interesting idea...simple password protected text editor in turing?

[kompsai]

Hi there,

This particular project wouldn't be for school...it's for a friend who needs a favour.

My friend keeps journals. I don't myself, but I understand the idea is that they should be private. These even detail his sex life, etc...and his nosy mother (who isn't particularly computer literate) keeps tracking down the files on the computer and reading them. My friend is distraught, and since I know the very basics of Turing, figured it might be possible to write a program to help him keep his private life PRIVATE.

The target is this: a compiled turing program that, when opened, requests a password. this password would be very simple, just a case statement.

after the correct password is entered, a GUI text box is provided to write in.

now, the files that this program saved to would not have to be encrypted...only named with a non-text extension, for example *.X1X or something like that. if opened in notepad, they would display the correct content, but remember we're talking about someone who is computer illiterate.

hopefully, this program would feature buttons to load an existing file, save it, close it, etc. The files would be stored in a folder that would not normally be come across by an amateur computer user, possibly in a folder in Program Files.

I think the basic idea here is clear...do you think this is a feasible idea?

Thanks
-Kevin

EDIT: to expand on the password idea, possibly have the program generate a log saying the time and date of when any failed login attempt happened.

[ericfourfour]

Why not just use winrar to put a password on it? Since this person does not work well with computers I suggest writing a tutorial for your friend or finding one on the internet that describes how to do this in detail.

However, this is more than a problem that can be solved with a simple Turing program. If your friends mother insists on viewing the files, she should. It is her child. No one can say otherwise. If your friend does not like it, he/she should discuss it with his/her mother and resolve the issue. If his/her mother cares, she will listen.

Also, if your friend isn't that good with computers, why is he/she keeping all of his/her personal information on the computer?

[md]

saving unencrypted files with a different filename is not security. That's obscurity.

[Dan]

If it is a journal, a better idea would be to use an online service like live journal witch allows you to post, edit, and read your journal entires online and you can set how viewable each entery is, from totaly publcily viewable to your eyes only. This is protected by a user name and password and is not sotred localy so she should not be able to find a copy on the computer.

The only thing he whould have to keep in mind is to not save the username and password in the browser to auto fill in.

As for a turing implmentation, it is deftaly doable however it is not going to be as user friendly as the curently aviable software and sites out there. Also you can't just put as password just in the program you have to encritpit the files so his mother dose not just open them with out the turing application.

It is deftaly doable, but you whould need to study up on file encription methods if you whont it done right.

[kompsai]

well...thanks. I understand what you all are saying, however it looks like you've misunderstood me.

The mother is the computer illiterate one.

My friend knows what he's doing.

The security comes from the files being located in a hard-to-reach folder and being named with a different extension so that they will not open in a default program when executed. The turing program itself would simply act as a point of access to the files, providing one-click opening of at least one.

WinRAR would do it for sure, however, his mom would just delete the files. No kidding, seriously.

The online service suggestion is an interesting one...one I will run past him for sure. I was under the impression that all of those things were public, since after all, the internet is public. Who knows, maybe just get him some free web space and set up FileZilla on his computer...upload everything via FTP to a remote directory then delete the local content.

Guess that makes this no longer turing-related haha.

Any further suggestions welcome but it looks like this is resolved, or at least will be.

thanks

-Kevin

[bugzpodder]

random file deleting will render the os non-usable. just make the file properties system+hidden and i guarentee you his mother won't delete. deleting system files have profound consequences.

[War_Caymore]

kkishkon wrote:

WinRAR would do it for sure, however, his mom would just delete the files. No kidding, seriously.

Using WinRar encryptes the file in it's own specific way, so if the files are incripted, and "mother" deletes the program for de-incripting thsoe files, the files will not be able to be opened or at least to the point where the file is viewable. In a way, thats a good thing. Another way is to use windows built in passord protection that you can assign to any folder.

Right click on the folder that you wish to passord, go to properties, and go to security. Check the box marked "passoword protected" and it will prompt you to enter a password. go to apply and voila. Only viewable by entering a password or through some back door. In this case of "mother", a password will do.

I am sorry if this information is incorrect i will edit it when i can get on a computer that has these options (stupid school computers >.<) This is all by memory and my memory is known to fail as much as Windows 98....

[kompsai]

The windows built-in encryption only protects with the user password, and since there's only one user account, that's scrapped. Thanks anyway, however. (though I suppose the built in ZIP support offers encryption...)



It looks like we'll be going with the FTP route...store the files on a free web host, and to prevent a directory listing just make a blank INDEX.HTM.

problem solved:)

thanks for the suggestions guys(gals?).

-kevin

[bugzpodder]

free web host does not equal protection. you are better off registering an account such as msn space or something and make the blog private.

[Drakain Zeil]

Related:
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/6-897Spring-2004/CourseHome/index.htm
Enjoy.

Anyway, you're best off making a simple encryptor that takes a key as a password. There's thousands of code examples floating out on the net. I'm positive many programming contests out there have had encryption problems.