Lock Down Your PC with Trust-No-Exe
Posted by Adam Pash at 6:00 AM on November 21, 2007

Windows only: Lock down your PC and prevent unauthorised executable files from running with freeware application Trust-No-Exe. As the computer's administrator, you can set up a whitelist of clean executable files that you will allow to run and selectively block others. Once installed, Trust-No-Exe adds an entry to your Control Panel, from which you can tweak your whitelist and blacklist. If you're heading home to fix your mum and dad's computer for the seventh consecutive year, you might want to add this to your Thanksgiving rescue kit. It's not foolproof, but it could be a worthwhile deterrent. Trust-No-Exe is freeware, Windows only.
Tags: anti-virus | downloads | featured windows download | spyware | top | utilities | windows

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
bojoe
Posted 3:35 PM 20/11/07
@XLA76, I have tried using SudoWin, but lots of software doesn't function correctly under anything except an administrative account. It is possible to get around this using special permissions, but it is a pain in the butt and somewhat defeats the purpose.
bojoe
bojoe
Posted 3:32 PM 20/11/07
Can't windows itself do this via the group policy editor? Or is that only on XP Pro (I have never used home.)?
bojoe
OriginalGabriel
Posted 2:42 PM 20/11/07
Speaking of which ... Since a lot of things change in a year, thought about doing an update to the "fix Mom and Dad's computer" and "Thanksgiving rescue kit"?
OriginalGabriel
xla76
Posted 2:36 PM 20/11/07
I've said it before, and I'll say it again - use sudo for windows: [sudown.sourceforge.net]
Forget worrying about spyware etc. A simple right click on a shortcut prompts for your password and runs a program with elevated priveleges. It will have the same effect as this program but with a much wider scope and less annoyance. And no - I don't have anything to do with the project, I'm just a convert.
xla76
Narg
Posted 4:13 PM 20/11/07
Or, better yet, just upgrade to Vista. This is very basically the same thing that Vista does for the users too. Expect Vista already has a very extensive white list, and is very easy to manage. BTW, this is also why a lot of people hate Vista. Because they are forced to manage their computers now. I find that funny. First users complain that Windows is insecure. Then they complain when it becomes more secure. Funny eh? Oh well...
Narg
jalopwill
Posted 8:29 PM 20/11/07
@Narg:
There are many many more reasons that people do not 'just upgrade to Vista'. Though I could just say 'Upgrade to Linux' and it would actually be an upgrade :-)
jalopwill
jpfree
Posted 12:44 AM 21/11/07
Dare I say that perhaps one's parents should just be switched to Ubuntu? Really if you take away the ability to run arbitrary applications then you've taken away Windows' number 1 advantage: application compatibility.
jpfree
vivek_malewar
Posted 3:36 AM 21/11/07
Perfect! I can use it block the windows auto-update executable which I cannot disable otherwise on my company laptop. :D
vivek_malewar
jalopwill
Posted 5:12 AM 21/11/07
@jpfree: I think everyone should say that :-)
jalopwill
CheGordito
Posted 8:11 AM 21/11/07
@xla76: Thanks! I'm trying it out right now.
CheGordito
urgan
Posted 9:13 PM 23/11/07
This is a feature of XP Professional that Home doesn't have. I use it all the time, run gpedit.msc and enable "software Restriction Policy"
urgan