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Locally Secure Email Clients?
Mattcelt asks: "I share my PC with my roommates, two of whom don't have their own PCs. In order to keep things simple, I have Windows98 running on it - they are used to the interface; it runs the programs they need to run from the University; and I refuse to pay the money to Microsoft to upgrade to a newer Windows OS. Unfortunately, there are some issues with privacy, and though I trust my roommates, there are work-related things I wouldn't want them to stumble into. Has anyone seen an email client other than Outlook that has -local- file security? Outlook has a feature to allow the password protecting of .pst files on the local drive, but it seems that every other email client figures that once the mail is on your machine, you don't need it protected any longer. Is there another email client with integrated password protection?"
Perhaps you should look for a more general solution instead of one focused on email clients: Encrpyting/Password protecting folders on your computer.
- Encryption/Security-Encryption-45.htm
This way, you could store all your sensitive files on the encrypted/protected folder, and have it only be unlocked when you are there.
Here are some links:
http://www.passtheshareware.com/c-encryption.htm
http://www.globalshareware.com/Utilities/Security
http://www.everstrike.com/protect-folder-98.htm
sig? uhh, umm, ok
Under what obligation are you expected to share a PC with them (unless they're of the appropriate sex and you're getting laid)? Why can they afford tuition but not a PC? Why aren't they paying you for "IT support" which could probably add up to the purchase price of separate computers anyway. Dump the freeloaders and make them buy their own computers. Sheesh, talk about self-inflicted masochism.
I would guess that most programs (I know that Outlook let's you do this) will let you specify where to place the datafile with all the e-mails and such. All you do is have it put the file on another disk. The idea is that you use a USB key that you keep with you. The data file is stored on the key so only when you're at the computer and it's plugged in is the data accessable. Hard to get more secure than not having the file on the computer at all.
If the program objects to having the file on a removeable drive, you could make batch scripts and keep them on the desktop. The one you run after inserting the key would copy the file from the key to the hard drive in the apropriate place. The one you run when you're done moves the files off the hard drive back onto the key. They you remove your key and go.
Seems like about the best solution you'll get.
Note: also that there are some USB Keys (I seem to remember seeing one on Tom's Hardware reviewed once) that have functionality like this built in somehow. They contain their own e-mail client or other software to make doing this kind of thing easy. Look around, you're not the only person who would like to be able to do something like this.
Also note: for the ultimate in security, get one of the USB key drives that has a thumbprint sensor as an added layer of security.
Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
Say you install a more secure, multi-user OS like Linux or FreeBSD or (gasp!) Windows 2000. Even if they can't learn your password, they can boot Knoppix or similar, mount your partitions and crack your box that way.
Encrypted loopback filesystem. Assuming they can find the disk image in the first place, they still need to crack the password before they can mount it.
"They redundantly repeated themselves over and over again incessantly without end ad infinitum" -- ibid.
I think the idea is to raise the barrier enough to prevent the roommates from casually browsing into his email, not against them cracking into his data.
"...and I refuse to pay the money to Microsoft to upgrade to a newer Windows OS."
Bummer. The upgrade from 98 to 2k or XP would become worth the money in well under a week. Not only could you set up better permissions for stuff, but they're also harder to break accidentally. I'd point ya that way even though you don't want to, but it doesn't directly solve the problem you specfically asked about.
"Derp de derp."
I agree. The suggestions others are giving are not only ridiculous, but don't even work because his roommates have physical access to his machine when he's not home, meaning that strictly speaking he can't have complete security anway.
I'd rather be lucky than good.