Password protection on the opening of an application

Bard

Is there any way I can password protect Outlook, in that nobody would then be able to open the application at all without the correct username/password?

I'm using Office XP on Windows 2000 SP2.

sceptre

Apart from PW protecting the pst files (which I do), what about using one of those encryption utils to encrypt the main exe (one of the better ones, not anything that would require you to unwrap it and replace it)?

Bard

Well I don't necessarily want to modify the EXE itself, I was just wondering if there was any program - like a Windows kernel add-on, which you could use to make some applications password protected.

Boston

well you can make the installation user pacific in win2k pro, so that onless said user is loged in they wount be able to use the program. i havent done this with office xp but with other programs. id imagine that it would be available in custom installation

Renton

Use NTFS and you'll go straight to heaven.

You could create a user account for yourself
(Rightclick My Computer -> Manage)

Since all your Outlook settings are kept in your Profile, login as Administrator, and change the permissions on your profile, so that only you can do anything.

Then, when you're logged in as the normal user, everyone who runs Outlook will be given the default outlook settings for that user, HOWEVER, you being mr.smarty wind0z3 h4x0r, would hold Shift, and Right click on the shortcut, and goto "Run As...", fill in your username and password, and then you'll have your own dirty pr0n mail hidden away from ur work chums

Boston

i wouldnt have put it that way, but yes that will work just fine for you

Bard

ok- forget the fact that I happen to be running it in a rock solid installation of Win2K SP2. Consider it under the circumstances of a singular login, a-la Win98, if you must.

The fact is that I only use one login (Administrator) on that machine, and when I am using it in work, it's constantly logged in. Now I don't want just any staff member who may be playing about to be able to go into Outlook, Free Agent, etc. without my say so, so I want to password enable certain exe's, - or at least, as far as Windows is concerned, certain applications.

I'm not going to base it on a logon, I want to be able to base it on an attempt to run an app.

Y'see>>>???

Any thoughts?

Frank Grimes

Maybe a 3rd party app. is the only way?
Something like this thing: http://www.fatfreesoft.com/pexe.html

(I've never used it, but it seems to be what you're looking for)

seamus

Outlook Express always allowed me to password protect.......Just fiddling around with user profiles. Upgrade/switch maybe?

bonkey

Originally posted by Bard
The fact is that I only use one login (Administrator) on that machine, and when I am using it in work, it's constantly logged in. Now I don't want just any staff member who may be playing about to be able to go into Outlook, Free Agent, etc. without my say so,

<Snip>

Any thoughts?

My initial thought is that your work practice is what causes you a problem, not Outlook

You have a machine with the administrator account logged in, so any user coming to the machine has administrator privs, and you somehow want to prevent them from running a certain application? In other words, you have no security setup, have given your users as much authority on the machine as is humanly possible, and are now wondering if there's some way to restrict this?

The short answer is "probably not without using third-party software".

Basically, by going to the "single-sign-on" idea (everyone on the same account) using an administrator account, you've already pretty much bypassed every bit of security Win2K has in this respect.

Bard

Fair enough,... screw it... I'll just use the "Lock the Computer" option.

I *didn't* go with the single sign-on option when installing Windows by the way, - I use the passwords... it's just that this is my personal laptop, so I don't need any more than one account.

Nevermind... consider the matter closed.

Krusty_Clown

Did you try Frank_Grimes solution?
Seems to be exactly what you're looking for..

Works fine in Win2k on 32bit binaries also.. (and its shareware).

WhiteWashMan

Originally posted by Bard
Fair enough,... screw it... I'll just use the "Lock the Computer" option.

I *didn't* go with the single sign-on option when installing Windows by the way, - I use the passwords... it's just that this is my personal laptop, so I don't need any more than one account.

Nevermind... consider the matter closed.

dont get all snotty now

id either lock the work station, which is a good habit anyway, or if youre too lazy for that effort, try password protecting your screensaver.

retneil

If networked there is an option to prompt for the username and passphrase be selecting the properties of outlook and prop. of exchange server and then clicking the advanced tab and selecting the logon network security to none. this will enable a prompt to appear to the user when the attempt to open outlook.
Otherwise u can place a password on the .pst file if its stored locally thus stopping any snoop - heads at local system.

Bard

Originally posted by WhiteWashMan


dont get all snotty now

id either lock the work station, which is a good habit anyway, or if youre too lazy for that effort, try password protecting your screensaver.

Yeah... I know it's good practice, - but eh... I was letting people in work play with the 'puter, - just there's obviously some bits I wouldn't let them at...