Make Security to Directory

18 May 2005 3:02 AM

husamal_ahmadi

Hi EveryBody:

I made directory by using VB.Net by the following method:

Directory.Directorycreat("C:\Husam")

first I was thinking to make this directory invisable so I used
Fileattributes to make it hide.

But as you know any user can find this directory by going to tools and
Folder options and show hidden file option.

So I change my strategy and I used IsolatedStorage in
System.IO.Isolatedstorage.IsolatedStorageFile but I got the same
result, which that Any user by choseing show hidden file option can
find the IsolatedStorage in C:\Document and
Settings\username\microsoft\Application data\IsolatedStorage.

So my quetion, Is there any way to make strong security to my directory
either by adding password to it or using win32 api to make show Hidden
file option disable to the user ?

may be some of you asking why I dont think about using database,
becuase database it must be installed with you program or there is must
be a program handel it , and I want my application depend in windows
only not any other progarm?

any help will be appreciated

regard's

Husam

18 May 2005 12:21 PM

Nicole Calinoiu

What is your goal? Do you want to prevent reading and/or modifying of the
files by some users or all users, or something else entirely?

<husamal_ahm***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
Show quoteHide quote

news:1116385366.423716.282630@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hi EveryBody:
>
> I made directory by using VB.Net by the following method:
>
> Directory.Directorycreat("C:\Husam")
>
> first I was thinking to make this directory invisable so I used
> Fileattributes to make it hide.
>
> But as you know any user can find this directory by going to tools and
> Folder options and show hidden file option.
>
> So I change my strategy and I used IsolatedStorage in
> System.IO.Isolatedstorage.IsolatedStorageFile but I got the same
> result, which that Any user by choseing show hidden file option can
> find the IsolatedStorage in C:\Document and
> Settings\username\microsoft\Application data\IsolatedStorage.
>
> So my quetion, Is there any way to make strong security to my directory
> either by adding password to it or using win32 api to make show Hidden
> file option disable to the user ?
>
> may be some of you asking why I dont think about using database,
> becuase database it must be installed with you program or there is must
> be a program handel it , and I want my application depend in windows
> only not any other progarm?
>
> any help will be appreciated
>
> regard's
>
> Husam
>

18 May 2005 12:44 PM

husamal_ahmadi

Hi Nicole :

My goal behind that I want to prevent reading and modifying all the
files by all users.

regard's

Husam

18 May 2005 1:04 PM

Nicole Calinoiu

Including administrators?

<husamal_ahm***@yahoo.com> wrote in message
Show quoteHide quote

news:1116420253.503043.236700@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Nicole :
>
> My goal behind that I want to prevent reading and modifying all the
> files by all users.
>
> regard's
>
> Husam
>

19 May 2005 10:54 AM

Dominick Baier [DevelopMentor]

Hello husamal_ahm***@yahoo.com,

you will never be able to "hide" something from an admin.

You can indeed prevent normal users from modifying/reading the data :

run as admin, create the files, ACL them. But then your application (running
as a normal user) won't be able to read the files also.

If you want to store "secrets" on a client machine - encrypt them. System.Security.Cryptography
is your friend.

Be aware that you need a key for encryption - this has to be stored somehow
- e.g. hardcoded in your app code - this is also not a perfect solution,
but significantly (depending on your clients) raises the bar.

Encryption is not integrity protection - you could use keyed hashes for that,
e.g. This could get complicated quickly.

So if you only want to store something on the client and your app needs only
read access:

run an installer as admin
encrypt the files
put ACLs in place that prevent modification

a sample app for encrypting files can be found here:
http://www.leastprivilege.com/PermaLink.aspx?guid=f73ca1e0-bcfa-4563-862f-eb06ab317075

HTH

---------------------------------------
Dominick Baier - DevelopMentor
http://www.leastprivilege.com

Show quoteHide quote

> Hi Nicole :
>
> My goal behind that I want to prevent reading and modifying all the
> files by all users.
>
> regard's
>
> Husam
>