sharing password

[ianisthewalrus]

hello. i have a home server used to share drives to my network. is there anyway i can require a password to open some of them. not connect, but actually actually open the folders. i would also like to set this up only for specific drives, not all.

the server is windows server 2008 rc2. the other computers are running windows 7. i am simply mapping the folders as network drives.

thanks for any help!

[Wand3r3r]

review the section on password protected sharing

Configure Sharing and Discovery in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008

[ianisthewalrus]

i currently have this running. several problems. i have them mapped as network drives. they connect at start up, and everything needs a password, or you can tell windows the credentials for one of the drives, and it will apply them to all of the drives.

i would like to be able to connect to all of my drives automatically as i am now. but if i attempt to open some of them, prompt me for a password. every time.

[Wand3r3r]

Your objective is unclear to me.

Did you read the additional considerations at the bottom of the link I gave you? Sounds like what you are running into.

Please explain what it is you want to accomplish. Thanks

[ianisthewalrus]

sorry for being unclear, yes i did read it. i already have my computer configured as described by the link, and it does not do what i would like.

it appears to me that it just requests the password once when it connects the first mapping, and then the server realizes the client has the credentials for all the drives on that user account, so if i have the password saved to open one drive without the hassle of entering a password every time, it is that way for all drives. it also only checks a password when it connects to the drive for the map. not every time i open it in explorer.

this is the behavior i would like: i have all my drives mapped. they all connect automatically at start up without need of a password, or i have the password saved on the client. for specific drives, not all, i would like the additional request of a password when i attempt to access them.

is this possible in windows? if not is there some 3rd party software to implement this?

thanks for bearing with me.

[Wand3r3r]

I know of no software or settings that would accomplish what you desire.

Getting logged in and connected is just a autologon and having the same password for logon as server share access. That part is fairly standard if not secure.

Being challenged everytime you wish to access a share? Maybe with 3rd party encryption though usually once you have the certificate it opens automatically.

Out of curiosity why would you want to have to input a user account and password everytime you connected to the share?

[ianisthewalrus]

ah, yes that is what i had feared. i will inspect some encryption programs, but i have not found any with such detailed access setup abilities.

thats the thing. i dont want to check for the log in credentials on connection per se. just on access. obviously this is just more security. then i can leave my client computer on, and the documents i need secured cannot be accessed by anyone who happens to walk up to it while i am away making coffee for example.

[Wand3r3r]

"the documents i need secured cannot be accessed by anyone who happens to walk up to it while i am away making coffee for example. "

Everybody uses control-alt-delete and lock workstation to accomplish this.

I suspect you are trying to reinvent the wheel. Specifically what are you trying to address? Not what you think you would like to have happen but specifically the issue you are trying to address. Thanks

[ianisthewalrus]

that is the issue. just increased security of files while the computer is running.

i could also just as easily turn off the computer when i am away from it, rather than making it sleep. the problem there is that i need to remember to tell the machine to go into a secure mode, rather than defaulting to one.

instead of taking steps to prevent people from getting into my machine, i would rather they just not be able to get into my files, as they are not even on the machine to begin with.

[Wand3r3r]

The issue isn't file access. The issue is you are logged in, which gives all file access as granted under your logon both locally and on the network.

You don't shutdown
You don't sleep
You secure your workstation by doing a control-alt-delete and lock workstation. Then you walk away. No one can enter your session this way.

You can't prevent anyone from accessing YOUR files under YOUR logon. Make sense?

[djaburg]

What would make sense to me is to set the screensave time to a short time and require password to get back in, this way even a short departure from the computer would have someone entering a password to gain access. If the server is in your home, do you have others there that are not supposed to get access to files on the server? If that's the case, then you'd be best served be doing as Wand3r3r suggested and just locking the station when you're away from it.

[ianisthewalrus]

Originally Posted by Wand3r3r

The issue isn't file access. The issue is you are logged in, which gives all file access as granted under your logon both locally and on the network.

You can't prevent anyone from accessing YOUR files under YOUR logon. Make sense?

that is what i would like to have. i guess windows doesnt have that feature, but there are encryption programs that that will secure file on a per access basis, im lookin into them and trying to find one that i can work with.

[Wand3r3r]

ikanisthewalrus why is locking your workstation when you leave such an issue?

if going the route of encryption make sure to backup the certificate. Without it you have no access to your data... ever.