What is it with the complete lack of internal security?

Tommy B

Tommy B

Tommy B

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Windows, Mac... What's the difference?

Why has there never been the functionality to password folders within either OS? It is impossible to keep anything secure without setting up users or buying a 3rd party programme? Do Microsoft and Apple have absolutely no respect for privacy?

There are plenty of documents people like to hid (not including porn :D) such as password lists, financial records etc etc

/rant
 
The majority of Windows users are not IT experts though.

You should be able to right click on a folder and click "set password"
 
Tommy B said:
The majority of Windows users are not IT experts though.

You should be able to right click on a folder and click "set password"
Click to expand...

It's called user accounts, doesn't take an expert to create a new one either, if people quit all using the same account it would be a moot point. Along with arguments caused by backgrounds, pointers, etc etc.
 
Why the hell should I need to set up accounts when I'm the only user of my personal computer? The fact is though, people still muck around on it when I'm not there. If I took a laptop to school/uni, people will still play about on it without asking. I don't understand why Microsoft/Apple won't just implement this feature.
 
because they want you to create lots of usernames and yada? heh. good point though, NTFS has all that kinda stuff built in, but shame it takes abit to get going with it all.
 
QUESTION: Why the hell should I need to set up accounts when I'm the only user of my personal computer?

ANSWER: The fact is though, people still muck around on it when I'm not there.
 
oddjob62 said:
QUESTION: Why the hell should I need to set up accounts when I'm the only user of my personal computer?

ANSWER: The fact is though, people still muck around on it when I'm not there.
Click to expand...

Password protect the user account and turn off the guest user.

Burnsy
 
Tommy B said:
Why the hell should I need to set up accounts when I'm the only user of my personal computer? The fact is though, people still muck around on it when I'm not there. If I took a laptop to school/uni, people will still play about on it without asking. I don't understand why Microsoft/Apple won't just implement this feature.
Click to expand...

Because apple and microsoft are run by idiots.

1. Go into bios.
2. Disable hard drive.
3. Enter bios password.

That will stop anyone accessing your laptop.
 
I agree with you tommyb.

I've got users set up on my pc, but there are still times friends will jump on the machine to check their emails or whatever. Ive got folderlock installed so they dont accidentally find my special files. Its not always convenient to switch users
 
Tommy B said:
The majority of Windows users are not IT experts though.

You should be able to right click on a folder and click "set password"
Click to expand...

MS released a tool called Private Folders (I think), which essentially did exactly that. It was then criticised by 'experts' because it would allow people to hide and protect data too easily. MS then decided to withdraw the tool (although it's still available elsewhere).
 
Tommy B said:
Why the hell should I need to set up accounts when I'm the only user of my personal computer? The fact is though, people still muck around on it when I'm not there.
Click to expand...

just contradicted yourself big time!

set a password on your account, and make the folders private, create a guest account for anyone else to use
 
4 words, 3 of which are "set a password"

Ill leave it as an exercise for the reader to work out what the missing word is
 
Tommy B said:
The majority of Windows users are not IT experts though.

You should be able to right click on a folder and click "set password"
Click to expand...
No you shouldn't :) Windows has integrated authentication so you only have to type your password once and that's it. This is done in the context of the Winlogon process which is highly secure and takes over control of the keyboard to prevent sniffers. If Microsoft added a "Set Password" option to every folder it would get abused and provide a false sense of security.

It's a bit like logging onto your online banking account once and then having to authenticate again when you want to move some money... What is the point of the second time? Other than increased the chances of someone capturing the credentials in a man-in-the-middle attack... All it has done is wasted the user's time when they believed they were already authenticated and also makes a mockery of the first login procedure.
 
TheVoice said:
MS released a tool called Private Folders (I think), which essentially did exactly that. It was then criticised by 'experts' because it would allow people to hide and protect data too easily. MS then decided to withdraw the tool (although it's still available elsewhere).
Click to expand...
No they withdrew it because it is fundamentally insecure and can be broken in about 1 minute by deleting the Shell extension from Regedit and restarting Explorer.
 
NathanE said:
It's a bit like logging onto your online banking account once and then having to authenticate again when you want to move some money... What is the point of the second time?
Click to expand...

Because if someone gains access to the account there will be nothing stopping them from doing anything they want. That would be like a bank having all their customers details completley unencrpyted in a notepad file on a managers pc.

I remember when I needed to get some documents from a corrupted windows installation, all I had to do was change some permissions and I was able to access the users folders and all the files in them. Shocking unsecure. If they had been in an encrpyted folder they would have been secure however.
 
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