FileGuard
Volume Number: 8
Issue Number: 1
Column Tag: Tools of the Trade
FileGuard 2.7.1
By Dave Kelly, Ontario, California
FileGuard Offers Protection and more!
ASD Software of Montclair, California has recently released their System 7.0
compatible version of FileGuard, version 2.7.1. FileGuard has been the leader in many
reviews published in the past. In addition to genuine file protection, FileGuard offers
some features that developers will want to know about.
Most users will buy FileGuard to provide security and protection on a Macintosh
that is shared by several people. An example of this would be a workstation in an office
or factory. If you’re developing software on a workstation like this, you will want to
protect your own workspace ( folders, files, etc) against other users, even if you
trust them. FileGuard will allow you to set privileges on folders in the same way that
you would on a file server volume. A very important protection feature is that you can
protect your system folder and other critical folders from tampering by other users. A
protected folder looks just like a folder would if it were protected on a file server.
System 7.0 alias files are supported too.
In an office environment, privileges set for file sharing (in System 7.0) from
your computer are identical to privileges set up for users that use your Macintosh.
Although FileGuard isn’t a network product, FileGuard serial numbers are recognized
over a network. You can carefully plan out how much privilege to give each user. That
privilege will be supported when they sit down and use your computer with FileGuard.
In this respect, FileGuard resolves concerns about security on systems that are sharing
files with System 7.0. Now the files can be safe no matter where the user goes to access
them. This capability cannot be taken lightly, e specially in a busy office with many
people sharing files.
FileGuard will keep track of which users have used your computer in a user log.
The log lists who logged on your system, when they logged in and out, and the total time
logged on. Each user’s privileges are configured separately so you can restrict their
usage to the functions that you specify. For example, you can set it up so that some
users cannot insert floppy disks, or copy files. Yet they can still use the computer for
what they need to do. FileGuard may appeal to some of you for this kind of protection, but
there are other features you will find useful.
In particular, version 2.7.1 offers application launch control. That means that
you (the system administrator) can specify which applications can be launched by
others. The administrator can still launch any application, but other users may only
launch the applications that you specify. This would eliminate the problem of someone
using ResEdit and destroying something accidentally. The problem with this application
launch control is that the application can be set to either launch or not. You can’t
specify which users can launch which application. If you need that kind of control, you
should put the application in a folder and set the privileges so that only a specified
group of users could access the folder. If you are the administrator and the only person
authorized to use ResEdit, then you could make use of application launch control.
Another feature that will appeal to you is FileGuard’s ability to lock up
applications on floppy disks. For example, you could copy your application to a floppy
disk and then time protect your application with FileGuard. Time protection lets you
place a time limit on the application so that it can’t be launched after the time runs out.
The time may be set from zero to 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds. The time
starts from the first time the application is launched. An application on a floppy disk
must be moved to a hard disk to run and copies of the application can’t be run. FileGuard
allows you to copy the file (to the trash or another disk), but you can’t run the
application without removing the protection with FileGuard.
If you don’t like timed protection, you can specify the number of times that the
application may be launched instead. Once again the application must be copied to a hard
disk and copies of it won’t run. You may only want to copy protect your application. The
application can be copied to a hard disk, then once it is run, copies of the application
won’t work.
Of course there are easy ways of getting around this protection, though most
users won’t be aware that the protection exists until it is too late. If the users knows to
make a copy of the application first, then the original could be copied and it would still
run. The whole reason for this kind of protection is to keep your work from spreading
around without authorization. In general, I am very much against copy protection, but
for demo copies I can see that this method might be useful.
FileGuard deserves its five mouse rating (MacUser). You can find more reviews
on FileGuard in MacUser, May 1990 and April 1991. FileGuard comes highly
recommended just for its file security and access control. It should be considered for
creating your demo disks and other protection needs. [If 24 hours is enough for you. -
Ed.] There is no restriction or license fee on the number of applications you can
protect.
For more information, contact:
ASD Software
4650 Arrow Highway, E-6, Montclair, CA. 91763
Phone: 714/624-2594, FAX: 714/624-9574
Retail Price: $249 for single product; $795 for Office Pack of
5 copies; $1295 for Office Pack of 10 copies.
