hmm, rightclick and then security only allows limited access... Perhaps sharing a folder might be an option ?

Just be aware of one thing when using the Windows security: in the unlikely event that XP is messed up and you need to reinstall it, chances are that you no longer have access to protected folders (happened to a friend with his "my documents")


Jörg

[Paulr]

However that is easy to fix as long as the folder in question was not encrypted.
If you were to reinstall Windows you could simply "Take Ownership" of the folder in question with an Admin level account.

If you encrypt the folder too, please make sure you backup your keys to floppy disk.
In the event that you are forced to reinstall Windows you are simply NOT getting back any folders that were encrypted unless you have that safe backup of your keys.

[Gurm]

You can encrypt folders, and there are easily about 100 third-party apps to let you make the folder private (aka encrypt).

But SO much can go wrong with an encrypted folder. I mean, one tiny bit of data corruption and POOF it's gone, never recoverable EVER.

- Gurm

[The PIT]

Also your password is part of the encryption process so if you forget it and have to blank it poof.

[Kooldino]

Damn. I can't believe there's no simple solution.

[Gurm]

Well if you just want to password protect it from other people who sit at the machine, you just use permissions. Very simple.

But that won't keep other administrators out if they're determined.

- GUrm

[Lucid]

I kind of liked the idea of PGPdisk, where you create an encrypted file which is mounted as a volume when needed. The free but unofficial PGP 6.5.8ckt build 08 is supposed to work in XP, but it doesn't for me at least. Mounting just freezes explorer. (The commercial PGP 8 should be fully XP-compatible.)

[rugger]

Originally posted by Gurm
You can encrypt folders, and there are easily about 100 third-party apps to let you make the folder private (aka encrypt).

But SO much can go wrong with an encrypted folder. I mean, one tiny bit of data corruption and POOF it's gone, never recoverable EVER.

- Gurm

Actually depends how the cypher is used. Some encyption modes do can resist corruption, others can't.

If the cypher is used in Electronic Codebook mode (ECB mode), or Output Feedback mode (OFB mode), then corruption will be limited. If CBC (cipher block changing mode) is used though, corruption would destroy it.

Of course, I have no doubt that microsoft is using CBC mode or something similar, where corruption does kill it