I am fairly new to the Portable Apps software and i looked for the answer to this question before posting, but couldn't find one. I purchased a U3 thumb drive which came with some Portable Apps software pre-loaded on it. After a few days i just about only use the Portable Apps stuff for daily computer use (basically email, browsing and file storage). I do use the password protection feature on my U3 thumbdrive. My question is, when i insert the thumbdrive into a computer that is part of a network and i enter my password so i can access my files is my data now available to anyone else on the network? My drive does contain some personal information (bank info) and i was wondering if someone else could use Windows Explorer from another computer on the network and copy files from my thumbdrive to another computer or file. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, BG
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generally speaking, when you're computer is on a network, it does not mean your files are shared. you have to manually set certain folders or drives as shared before any other computers can access them. even if the computer you plug your flash drive into has file sharing on, your flash drive wouldn't be included. that is true of normal networks, but i'm not sure, there could be some type of network setup where admins can see everything on the local computers. i also don't really know how the u3 password thing works; i don't know if it encrypts your files or if there's a way to bypass it or what. maybe someone else on here can provide some more information on what i'm unsure about.
Thanks Travis. I appreciate the help. I have looked from a couple computers and couldn't see anything, but was concerned about Admins. I guess i should continue as i have in the past and code things i am really concerned about just in case.
Thanks again,
BG
If a computer is connected to a network domain, any user with network admin privileges can view anything on any of the computers on the domain. This is because network administrators are added to the local admin accounts on networked PCs.
However, I work for an IT firm who manages client networks, and typically admins won't go looking for something unless they're notified that it's there and shouldn't be or they need are looking for something else and come across it by accident.
A good rule to follow around data is: If you don't want someone to see it; encrypt it or don't put it on the network.
"If knowledge can create problems, is it not through ignorance that we can solve them." -Isaac Asimov