AppGuard and Portable Software

[HarborFront]

Hi

I'm trying to move away from using installed applications and replacing them with portable ones wherever available. This is to avoid installation/uninstallation and the need to clean the system of remnants like registry keys, files, folders etc which I find a hassle to do so. I can accept them to perform a bit slower than installed applications.

With portable software all I need is to unzip to a folder and ran the exe file inside will do. I just need to delete the whole folder if I don't need the software without touching the system.

The question is if I place the entire folder of such applications into C:\Users\myname will they still get protected by AppGuard? If no, then what must I do to get them protected?

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 178]

I'm trying to move away from using installed applications and replacing them with portable ones. This is to avoid uninstallation and the need to clean the system of remnants like registry keys, files, folders etc which I find a hassle to do so. I can accept them to perform a bit slower than installed applications.

It is nice to see people follow my steps.

With portable software all I need is to unzip to a folder and ran the exe file inside will do.

Exact

The question is if I place the entire folder of such applications into C:\Users\myname will they still get protected by AppGuard? If no, then what must I do?

Don't put them on C: , choose another partition (if you have). Imagine if on C and you need format C...bye bye portable apps...

They will be considered as "User Space" and blocked from execution unless added to Guarded Apps or added in User-Space with "NO"

Note that current version of AG has a bug with apps located in a non-system partition, some apps can't be added to Guarded Apps.

 

[509322]

The question is if I place the entire folder of such applications into C:\Users\myname will they still get protected by AppGuard? If no, then what must I do?

Add the portable apps in C:\Users\User\* to the Guarded Apps list.

What the portable app does matters. For example, if you make CCleaner portable a Guarded App, then it cannot delete\modify some things that it was intended to do.

You look in the Activity Report to see what was blocked\prevented.

 

[HarborFront]

It is nice to see people follow my steps.


Exact


Don't put them on C: , choose another partition (if you have). Imagine if on C and you need format C...bye bye portable apps...

They will be considered as "User Space" and blocked from execution unless added to Guarded Apps or added in User-Space with "NO"

Note that current version of AG has a bug with apps located in a non-system partition, some apps can't be added to Guarded Apps.

But I just dumped all such portable folders into C:\Users\myname and all can work. My User Space only shows C:\Users\myname and YES

 

[509322]

But I just dumped all such portable folders into C:\Users\myname and all can work. My User Space only shows C:\Users\myname and YES

If you are running in Protected Mode, digitally signed files can run from C:\Users\User - and will launch Guarded.

If you are running in Locked Down Mode, even digitally signed files must be added to the Guarded Apps list - otherwise they will be blocked.

What portable apps are you trying to use and are they digitally signed ? - make a list here please.

 

[HarborFront]

Add the portable apps in C:\Users\User\* to the Guarded Apps list.

What the portable app does matters. For example, if you make CCleaner portable a Guarded App, then it cannot delete\modify some things that it was intended to do.

You look in the Activity Report to see what was blocked\prevented.

Ok I just tried CCleaner and true enough there are many things that were prevented in AppGuard Activity Report.

So does this means portable CCleaner is cleaning less then the installed version? If yes, then is there any way to make it perform the same as the installed version in AppGuard?

Thanks

 

[HarborFront]

If you are running in Protected Mode, digitally signed files can run from C:\Users\User - and will launch Guarded.

If you are running in Locked Down Mode, even digitally signed files must be added to the Guarded Apps list - otherwise they will be blocked.

What portable apps are you trying to use and are they digitally signed ? - make a list here please.

From day one I've been running AppGuard in Protected mode. Here's a list of apps I have switched to portables

a) Chromium/Cent/Opera/Firefox/Tor browsers
b) CCleaner/Wise Registry Cleaner/Wise Disk Cleaner
c) O&O ShutUp10
d) SUMo/DUMo
e) WinRAR/Bandizip
f) Sumatra PDF Reader
g) Zemana Anti-Malware

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 178]

So does this means portable CCleaner is cleaning less then the installed version? If yes, then is there any way to make it perform the same as the installed version in AppGuard?

It doesn't clean less, it is blocked by AG to access some locations, you have to run them Unguarded or "user-space-No" or in AG set on "Install Mode"

 

[Deleted member 178]

But i won't recommend to set AG on install mode to do it

 

[HarborFront]

It doesn't clean less, it is blocked by AG to access some locations, you have to run them Unguarded or "user-space-No" or in AG set on "Install Mode"

So I have to have each one included into C:\Users\myname instead of lumping them all together since I need to set the User Space to NO? And lowering the protection to "Install Mode" is a hassle every time I need to run the apps

Examples

C:\Users\myname\Chromium folder --> set to NO
C:\Users\myname\CCleaner folder -->set to NO
C:\Users\myname\Sumatra PDF Reader folder --> set to NO

Right?

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 178]

Seems right , i will suggest to put any PDF/internet-facing apps like chromium in Guarded Apps.

@Lockdown will surely add more recommendations to fit your needs.

 

[509322]

From day one I've been running AppGuard in Protected mode. Here's a list of apps I have switched to portables

a) Chromium/Cent/Opera/Firefox/Tor browsers
b) CCleaner/Wise Registry Cleaner/Wise Disk Cleaner
c) O&O ShutUp10
d) SUMo/DUMo
e) WinRAR/Bandizip
f) Sumatra PDF Reader
g) Zemana Anti-Malware

Thanks

@HarborFront

Here is the configuration you should make:

a) Chromium/Cent/Opera/Firefox/Tor browsers - add to Guarded Apps list and set Privacy to ON
b) CCleaner/Wise Registry Cleaner/Wise Disk Cleaner - add to User Space list and set to NO
c) O&O ShutUp10 - this is used once\rarely to configure Windows; just disconnect from network and drop protection to Allow Installs - then run O&O
d) SUMo/DUMo - same as C although with these you probably have to keep network connected
e) WinRAR/Bandizip - add to Guarded Apps list
f) Sumatra PDF Reader - add to Guarded Apps list
g) Zemana Anti-Malware - add to Power Apps list (ZAM should really be installed version - that way there is no need to make a Power App)

It is not recommended practice to exclude an entire folder in User Space such as:

C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps or C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps\Chrome\

Don't exclude entire folders in User Space.

 

[HarborFront]

Hi @Umbra and @Lockdown

Thank you for the advises given

 

[509322]

@HarborFront

You have way too much duplication in your programs:

• 5 portable browsers
• 3 clean-up utilities
• 2 archivers

From a security perspective the less you have installed, the less there is to be compromised or cause problems

Plus, using portable apps because you don't want to do post uninstall clean-up is at the expense of speed

How often are you installing\uninstalling programs ?

 

[509322]

Hi @Umbra and @Lockdown

Thank you for the advises given

Do you understand that for browsers that Guarded Apps settings should be - MemWrite ON MemRead ON Privacy ON and ticked in Guarded Apps list ?

You don't want to add programs to Power Apps unless to fix breakage - so ZAM should be installed version which does not need to be made a Power App

 

[HarborFront]

Do you understand that for browsers that Guarded Apps settings should be - MemWrite ON MemRead ON Privacy ON and ticked in Guarded Apps list ?

Yes, I'll follow the settings for the default IE in AppGuard

OK I'll take note of ZAM

Thanks for the reminder

 

[509322]

Yes, I'll follow the settings for the default IE in AppGuard

OK I'll take note of ZAM

Thanks for the reminder

You are welcome @HarborFront

 

[HarborFront]

@HarborFront

You have way too much duplication in your programs:

• 5 portable browsers
• 3 clean-up utilities
• 2 archivers

From a security perspective the less you have installed, the less there is to be compromised or cause problems

Plus, using portable apps because you don't want to do post uninstall clean-up is at the expense of speed

How often are you installing\uninstalling programs ?

My browsers are spread over 2 tablets and an upcoming laptop....some are chromium-based and the others mozilla-based.

3 clean-up utilities are for safe cleaning. Search Everything, RegScanner, Eusing Free Registry Cleaner & Windows default regedit for a thorough clean.

I'm very frequently changing software to find the best to suit my needs and that's why from day one AppGuard is always on Protected and Install modes.

 

[HarborFront]

@HarborFront

Here is the configuration you should make:

a) Chromium/Cent/Opera/Firefox/Tor browsers - add to Guarded Apps list and set Privacy to ON
b) CCleaner/Wise Registry Cleaner/Wise Disk Cleaner - add to User Space list and set to NO
c) O&O ShutUp10 - this is used once\rarely to configure Windows; just disconnect from network and drop protection to Allow Installs - then run O&O
d) SUMo/DUMo - same as C although with these you probably have to keep network connected
e) WinRAR/Bandizip - add to Guarded Apps list
f) Sumatra PDF Reader - add to Guarded Apps list
g) Zemana Anti-Malware - add to Power Apps list (ZAM should really be installed version - that way there is no need to make a Power App)

It is not recommended practice to exclude an entire folder in User Space such as:

C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps or C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps\Chrome\

Don't exclude entire folders in User Space.

Hi @Lockdown

Quote

It is not recommended practice to exclude an entire folder in User Space such as:

C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps or C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps\Chrome\

Don't exclude entire folders in User Space.

So if I don't exclude the entire folder in User Space where or what do I need to do? Remember for portable software, without installation, the files are all unzipped into a single folder only

Thanks

 

[509322]

So if I don't exclude the entire folder in User Space where or what do I need to do? Remember for portable software, without installation, the files are all unzipped into a single folder only

Exclude the explicit file path for each portable app.

For example,

C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps\chrome.exe
C:\Users\User\My_Portable_Apps\opera.exe
.
.
.