[ANN] Freeware to lock current application by password

[Dmitry Briliuk]

Paranoid Security Hack for Palm OS 5 is just released

Allows to lock current application by password,
so nobody can get out from the current application without your password.
Password is set in the systems security preferences.
Activate this hack using command bar or stroke from calc (fav) to find.

Supports only Palm OS 5. Current version is Freeware.

Do you want to:
- Give your Palm to wife for reading books?
- Launch game for your child on Palm?
- Give somebody Palm as calculator for a minute?
Are you feel paranoid about your data security?
If so, Paranoid Security Hack is your choice!

Details:
http://handysolution.com/pshack.htm
Download:
http://handysolution.com/pshack.zip
Screenshot:
http://handysolution.com/pshack.gif

[Dmitry Briliuk]

Thanks to many efforts of leading developer, Dmitry Molotchko, this program now survives
both usual and safe-mode reset! (Actually, it catches any reset and locks Palm before, so after reset it appears locked).
Now advanced guys are not able to cheat this protection ;)

[pee]

It says its only for os5 but it shows a picture of a hack manager. i thought only os4 and lower devices could use hacks. so does this app work for os4 ?

[pee]

sorry to hi jack this thread but i've found another freeware app similar to this that works with os4 devices (its a hack) called MouseTrapHack v1.35 at
http://files.ladoshki.com/data/palmos/files/m/MouseTrapHack1.35.zip

[na2rboy]

It says its only for os5 but it shows a picture of a hack manager. i thought only os4 and lower devices could use hacks. so does this app work for os4 ?


That is YAHM for Palm OS5.

[MrNako]

Is there anything similar but to prevent launching apps unless a password is given?

[ricktt3]

Is there anything similar but to prevent launching apps unless a password is given?

It's not free, but Applock does that.

[MrNako]

It's not free, but Applock does that.

Just what I needed. Thanks! :)

[bh77a]

Too bad you missed it, but AppLock was given away free for one day this summer from PalmGear during their month of give-aways... sometime during July if I recall.

It is a nice little app. Going to try out this hack as well.

To the developer:

Are there any conflicts with the Sony line of products, for example a CLIE TJ27?

[Dmitry Briliuk]

It says its only for os5 but it shows a picture of a hack manager. i thought only os4 and lower devices could use hacks. so does this app work for os4 ?

YAHM is the hack manager for OS 5 and higher: http://yahm.palmoid.com
Also there are some hacks for OS 5 on this page.

Perhaps we will also make this hack for lower OSes

[Dmitry Briliuk]

sorry to hi jack this thread but i've found another freeware app similar to this that works with os4 devices (its a hack) called MouseTrapHack v1.35 at
http://files.ladoshki.com/data/palmos/files/m/MouseTrapHack1.35.zip

Yes, you are right, Paranoid Security Hack for Palm OS 5 was inspired by old MouseTrap Hack.
Unfortunately, MouseTrap Hack is not working on Palm OS 5 and higher, it does not survive reset and it seems its development is over.

[Dmitry Briliuk]

Is there anything similar but to prevent launching apps unless a password is given?
We are working on this. It will be PS Hack Configurator, which will allow to set a list of applications, protected by a password. Check our news.

[Dmitry Briliuk]

To the developer:

Are there any conflicts with the Sony line of products, for example a CLIE TJ27?

No idea. It is just piblicly released this week. Only tested on T|T, T|T3 and T|E

[Dmitry Briliuk]

It's not free, but Applock does that.

Applock's protection is illusive. It does not survive safe-mode reset.

[igor_n]

No idea. It is just piblicly released this week. Only tested on T|T, T|T3 and T|E

It works with Clie NX too. I think hacks should works with most of devices without problems.

[Dmitry Briliuk]

New version 0.9 is released

Since v0.9 it is possible to enter password through pin-code.
You do not need to write on the graffity which may be inconvenient.
You do not need to call keyboard and tighten with small buttons.
All you have to do is to press large buttons on the pin-code field.

http://handysolution.com/pshackpin.gif

Digits 0,1,2...9 and letters (capital) A...F are available through the
buttons on the initial screen. Rest of the letters you may see by
pressing up and down hard buttons. Also it is possible to write on the
graffity area.
Password is still taken from the system's security preferences. It
will be more convenient, for you if you will make your system password
from the characters from the first page, so you will not need neither
to list pages with characters nor to use graffity.

Besides above-mentioned this pin-code allows several advantages.
Following settings are available:
- "Blank password" - password is hidden by the star "*" characters, so
nobody can see it.
- "Hide pw" - no stars and no password will be displayed. Nobody will
see how much characters your password has.
- "Hide taps" - no button taps will be displayed. In conjunction with
the "Hide pw" option it will be really hard for somebody else to watch
your password.
*Little trick: When both "Hide pw" and "Hide taps" options are
enabled, it is possible to do the following. When taping password
buttons, you may sometimes to point your finger or stylus to other,
non-password buttons, just slightly tap the screen without really
pressing the button. For somebody else it will seem that you are
pressing all the buttons, but actually, you are pressing only some of
them!

[cktlcmd]

Applock's protection is illusive. It does not survive safe-mode reset.


I had been using AppLock for quite sometime now since its release. I never had a problem with it, even with multiple soft resets done continuously. It can lock almost all my programs installed in my TH55 and UX50. The only program I found it can't lock is the "Welcome Program" that came installed with my clie. Another thing I noticed about AppLock is, it will show the locked program for 1 second if you entered a wrong password. I considered it a flaw since whoever is not intended to see the information is given 1 second to view it. I e-mailed the programmer about it, he responded immediately that he could not fix it because it has somthing to do with the Palm program itself. But aside from that, AppLock is as stable as the programs that came pre-installed in my TH55 and UX50. It survives any soft resets I performed.

I also use FlyZipXR which is a Zip utility program with an option to assign a password. I use it just like PowerRun to send or compress (zip) my files to the memory stick with an assigned password.

Now all my programs are being locked by this 2 applications, even Clie Camera, viewer, player, etc... No conflicts of any kind. No resets. Highly stable on mine. No one can access anything without my password except those I left out like my reference programs such as dictionaries and reference books.

[cktlcmd]

We are working on this. It will be PS Hack Configurator, which will allow to set a list of applications, protected by a password. Check our news.


This would be great. I do hope you can make a better and safer way to lock the programs in our PDAs. I can't wait to try this. :)

[Dmitry Briliuk]

I had been using AppLock for quite sometime now since its release. I never had a problem with it

It is not a problem. It is not a bug. It is a security leak.

Anybody familiar with safe-mode reset can avoid Applock's protection.

Try to press reset, then hold up hard button until it reloaded. After this you can enter any application without being asked password. Even you can delete applock itself.

This worked at my T|E and I guess this will work at any Palm OS device.

[ricktt3]

It is not a problem. It is not a bug. It is a security leak.

Anybody familiar with safe-mode reset can avoid Applock's protection.

Try to press reset, then hold up hard button until it reloaded. After this you can enter any application without being asked password. Even you can delete applock itself.

This worked at my T|E and I guess this will work at any Palm OS device.

Hmmm . . . I just confirmed this.

[Alitheia]

AppLock is evil. Multiple bad experiences with it. I perfer to use PDA Defense personally. Works very well for me.

[cliefan7]

Has it been verified to work with TJ37?

[MrNako]

Applock has been acting weird with TodayPlus. I have configured TodayPlus to autolunch after 1 hour of no usage. My clie turns on suddenly in the night and launches applock asking for a password. When I enter it it shows TodayPlus and then turns off.
The weird thing is that I am only using Applock to protect ClieMail so I dont know why it affects TodayPlus.

[cktlcmd]

Applock has been acting weird with TodayPlus. I have configured TodayPlus to autolunch after 1 hour of no usage. My clie turns on suddenly in the night and launches applock asking for a password. When I enter it it shows TodayPlus and then turns off.
The weird thing is that I am only using Applock to protect ClieMail so I dont know why it affects TodayPlus.


I don't use Today Plus, but I am assuming that Clie Mail is being checked by Today Plus to give you a summary of everything. So everytime TodayPlus auto launches to give you the summary, it also checks Clie Mail, thus invokes you to enter the code for Clie Mail.

[cktlcmd]

AppLock is evil. Multiple bad experiences with it. I perfer to use PDA Defense personally. Works very well for me.


What kind of device are you using? TH55? UX50? T5? PDA Defense looks very complicated, is it?

http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=1&jid=1544XC128XD491695BABCBFC54A5B343&platformId=1&productType=2&productId=129800



Here is another locking program that might interest others:

http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?productType=2&jid=1544XC128XD491695BABCBFC54A5B343&platformId=1&siteId=1&productId=118933&sectionId=308&posit=50&catalog=0&topSectionId=127

[Dmitry Briliuk]

http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?productType=2&jid=1544XC128XD491695BABCBFC54A5B343&platformId=1&siteId=1&productId=118933&sectionId=308&posit=50&catalog=0&topSectionId=127

Appguard - when I tried to tap "All" button in it, it hanged up my device (T|E), after reset, when I'm trying to launch it again - the same thing - no response. Tried to delete and reinstall it - same thing. Tried to wipe Appguard's data using Insider - same thing. So I'm completely unable to test it :(

Can somebody test it and say how it survives safe-mode reset? (reset + up hard button)

Now will try PDA Defence

[Dmitry Briliuk]

http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=1&jid=1544XC128XD491695BABCBFC54A5B343&platformId=1&productType=2&productId=129800

F***k, F***k, F***k!

A lot of bugs, and it seemed that I will have to do hard reset to completely clear my device from the rest of it. However after lots of resets, it seems I completely cleared my device from this thing ;)

Btw, it somehow survives safe-mode reset. We will study this, but I guess, there exist some trick to completely kill PDA defence after safe-mode reset (do not want to try now in order not to kill my device ;) - anybody may try)

So, the best choices for the moment are:
- Applock - lock multiple apps, paid, does not survive safe-mode reset
- Paranoid Security Hack - lock current app, freeware, survives safe-mode and usual soft reset

[ricktt3]

Dmitry, what about the other hack you are working on that has the same function as Applock?

[Dmitry Briliuk]

Dmitry, what about the other hack you are working on that has the same function as Applock?

btw I'm not working on this hack - it is fully developed by Dmitry Molotchko with my little support.

I'm working on configurator for this hack, so it will be possible make independent settings for each app. Deep alpha of this configurator is available here:
http://handysolution.com/prc/PSConfig.prc

[cktlcmd]

Yes, Dmitry, is right. I just tried AppGuard on my UX50.

"APPGUARD SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It hangs right after I press the AppGuard icon. I e-mailed the programmer and he said AppGuard works for him on his UX50. But at this point after performing a restore from backup. I don't want to mess with it anymore. Anyone is welcome to try if they want, just perform a backup first to be on the safe side.

After reading Dmitry's post regarding PDA Defense. I lost my appetite to try it. Plus too expensive for my pockets.

AppLock still is my choice. Affordable too. Works great on both my UX50 and TH55 in conjunction with PowerRun.

[Dmitry Briliuk]

January, 20, 2005 - v1.0
Now it is possible to set up which stroke to use for app locking and how to input password - using large pin code buttons or usual password string.

[knotnututhis]

I use CodeDiver on most of my apps so I rarely see the graffiti area. Even if the app doesnt stretch to fit the whole screen, I still keep the setting just so I dont have to see the graffiti area. Is there a way to lock the unit w/o swiping the graffiti?? I've tried but havent been successful. :rolleyes:

[cktlcmd]

I use CodeDiver on most of my apps so I rarely see the graffiti area. Even if the app doesnt stretch to fit the whole screen, I still keep the setting just so I dont have to see the graffiti area. Is there a way to lock the unit w/o swiping the graffiti?? I've tried but havent been successful. :rolleyes:

What version of CoderDiver are you using for your TH55? Thanks in advance.

[Dmitry Briliuk]

I use CodeDiver on most of my apps so I rarely see the graffiti area. Even if the app doesnt stretch to fit the whole screen, I still keep the setting just so I dont have to see the graffiti area. Is there a way to lock the unit w/o swiping the graffiti?? I've tried but havent been successful. :rolleyes:

We will think about this

[knotnututhis]

What version of CoderDiver are you using for your TH55? Thanks in advance.

Oh!! :eek: I take it, most of the people using this app has the TH55?? Im using the UX50. (I hope thats not a problem) Like I said before, its rare that I run any app that shows the grafitti. All a matter of fact, besides the Sony prefs screen & my checkbook app, all of my other apps are fullsreen naturally, from CodeDiver or they hide the grafitti with the same color of the app background from CodeDiver. So I take it that I wont be able to use this app or is there a work around?? :confused:

If not, I think it would be a good idea if this app could be activated using combo keys similar to lauching apps from KeyQuick. (eg. Cntrl + P) :rolleyes:

BTW, Im using CodeDiver v1.1Beta6

[knotnututhis]

So is there a way to use this or any app similar to this one w/o using the graffiti area?? I would like to have an app similar to this one. I hate people going through my address book or whatever when I let them use my pda for a couple of minutes.

[Edlin]

So is there a way to use this or any app similar to this one w/o using the graffiti area?? I would like to have an app similar to this one. I hate people going through my address book or whatever when I let them use my pda for a couple of minutes.
You might be able to map it to a hardware button? Or keyboard control + combo.

[Dmitry Briliuk]

You might be able to map it to a hardware button? Or keyboard control + combo.

Soon we will add hard buttons support

[knotnututhis]

You might be able to map it to a hardware button? Or keyboard control + combo.

I use KeyQuick to launch every app that I use with the Ctrl or funct. key. I have every letter assigned for a different app. Can it be mapped using this method??