How to Secure Files on a Computer
Protect and Secure Important data on Windows Computers
Oct 18, 2008
Most Windows computers use a file system called NTFS (NT File System) when storing files to a hard-drive. This allows information to be protected in ways that many are not familiar with. Without any additional software files can have specific permissions assigned to them to limit access. Documents can also be encrypted to prevent anyone but the owner from reading them.
Disable Simple File Sharing
The first thing to do is verify that Simple File Sharing is disabled. This can be done from My Computer. Using the menu bar, navigate to Tools then Folder Options. On the View Tab, navigate to the Use simple file sharing option, uncheck it and click OK. It can always be re-enabled after applying the NTFS settings. Detailed information on disabling this feature can be found at the Microsoft Support web-site.
Configure Folder & File Security
Disabling Simple File Sharing will enable and give access to the Security Tab Right clicking on the file or folder and choose properties will reveal the Security Tab and the permissions assigned to specific users or groups. The Users group is normally given permissions by default. This allows anyone with access to the computer to read files. This can be removed or modified if desired.
Be very careful to make sure that at least one user account or group always has Full Control. The Deny column should also be used sparingly since it is always evaluated first and can end up preventing even Administrators access to the file. An Administrator can modify any assigned permissions.
EFS (Encrypting File System) is the encryption protocol used to protect files and folders on an NTFS drive. To enable this feature, go to the file or folder properties and click on the Advanced button in the General Tab.
Using this option on a file is considered more secure than setting permissions because it makes the data inaccessible even if the right permissions are in place. Permissions can be circumvented by copying a file to a different drive or computer. The same cannot be done with an encrypted file. As with permissions however, any Administrator can decrypt files on a computer.
Basic Security Procedures
In addition to the measures above, it is always a good idea to follow basic security recommendations when protecting important documents:
- Backup files regularly to an external drive
- Use encrypted folders that automatically encrypt files put in them
- Use the My Documents folder which is automatically protected on most computers
- When not needed, disable any file or folder sharing on a computer
Learning how to configure and use these steps might take a few hours or minutes depending on computer skills. The peace of mind it gives if files or a computer are lost is well worth it.
