Giveaway of the Day Forums

1. 

   mikiem2
   Moderator

   Since gergn took some time checking this out, posting on the download page, and seemed interested, thought I'd check it out. BTW, in case you're interested, DiskGenius, an app I've used very occasionally, can read the Linux file system, though only small files can be copied unless you buy the Pro version. There is a free version & portable version.

   diskgenius[.]com

   diskgenius[.]com/resource/read-ext4-windows.html

   Password Folder is a small app -- <10MB -- that once run, including the portable version, adds itself to Windows Explorer right-click context menu. That and an uninstall key are all that are added to the registry when the app's installed. The portable version adds a single file to the hard disk, ProgramData\pfonce.ini, while the installed version adds the app's folder to Program Files (x86), and 3 different 1KB files to Users\ [UserName]\ AppData\ Roaming\. The portable version will not activate with the given key, but will recognize that the installed version has been activated, and will be unlocked. When you protect a folder a restricted access folder is created, C:\ pfdocument.. , which holds the protected but unencrypted files. When you protect a folder a new file takes its place with the same name as the now protected folder and a file name extension of .pff . Double clicking that .pff file brings up a small dialog to enter the password -- once the correct password is entered the original folder is recreated using the files stored in pfdocument.. . Whether it contains any files or not that folder will remain in place, and because it's protected you can't delete it. That folder is visible in Windows Explorer, using the same or a different copy of Windows, though it is not visible after booting to WinPE, so it *might* not be visible if you boot to a Windows-based alternative with a command prompt, e.g., utility or backup app USB sticks. However, booting to a Live Mint Linux XFCE ISO I could access pfdocument.. like any other folder, and copy the contents to another folder. I could of course also delete the folder if I wanted to. I had protected a small app, MyDefrag, and after copying the files out of the protected folder and booting back to Win11 that copy of the app worked fine.

   Posted 4 weeks ago #
2. 

   gergn
   Member

   When I was working as a consultant, I would use my own laptop to work on several projects simultaneously. To prevent red faces, I stored project files in encrypted SafeHouse folders, one per principal. When working at location of a principal, I only attached his SafeHouse folder. So there was no risk files of other principals could be compromised. This way of working was deemed acceptable by security officers. When I took my laptop for work abroad, I took care the laptop only contained a single SafeHouse folder. When on holiday, there would not be work related data in any form on my laptop.
   Since my retirement, I hardly ever use SafeHouse any more. Nowadays, I encrypt folders using 7Z, and store these 7z files on encrypted pCloud servers in Luxemburg.

   The giveaway does not offer adequate security, as it lacks encryption.

   Posted 3 weeks ago #
3. 

   gergn
   Member

   Re "The portable version will not activate with the given key, but will recognize that the installed version has been activated, and will be unlocked."

   The giveaway seems to come from a new relation of Giveawayoftheday. But when I checked what files are stored after activation, I recognised the name of one of these files. I assume the portable version can find this file and thus assumes it has been activated regularly.

   If I add an x to the filename extension, the portable is not activated anymore. Deleting the x re-activates it.

   Posted 3 weeks ago #
4. 

   mikiem2
   Moderator

   Nowadays if you're traveling to another country [especially the US & China], security folks recommend buying a phone, & laptop if you need one just for the trip. Don't put anything on it -- store anything needed in the cloud -- and install only the bare minimum software you'll need. Then on or before your return to your home country sell it or dispose of it -- do not use it. The reason is many countries will install malware for spying in the BIOS of a laptop, &/or really deeply embedded malware in the phone's OS, e.g., from one of the infamous Israeli spyware/malware companies like NSO. I haven't seen any reports of the US installing spyware [though they may we do so], but customs has taken to searching laptops and phones, including deleted files, for evidence you don't like Trump or Israel. When they find such a thing if you're lucky they'll refuse entry and send you home -- if you're unlucky, detention.

   RE: Password Folder, unfortunately putting that file in the folder for the portable doesn't work -- it looks for it in that probably hard-coded location.

   I think VeraCrypt offers the safest encrypted storage, though for many [most?] it's overkill. It lets you embed an encrypted VHD inside another encrypted VHD -- the password you use determines which is opened. The idea is that if you are forced to give up the password for the outer VHD, which is all anyone ever sees, the embedded VHD remains invisible.

   Posted 3 weeks ago #
5. 

   gergn
   Member

   Re: RE: Password Folder, unfortunately putting that file in the folder for the portable doesn't work -- it looks for it in that probably hard-coded location.

   Just leave/put it in in AppData

   Posted 3 weeks ago #
6. 

   gergn
   Member

   Re: "Nowadays if you're traveling to another country [especially the US & China], security folks recommend buying a phone, & laptop if you need one just for the trip. Don't put anything on it -- store anything needed in the cloud -- and install only the bare minimum software you'll need. Then on or before your return to your home country sell it or dispose of it -- do not use it."

   You should also use a separate mobile phone number and user name with your one-time travel mobile. Because otherwise all your contacts will be available on your travel phone, and you could unwillingly add an unwanted group member to a Signal group, if you are not careful enough. And also use a separate cloud contract.

   When I worked on an assignment at Philips Research Labs in Eindhoven, the Netherlands 25 years ago, I was advised not to connect my Windows laptop to their cabled Ethernet LAN. Because my laptop would be reconfigured automatically to a standard Philips laptop on the first startup, wiping all non-standard software and all non-Philips data. I had to use a dial up modem, using a classical analogue telephone line. CRT's were forbidden, because you could pick up data on those screens from outside the buildings.

   Posted 3 weeks ago #

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