Re: XP pro security question

From: Lee Bowman (lee.bowman_at_cox.net)
Date: 05/29/03 

Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 03:31:42 GMT

>If you're using FAT, all your points are moot. FAT has
>no security at all, and all users can add and delete
>whatever files they want anywhere on the drive.
>
I understand that aspect of FAT, and I really do favor the NTFS, with
its many advantages.

>No matter about Add/Remove Programs, nothing prevents me
>as a regular user from just deleting random application
>folders on a FAT drive, or creating whatever files I
>want, putting them where I want.

In this instance, however, the 'add' or 'remove' function is an XP
program function, not a simple file deletion, and I would think that
the operating sytem could easily refuse to cooperate (when the request
comes from a non-administrator).

Your point about being able to delete files at ramdom in a simple,
open file system is true. Any 'guest' could do all kind of nasty
stuff if they wanted, but I still wonder why the XP makes it easy for
them by presenting them with 'add/delete', 'administrative tools',
'computer management', 'disk management', etc. Those menu items
should be invisible to them.

I will, however, convert to NTFS. I have an 80 Gb single partition,
and it bothers me, though, that I'll have 512 byte allocation units
(due to the 'convert' utility's alignment requirement). I'd rather
have 4k or 8k blocks (who cares about slack anymore), but unless I
formatted with NTFS, and specified that size cluster at format, and
prior to XP install, I'll end up with 512's. That will create a huge
allocation table, and may affect performance.

Regards, Lee

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