Is it possible to configure or create Portable Apps in such a way that it would provide more security by only allowing a program to operate within the limits of a defined file system. Ie portable apps would create a cage around its self and applications so even if they are malicoius they can not get outside the cage either to read confidential information or to spread viruses etc? This would allow users to run the software they need but also keeping the IT people happy.
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All the software officially offered by this site are malware free. I really don't see a sandboxed application system as apart of this site's goals. Maybe down the road, but I just can't see it in the near future. If you want a sandboxed environment, you could check out sandboxie. It works really well and has saved me on more than one occasion.
Release Team Member
The application I was thinking of would be for users without admin rights who run on large corporate systems, where the IT department is reluctant to install any new software except the basic standard software (ie MS office). Their standard answer is we can't do that because there is a risk that new software could have a virus, it might not be compatable, we don't want to support it etc. So I was thinking of a portable app that would allow you to install portable programs but also keep the IT (as in IT can't be done) staff happy. ie a portable apps that would allow me the freedom to install great programs but at the same time make the IT support staff feel comfortable that it is safe to allow this.
Thanks for your link to sandboxie, I will check it out.
Ken
Rather than installing the apps on the company's computers why not run them from a USB drive? (What a clever concept!!
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If the business that is paying your salary doesn't want you doing something you have a choice; do what they tell you or find a new business to work for that doesn't care about their computer's security.
Ed
but often just run of software which was not been installed by the IT dept is clearly no go for larger administered networks. So if it is on stick or on floppy or on the hard drive does not make any difference.
In the last job, I was able to run portableapps from the stick, since I was given my own closed network with abt 10 computers and had to look myself after it, the connection to the rest of the network was well filtered and controlled and so on.
On the present job, connecting personal usb stick to any computer in that network will result in immediate termination of the contract. Same applies for downloading of any executable software, any plugins or extensions for any software installed or any modification to any software installed by IT dept. This is quite common now.
Otto Sykora
Basel, Switzerland
So would it be possible to configure portable apps in such a way that the IT dept would not what to terminate your contract for running portable apps on their machine. I understand the requirement for security on a large network but I also see a tremendous lost of productivity due to such tight restrictions on software. If a secure contained portable apps could reduce the security risk on a network it would help to balance security and productivity.
Ken
The only way to run them in a way that the IT department will be happy with, would be to not run them at all. That is the entire point of the IT policy. To allow them control over what is run on the computers, to ease their support burden, and to minimise malware and damage to the network.
There is no way that you can run them such that they are totally isolated, since the software that you would need to use to isolate them is just as much a malware risk as the app, which means that all you have done is moved the problem of permission to a different app (the one you want to use to sandbox it).
I know that PortableApps don't do any harm, and, as the IT network manager here where I work, I not only use them myself, but also happily allow others here to use them, but in some organisations, it can be infeasible for the IT support team to check out every single app that any user may want to run, and they have to have a blanket ban.
If you can truly see significant productivity gains from the use of some specific app (be it portable or otherwise), then you should be able to make a case to your line manager for the app to be allowed. If you can't even convince your direct management, then you'll never get IT on side, but if you can convince him/her, then you'll at least have an ally in trying to get definite permission for it.