APPLOCKER POLICY

What is AppLocker ?

Windows 7 AppLocker is one of Windows 7 tool improving security of Windows users. Using Windows 7 AppLocker feature, Windows users can specify the software that are allowed to run or disallowed to run on a Windows user's PC. Windows administrators can also control AppLocker features and manage applications using flexible Group Policies. So friends,If you have Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate edition or Windows 7 Enterprise edition installed on your computer then you have Windows 7 AppLocker tool ready for use. Windows AppLocker enables Windows users to control the execution of specific software applications and programs under certain Windows user privileges. Especially for parents, Windows 7 AppLocker is a very handy tool to prevent selected programs to be run by children. For example, parents can disallow a PC game rated as including violence for their children to play.

Rules for creation of the Applocker :

Windows 7 users can start Win7 AppLocker following the below selections :-
Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools.
 

                                            Fig1. Local Security Policy Window

Double click on Local Security Policy among Administrative tools.Windows 7 users can see the AppLocker node under the Application Control Policies node.

                                             Fig2.Application Control Policies node

Click on Executable Rules node.If you have not yet created any rule for a software application, this section will be empty.

If you wish to create rule try this :

Right click on the Executable Rules node or right click on the empty space on the right pane.

Select Create New Rule from the displayed context menu.

                                                     Fig3. Context Menu

Proceed to following step in Windows 7 AppLocker wizard with Next button.
 

                                                                 Fig4.Wizard Screen

The permissions screen will be displayed.

In this screen administrators can define if the AppLocker rule will be an Allow action or a Deny action. Also Windows administrators will also identify the Windows users or User groups to be affected by this rule.
 

                                                         Fig5.Permission Screen

Continue with Next for following Windows 7 AppLocker screen where admins will define the Conditions for the AppLocker rule. As seen in the below screen-shot, Windows 7 AppLocker rules can be set according to path of the executable information.

                                                      Fig6. Condition Screen

In the Publisher definition screen, choose an executable application file for reference. Click on the Browse button to start identifying the publisher properties to define a Windows 7 Applocker rule over.

 

In order to create a sample AppLocker rule that can be used by parents as a windows7 parental control. Browse the software application that you want to disallow. The publisher and the product details will be listed as follows:-

• You can cover a wider range of products of the related publisher by moving the slider upwards. If you move the slider downwards a more detailed filter will be applied. When slider is up a more common filter criteria will be applied for the Win7 AppLocker rule.
  
  
                                       Fig7.Reference File Window
  
• The next screen Exceptions in the AppLocker wizard will let Windows administrator to define exceptions to the above filter criteria.
• The last screen in the Applocker wizard enables users to name the Win 7 AppLocker rule and supply a description of the rule for further reference.
  
  Click the Create button to proceed with the Windows 7 AppLocker rule creation task.

                                 
                                                 Fig.8 Final Display Description Screen

After the rule is created, this rule will be listed in the Executable Rules list as a new item.This is how the App-Locker feature works.

SECURE YOUR HARD DISK USING VHD

VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) is the type of the file which represents a virtual hard drive (HDD). It has all those features which we find on our normal hard drive. It includes features like disk partitions & file systems, which consists of files and folders. This format was created by Connectix, later was modified by Microsoft, for what is now known as Microsoft virtual machine. A Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) allows multiple operating systems to reside on a single host machine. Creating VHD helps us in securing the data on our hard disk.

Steps for Creation of Virtual Hard Disk on Windows 7:

Step1. This process creates virtual disks in the .VHD format where the minimum size is 3MB. To begin, Right-click on My Computer and select to Manage. Alternately, you can type diskmgmt.msc into the Start search box and enter.

Fig.1. Manage option
 

Step 2. The Computer Management screen opens then click on Disk Management and then Action and Create VHD

Fig 2. Action menu

Step3.Browse to the directory you want the disk to reside, choose the size you want it to be, and select dynamic or a fixed. If you want the disk to expand in size as you add files to it, then pick dynamically expanding. Check Fixed size if you want a specific size and for it to stay that way.

      Fig 3. Action menu

 

step4: In Disk Management you will see the virtual drive listed as unallocated space.        

step5: To begin using it you’ll need to Right-click and select Initialize Disk.

      Fig 4. Initialize option

Step6: In the initialize disk box just keep MBR selected and hit OK.

Step7: Creating a New Volume

To create a volume by Right-clicking the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume.

Step8: Choose the amount of space you want to use for the volume.

                                                          Fig 5. Volume size window

Step9: Assign it a drive letter that is not currently being used.

Step10: Format the new volume as NTFS, FAT32, or FAT. Check if you want a quick format and file compression.

Fig 6. Format volume window

Step 10: The wizard is complete, click on Finish.

Step 11: If you have AutoPlay enabled, it should pop up for you to open up your new virtual hard disk.

         Fig 7. Autoplay window

Step 12: It will be listed with the other disks in Disk Management.

                                                     Fig 8. New volume will be added

Follow the above steps and your VHD (virtual hard disk) is ready.