Password Protect a File Directory

mridzon · Jun 21, 2024

Folks, I'm using Win11 Pro. Is there a way to password protect a single directory (and its sub-directories) in File Explorer? A friend has access to my machine and my directories. I'd like to protect some of them from their wandering eyes.

neemobeer · Jun 21, 2024

If they are using their own account and are not a member of the admin group then you can...

Right click the directory you wish to secure and select properties
Under the Attributes section of the general tab click Advanced
Check the box 'encrypt contents to secure data'
Accept this for all sub-directores

You should also get a notification to back up the key, make sure you do this and store it in a secure location. This key is tied to your user account, so another user will not have access to the data or the key. This can be defeated though if your friend has an admin account.

If you cannot limit their account to a user account then I would use something like 7zip or Veracrypt to create an encrypted container which is self-contained and without the password will not be able decrypt the data regardless of what type of account they have access to.

hsehestedt · Jun 21, 2024

neemobeer said:
If they are using their own account and are not a member of the admin group then you can...

Right click the directory you wish to secure and select properties

Under the Attributes section of the general tab click Advanced

Check the box 'encrypt contents to secure data'

Accept this for all sub-directores

You should also get a notification to back up the key, make sure you do this and store it in a secure location. This key is tied to your user account, so another user will not have access to the data or the key. This can be defeated though if your friend has an admin account.

If you cannot limit their account to a user account then I would use something like 7zip or Veracrypt to create an encrypted container which is self-contained and without the password will not be able decrypt the data regardless of what type of account they have access to.

What you are effectively doing here is enabling EFS (Encrypting File System). Just be aware that there may be some extreme effects on performance (to put it mildly) if you intend to share files using EFS on the network. In that case, you could use BitLocker to encrypt the entire drive as an alternative.

Finally, another possible solution is to set the NTFS file permissions on this one directory and subdirectories so that your friend won't be able to access those files.

FreeBooter · Jun 22, 2024

Encrypto offers a simple drag-n-drop interface to facilitate encryption of files and folders in Windows. Just launch Encrypto and then drag-n-drop the target files on the small Encrypto window.

https://macpaw.com/encrypto

Kees · Jun 22, 2024

I have been using the freeware program EncryptOnClick (EOC) for that purpose.
It does the same as a zip routine does, using 256bit AES enscryption, but in an easier way to use it.
It uses the extension .EOC, but if you change that into .zip the files / folders can be decripted by any good zip program like WinZIP.

The reason I don't use it anymore is rather personal: because I am rather old, I have been redenating that all important files on my PC should be reachable for my nearest family, if something happens to me. EOC is not fitting into that, password protected pdf's are (my family knows the standard password I am using to protect those pdfs). With password protected pdfs the only thing that has to be done is know the password, whatever pdf reader you re using. So all data (emails as well) that is important I 'print' to pdf and readprotect the pdfs.

Edwin · Jun 22, 2024

FreeBooter said:
Encrypto offers a simple drag-n-drop interface to facilitate encryption of files and folders in Windows. Just launch Encrypto and then drag-n-drop the target files on the small Encrypto window.

Kind of a pita really...,
You encrypt a folder, the original remains in full view and fully accessible...,
you decrypt it and it has to merge or create a new/duplicate folder!?

Edwin · Jun 22, 2024

Add a User Account for your friend...,

otherwise:

I suggest Super Hide the folders within Command Prompt...

Hide: attrib +s +h "path"

Show: attrib -s -h "path"

(Unless you're showing Protected System Files by default)

jimbo45 · Jun 22, 2024

Hi there
Doesn't bog standard Windows sharing work :

For Linux NAS shared directories -- bog standard SAMBA governs accesses with / without passwords (note to add a password and user to SAMBA as root / sudo type smbpasswd -a <user> <password> ).

Cheers
jimbo

mridzon · Jun 22, 2024

Folks, thanks for this feedback. I guess I should have given more context. The other user I am referring to is my company IT department. They can remote connect to my machine at any time. They have admin rights. I am a standard user.

From your feedback, it sounds like I do not have a good option since they can override anything I do, and they are admins. Am I correct?

Edwin · Jun 22, 2024

mridzon said:
... it sounds like I do not have a good option since they can override anything I do, and they are admins. Am I correct?

Probably! Perhaps you need to purchase your own Laptop, or, get them to provide you with an other one.

(Others may prove me wrong...)

Kees · Jun 22, 2024

No you are not correct.
If you read-protect files / folders by any program that uses ZIP methods to encrypt them, they will not be able to use / read / write to those files, not even if they are administrators. In the EOC program I described, the password you use for that you have to enter every time you use it to encrypt a file or bunch of files. As long as you don't write that password somewhere on the system in readable form, your files will be safe!

PS. I am my own administrator in my system and even I cannot read the encrypted files without remembering my password!

PS.2 EOC will encrypt the files and overwrite them, whilst removing the unencrypted file(s). Nothing with making new files as described in #6.

But indeed:

Edwin said:
Perhaps you need to purchase your own Laptop.

That may be better, in that case you don't have to deal anything with the company.
Because encrypting files takes a lot of diciplin: if you only once forget to encrypt one file / folder and it would contain sensible information, you might be in trouble.

mridzon · Jun 22, 2024

Kees said:
No you are not correct.
If you read-protect files / folders by any program that uses ZIP methods to encrypt them, they will not be able to use / read / write to those files, not even if they are administrators. In the EOC program I described, the password you use for that you have to enter every time you use it to encrypt a file or bunch of files. As long as you don't write that password somewhere on the system in readable form, your files will be safe!

PS. I am my own administrator in my system and even I cannot read the encrypted files without remembering my password!

PS.2 EOC will encrypt the files and overwrite them, whilst removing the unencrypted file(s). Nothing with making new files as described in #6.

But indeed:

That may be better, in that case you don't have to deal anything with the company.
Because encrypting files takes a lot of diciplin: if you only once forget to encrypt one file / folder and it would contain sensible information, you might be in trouble.

Ok, but the problem I see with the EOC program is that I do not have permissions to install it on the machine. And when I ask for permission, IT is not going to be happy about that.

Getting my own laptop is likely the only good option. The small problem with that, is that some of these files overlap and are needed on both machines. So then I have to take the time to split apart the directories, which is a little hassle. But it may be my only option.

FreeBooter · Jun 22, 2024

Edwin said:
Kind of a pita really...,
You encrypt a folder, the original remains in full view and fully accessible...,
you decrypt it and it has to merge or create a new/duplicate folder!?

View attachment 99776

No idea i haven't used.

FreeBooter · Jun 22, 2024

This guide discusses about how you can encrypt files and folders in Windows using EncryptOnClick program.

Kees · Jun 22, 2024

mridzon said:
Ok, but the problem I see with the EOC program is that I do not have permissions to install it on the machine. And when I ask for permission, IT is not going to be happy about that.

Probably you don't have permission to install any program on your machine. That will be because you are a user without administrative rights:

mridzon said:
They have admin rights. I am a standard user.

In that case there will be no way you can do what you would like to do.
Unless the company IT department is willing to install such a program for you.
But I think they won't cooperate with that, may be because they have the same installation on all of their company laptops.

In that case there is no other possibility for you but to buy a separate laptop, that is managed by just you and not someone else.

Spunk · Jun 22, 2024

mridzon said:
Folks, thanks for this feedback. I guess I should have given more context. The other user I am referring to is my company IT department. They can remote connect to my machine at any time. They have admin rights. I am a standard user.

From your feedback, it sounds like I do not have a good option since they can override anything I do, and they are admins. Am I correct?

You are on a company computer. The IT dept should have access to your computer at any time. Any files you are working on or saving should only be Work related. If you have files you don't want your work to know about, it is not work related. The IT dept have put in place security to not allow you to install any software to keep you from installing a Virus or Malware by accident and infecting the rest of the network.

The IT dept has also probably restricted access to any external USB devices for the same reason. If they haven't, then you can save your "personal files" to an external HDD and take it with you at the end of the day.
Be aware that if you are violating company policy, they can monitor your internet traffic and block any non work related sites you are on, or report you to HR and have you terminated.

neemobeer · Jun 22, 2024

Since it's a work computer it really boils down to what does your companies AUP (acceptable use policy) say, assuming there is one. If not, ask your IT or security team what is acceptable.

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