We Need Password Protected Apps

It wouldn't stop someone who knows what they're doing from just going into the PortableApps folder and running the apps directly. U3 can do this because it's integrated and the apps require the launchpad to run, but the PortableApps launchers are designed to work without the PAP being installed.

True security requires encryption, via either a hardware-encrypted drive (like an IronKey) or software like TrueCrypt--both of which require installing special drivers, i.e. administrative privileges.

Totalmente de acuerdo. Días atrás perdí mi memoria flash y no hacía otra cosa mas que pensar como le iba a hacer para evitar que alguien acceda a mi correo en Thunderbird. Por suerte a los días la encontré.

Meanwhile we can use, in Thunderbird, a password to initiate the program. Just go to the settings and you'll find the option.
If someone knows the way to password-protect the whole usb-key using some open source software, please let us know.

Just now while reading the OP's post, I thought of something I don't think other people thought of before concerning password protection.

I'm not sure if my idea is what faviles meant, but I don't think it has been mentioned before.

What if you all integrate password protection into the app launcher itself? So when you click on "AppName Portable.exe", whether it be a portable app or the platform itself, it will ask the user for a password to run the app. Incorrect password and the app will not run, thereby making the data inaccessible.

The are only two flaws that may exist with my idea. The first concerns licensing issues. Many license of many apps here prohibits up from actually modifying the app; but adding a password-protector to run before the app itself cannot logically be considered a modification of the app. It's just an addition/extension that runs before the app itself, not a mod.

The second is that someone can just copy the contents of the Data folder into another Data folder of the app that is not password protected, thereby allowing access to the data within it.

I'm on the verge of coming up with a way to avoid the latter problem. I have the basic concept in my head, I just need to put it into words. I'll let you all know. The only thing is that I'm not sure if you all will be able to actually do it, as I have no experience of actually creating a portable app.

What if the launcher(portable apps) could have add-ons like automatic compression and encryption for apps and auto-run. it would make a lot of these things work well, really well but without some kind of custom driver the apps would still try to get files associated with them manually using some conventional driver and wouldn't find the file or they wouldn't be able to interpret it, it probably wouldn't work. windows has to support something like this you can run stuff out of zip archives windows will treat them like a normal folder. App compressor manages to compress settings files and apps still get at them. that would be a start.

Security is there in many levels.

1st level should be to lock your USB device. My Dane-Elec USB stick can only be accessed after entering a password. One click and it is locked again.

2nd level is de encryption of any passwords stored in settings files like Filezilla and Firefox are doing. BTW, are there any other apps doing that?
This can be done by creating in Toucan a special Job that encrypts all those folders/ files.

3rd level of course is using strong passwords. And if you can not remember them, use Keepass or RoboForm to store them and apply when required.

What could indeed be made is an extention on Toucan that simply detects all PortableApps used and 'creates' on the fly a new Job when requested. This saves an enromous amount of time to find out, maintain and test above 2nd level encryption.

Who can create such extention?

Regards,
Frank

You must have a mouse in your pocket because the title starts off as 'We need...". Since you have not defined 'we' and this is a posted public forum, you must think I need "Password Protected Apps".

I can personally handle whatever level of protection I feel is necessary.

Please do not include me me as part of your we. so the title shouls be We (less 1) need.

Thank you,
Bob

I've come to the conclusion that TrueCrypt meets my needs. Why have password protection so no one can use Firefox to see the websites you've visited if they can copy the profile to another installaion of Firefox and read them there? Why lock up Office Calc so no one can read your budget spreadsheet when they can mail it to their Google Docs account and read it there? Your data is at least as important as the information that can be leaked by the applications.

Yes, this is the way how I use truecrypt now.