1. hennesseystealth's Avatar
    My Z10 is used for work and so is the laptop that uses Link. When Link opens it shows ALL files in the various categories (music, video, documents), including those that have their properties set to "hidden." Windows is set to NOT display hidden files. I would really prefer that Link NOT show hidden files. If I step away while doing a backup or sync, I don't need office staff seeing personnel files sitting on the display. Is there anyway to stop Link from showing all files? I tried deleting the offending directories but they come back and gray out the "remove" option. I am currently using 1.2.0.28 but the same issue occurred with 1.1.1.41.
    Eir likes this.
    09-17-13 06:39 PM
  2. Omnitech's Avatar
    My Z10 is used for work and so is the laptop that uses Link. When Link opens it shows ALL files in the various categories (music, video, documents), including those that have their properties set to "hidden." Windows is set to NOT display hidden files. I would really prefer that Link NOT show hidden files. If I step away while doing a backup or sync, I don't need office staff seeing personnel files sitting on the display. Is there anyway to stop Link from showing all files? I tried deleting the offending directories but they come back and gray out the "remove" option. I am currently using 1.2.0.28 but the same issue occurred with 1.1.1.41.

    You mean it is showing hidden files on the BlackBerry device's storage, or on the computer's storage?

    The usual method of preventing people from accessing files that they should not access is to revoke their rights to them, in such a case it makes no difference whether the file has a "hidden" attribute or not, the file will not be visible or openable regardless which tool you use to do so. (BlackBerry Link included)

    Files with hidden attribute set are not "secure", they can be trivially seen/read/opened by anyone with a clue in 2 seconds.

    Here are 3 options you can use:

    1. Use a screensaver with a short timeout period and password-protect it.
    2. Lock your screen when you leave your desk. ([CTRL-ALT-DELETE] then "Lock this computer" on Windows 7)
    3. Setup your BlackBerry Link configuration on a limited user account on the laptop and login to that account only to perform Link backups/sync. If the user has no privileges to read/view the folders/files in question, nothing including Link is going to be able to display them.
    09-17-13 06:56 PM
  3. hennesseystealth's Avatar
    The files are on my laptop. If Link will run while the computer is locked, then that will work. I was just surprised that Link ignores the Windows 7 file attributes.
    09-17-13 07:04 PM
  4. Omnitech's Avatar
    I was just surprised that Link ignores the Windows 7 file attributes.

    Actually it is not "ignoring the attributes" - the "view hidden files" is a UI (ie "Windows Explorer" shell) option and any user can change it. Which means, anyone who is close enough to your PC to view such files, in 10 seconds can change that option and see anything they want, since you are leaving the system logged-in as yourself and unlocked. There are also dozens of other ways they could see hidden files on such an unlocked system if they so desired, including opening a CMD window and simply typing "dir /a:h"

    This is an example of what people in the security field refer to as "security by obscurity". It is widely considered a folly.
    09-17-13 07:40 PM
  5. hennesseystealth's Avatar
    Actually it is not "ignoring the attributes" - the "view hidden files" is a UI (ie "Windows Explorer" shell) option and any user can change it. Which means, anyone who is close enough to your PC to view such files, in 10 seconds can change that option and see anything they want, since you are leaving the system logged-in as yourself and unlocked. There are also dozens of other ways they could see hidden files on such an unlocked system if they so desired, including opening a CMD window and simply typing "dir /a:h"

    This is an example of what people in the security field refer to as "security by obscurity". It is widely considered a folly.
    Yes, I understand that checking the box in properties that says hidden isn't real security. But Link is ignoring those properties when it shows those files of its own accord. If Windows Explorer doesn't show the file, I don't think Link should either.
    kbz1960 likes this.
    09-17-13 07:54 PM
  6. Omnitech's Avatar
    If Windows Explorer doesn't show the file, I don't think Link should either.

    Well I'd agree in theory, I just question whether that accomplishes much in practice.
    09-17-13 08:02 PM
  7. nah.uhh's Avatar
    Yes, I understand that checking the box in properties that says hidden isn't real security. But Link is ignoring those properties when it shows those files of its own accord. If Windows Explorer doesn't show the file, I don't think Link should either.
    Does link show files/folders that begin with a period like .hiddenfolder? If so, have you tried renaming you hidden files so they begin with a period?

    Also, Bb10 respects .nomedia - I would imagine link does too. If the only thing the folder contains are hidden files, have you tried creating a file named .nomedia and placing it inside of the folder?
    09-17-13 08:11 PM
  8. hennesseystealth's Avatar
    I will give that a try.

    Update: Windows 7 gets very mad when you try to start a folder name with a period. It issues a warning that you have to give the folder a name. So, it requires that something be to the left of the period. Am I missing something?
    09-17-13 08:16 PM
  9. Omnitech's Avatar
    I will give that a try.

    Update: Windows 7 gets very mad when you try to start a folder name with a period. It issues a warning that you have to give the folder a name. So, it requires that something be to the left of the period. Am I missing something?

    There are filesystem conventions with any filesystem, ie you cannot create a folder in Windows with a name like "LPT1:".

    That said, that particular restriction seems to be a Windows Explorer idiosyncracy. I can create folders starting with periods either using the command line shell ("CMD") or via my usual file management utility. (Total Commander)

    Though what I think nah.uhh was referring to was a "file flag" of sorts which is a file simply named ".nomedia" which is an Android filesystem convention meant to inform media apps not to index its containing folder for media files.

    http://androidforums.com/htc-droid-i...edia-file.html
    09-17-13 08:30 PM
  10. nah.uhh's Avatar
    There are filesystem conventions with any filesystem, ie you cannot create a folder in Windows with a name like "LPT1:".

    That said, that particular restriction seems to be a Windows Explorer idiosyncracy. I can create folders starting with periods either using the command line shell ("CMD") or via my usual file management utility. (Total Commander)

    Though what I think nah.uhh was referring to was a "file flag" of sorts which is a file simply named ".nomedia" which is an Android filesystem convention meant to inform media apps not to index its containing folder for media files.

    http://androidforums.com/htc-droid-i...edia-file.html
    You are correct when you say I was referring to the nomedia file tag, but only the the second half of my post.

    The beginning of my post was actually talking about literally remaining the files so they begin with a period. So IMG000.jpg would become .IMG000.jpg

    I don't like windows for reasons like the warning when renaming the file.. bb10 native file manager doesn't allow you to add a period to the beginning either.. but that is a bit more understandable as the bb10 file manager also has no way to view hidden files...

    Ops BEST bet is to contact beta zone etc and hassle then about it til they agree it's a problem. Since it is an obvious problem and a quick fix, don't take no for an answer. Lol.
    09-18-13 01:07 AM
  11. Eir's Avatar
    I can't decide whether it's Link's fault, or Windows' fault, but what Link exposes to my phone is terrible, I can break the system (i.e. make it unusable) in 2 sec. Terrible.
    09-29-13 10:32 AM

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