The ‘Secure Files’ list will allow you to add files (except EXE and DLL files when disabled via the ‘Options’ window), which can then be locked and secured so that no programs or users are able to interfere or changed them.  This of course only works while the engine is running, bur provides enough security to ensure that your files are always protected.

Of course, locking a file is simple enough, but ensuring that the file remains secure no matter what is a different matter, which is where ‘Lock & Encrypt’ support comes in.  This feature will lock a file in the usual sense, but will encrypt it before hand to ensure that if the engine is stopped (without the user doing so), the file will remain encrypted enough to prevent anyone trying to access it have any useful or useable information.

This section supports multiple lists (for different files, directories, etc), the ability to move files to the ‘Delete Files’ section and the ability to copy file locations into the ‘Monitoring’ section of the main window.  In edition, all files that are added are logged and remembered with the ‘Recent Files’ sub menu and lists that are saved and later re-open are also logged in the ’Recent Lists’ sub menu (both available under the menu ‘File’).

Delete Files:

Once you have deleted a file off your computer, it’s never completely gone, as experts are able to get the file back and all of its original content.  This is a major security problem with Windows (any any OS) and is solved in this section.  Once you have added files to the list (in a similar fashion to the ‘Secure Files’ list), you can specify via the context menu (which appears upon right-clicking) how the file should be deleted.

The 3 main delete options are as follows:

All files that are added are logged and remembered with the ‘Recent Files’ sub menu (available under the menu ‘File’).  Multiple lists are not supported in this section as the files should never remain on the hard-drive, making a list obsolete.

The ‘Monitoring’ section allows you to add directory locations into a list, which are then monitored through the engine to see what files in these locations are changed.  For example, every time a file is created, renamed or deleted, a log is generated and is stored within each monitoring object created for each directory listed.

When the engine is running, logs can be viewed for each directory by clicking on them in the list.  The logs are shown above the list and are formatted to show the time and date each action was preformed, which can then be saved for future reference (but cannot be reviewed in fsLock).

Using this section will allow you to see which files are used most, what type, how they are used, etc.  With this information, you will be able to setup the ‘Secure Files’ list with the files you deem to be most at risk on your system, given you more control over how the files are accessed.

Program Security:

Accentually, this section is mainly used to block programs from launching, which might interfere with your files, or even the security of fsLock itself.  Programs can be added easily from the ‘File’ menu and are instantly blocked the second the engine is started.  The engine will perform a check on your open programs to see if any of the listed programs are currently open, which will then ask for confirmation before starting the engine (encase you were actually using the listed program).

All programs added to the list are remembered within each session of fsLock, which can be enabled/disabled at your will.  Of course, being able to find a specific program on your computer is hard-enough, especially if it’s currently open and causing problems.  When you add a program to the list, you have direct access to the currently open programs, which will allow you to pick the specific program you want to block and add to the list.

This section is only available to full registered users, as it greatly increases the security of the software.

Every action preformed in fsLock may be important to you, especially for security, which is way every action is logged and stored within the ‘Logs’ section, located on the main window.  All logs generated throughout the program are time and date stamped and can range from simple procedures to the much larger ones, for instance, list deleting a file or locking a file, down to starting and stopping a specific engine.

Of course, making fsLock log every event is an optional feature and is on by default.  It can be turned off however via the ‘Options’ window, or even directly from the section itself if start-up time stamping is disabled and there are currently no logs available to be viewed.  All logs generated can be saved for future reference (but cannot be reviewed in fsLock).

Of course, being able to add files and programs via the ‘Files’ menu is a bit restrictive, which is why full drag and drop support is available for every section (not including ‘Logs’).  When you find specific programs or files that need protecting/locking, you can simple drag them onto the correct section of fsLock, which will automatically add them to the list using the default values that you have specified via the ‘Options’ window.

Of course, data checking is done for each file and program added, which means that files that are either locked or being used somewhere else on your system cannot be used, and of course, if EXE and DLL file adding is disabled for the ‘Secure Files’ and ‘Delete Files’ lists, these files will also be ignored (this does not apply to the ‘Program Security’ section).

Of course, if you wish to add an entire directory of files you have found in Windows Explorer, you can simply drag and drop the folder onto the appropriate list and off its contents will be added to the list (including files with the sub-directories, which is an optional setting via the ‘Options window’, which is on by default).

Of course, setting up fsLock could not be easier, which what if someone wants to change a setting that you want left alone?  Of your children might be able to figure out how to disable the engines from running, allowing them access to files, etc?  The answer lies in the built-in protection system that fully protects fsLock wile you’re away.

Simple enter a new password and a password hint (the password must be longer than 4 characters and the password hint is optional) and click ‘Protect’ on the side panel.  If you have system tray support enabled, fsLock will be minimized to the tray and will force the user to enter a password to re-open fsLock and allow you to make changes, start engines, etc.

If however system tray support is disabled (not highly recommended), the protection system will force the user to enter the password for every action they perform while using the software (which can become annoying, but enforces the knowledge that the software is fully protected).  The password that is generated can be saved and used within each use of the software, but its fully encrypted to prevent anyone being to see what your password is.