can i protect the files this way

[hansraj]

guys... is it possible to protect any file by replacing its extension by any other and keep it protected from everybody.
For example i have a.doc, b.doc, c.doc which i want to protect. suppose i change the .doc extension of all three files say a.jpg, b.jpg, c.jpg and then make a z.zip file which will have all these three jpg files compressed and then finally replace this z.zip file as z.pdf.
what i want to know is is it possible for someone to know that what has been hidden in this pdf file. is there any software available

[Pathik]

nope no soft is available for this...... but sometime it may happen that the pdf u made may open with winrar instead of acrobat.........

[pop143]

Hehheee..nice work..!

y r struggling..? use some simple encryption softwares..!!

to find the xtension..???? ya there r some softwares.....which will identify from theheader of ure file..i dont remember its name..!

a simple one i can point out is : TrID - File Identifier

it has some 2084 pre-defined file extensions..

whether ure file have an extension..or not...ure convert 2 diff file extension..it can show u the correct extension of ure file...!!

http://mark0.net/soft-trid-e.html

so this way is not succesfull , to protect ure sensible data...even u try hard..!

[it_waaznt_me]

... What I do is create an ISO image of the files that I want to protect (with Nero Image recorder or MakeIso) and then rename it to .dat .. Anyone will try to open it in media player and it wont run so they'll think that prolly its a system file ..

[hard_rock]

Its a Visual trick where u can change file extension to say jpg and make Unreadable by Image viewers...
But if you right click on the file and use "Open With" to choose the application and choose MS Word then it will definitely open... . So I said its a visual trick where you can fool others by making others to believe as an image file.

[casanova]

no1 is going to use some soft to find it out and u will also get bored of this renaming stuff.

[sensationalboy]

who r u trying to save it from.if from the members of ur family then r they so computer literate that they will use a software to find the file types.

[hansraj]

well lot of replies.... i know that the encryption softwares are available and iam using stegnos security suite too... but definitely i wanted to know if this method can be adopted on any pc

thanx pop for the link provided ......... it will help me for unidentified files which otherwise are a work of guess work.. thanx again

[blueshift]

yes u can adopt this method. Sometimes i do it too.

[vandit]

ya u can... but if someone else knows what type of contents it contains then it not safe as we presume.....

[nil_3]

The best bet for file protection is to use some encription softwares(like folder-guard etc). My favourite one is Cryptainer which keeps your files in a pseudo-drive created by it and this drive will only be visible with proper password.

[JGuru]

This is not the correct way to protect your files!! Also by changing the files's extension
from 'doc' to 'jpg' ( for eg., ) on mutiple files leads to more confusion. Better use
software like 'Folder Lock' that encrypts the folder & protects the folder with a
password. You can also make the folder invisible to others!!

[Vishal Gupta]

The method which I use to protect my files/folders:

1.) Make the desired file/folder HIDDEN.
2.) Disable "show hidden files/folders" option in FOLDER OPTIONS.
3.) Disable FOLDER OPTIONS either using registry editor or gpedit.msc
4.) Disable Regedit using gpedit.msc.
5.) Rename gpedit.msc to something else, like regedit.msc

PS: 4 & 5 options r for those ppl, who know how to enable show all files/folders or Folder Options from regedit or gpedit.msc

Now only I know where my hidden file/folder situated and whenever I need them, simply I type their address in the address bar and press ENTER.

[hansraj]

ya vishal u r method is fine as long as i have one operating system .. if i have dual boot or use the linux live cd then all this effort goes in vain.

[Vishal Gupta]

I hv dual boot system (Actually triple boot ):

1.) Windows XP for study purpose, not many s/w installed
2.) Windows XP for all other things, like R&D, net surfing, etc.
3.) Linux

I hv applied the trick in both XP and for Linux, I hv not mounted the drive, on which I hv the protected folder.