AppLocker: Block Access to Application in Windows

Applications By admin

Chances are that if you have a large circle of friends and you have also given them the privilege to access your computer, you might one day become a victim of content theft. Its true that you can’t trust all your friends or cousins, especially if they haven’t been with you for a long time.

The best option that I would suggest users is to set a password on Windows. This will not only prevent your family members from accessing your private files, but it will also prevent your friends from sneaking into your computer/laptop while you are away. However, if you are among those users who are hesitant of creating a password just because you’ll forget it in the near future here’s a how you can recover lost passwords in Windows.

Regardless to that, if you still want to block your friends from accessing some application, Applocker is just the right tool that will do wonders! Basically, Applocker is a free, lightweight utility that prevents unauthorized access to certain applications that comes by default in Windows. For instance, you have the leverage to block apps including, Notepad, Calculator, MS Office programs, Internet Explorer, etc.

block_software-applocker

All of these and other similar options are available on the main window of Applocker. All you have to do it to check those applications that you want to block/lock and then hit the ‘Save’ button when finished. In addition to that, you can add as many application that you want to block/lock. For this click on the Configure button from the main window. Add any application by typing its caption and .exe file name. For example, if you want to block FireFox, simply name the caption ‘Mozilla Firefox‘ and then type the firefox.exe file name. Click the add button when finished.

So when ever any one would click on the application, a message will be displayed prompting the user to contact the admin. AppLocker works with Windows 2K, XP, Server 2003 and Server 2008.

The only downside to this application is that Applocker does not provide any security mechanism to prevent users from accessing the application itself. Any one can easily open Applocker and simply uncheck the applications from the list to use it. Not so clever after all! [Via]