Question Is there an encryption software to auto-lock a drive on a given date ?

[KatakuriChan]

[Moderator edit: Moving thread from Apps and Software to Storage. More applicable category.]

This is for a USB external drive. I need it to enable the lock/encrypt say 1st of April. Nothing shady here. So it is okay if you must access the disk through a special software etc. (even before the encryption date).

 

[Ralston18]

If the host computer is running 24/7 or otherwise going to be running on the desired date you may be able to use Task Scheduler to launch the applicable encryption software on the desired date.

Task Scheduler allows the creation of a "trigger" (which could be date based) which when the trigger event occurs then causes something else to occur. I.e., run some designated app.

Start here:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/taskschd/trigger-types

Do be sure that all important data is backed up off system and proven to be both recoverable and readable.

Just in case the testing goes astray....

 

[KatakuriChan]

If the host computer is running 24/7 or otherwise going to be running on the desired date you may be able to use Task Scheduler to launch the applicable encryption software on the desired date.

Task Scheduler allows the creation of a "trigger" (which could be date based) which when the trigger event occurs then causes something else to occur. I.e., run some designated app.

Start here:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/taskschd/trigger-types

Do be sure that all important data is backed up off system and proven to be both recoverable and readable.

Just in case the testing goes astray....

Unfortunately I need something that works independently from the PC. Example. When plugged into a PC, an auto run exe executes and simply checks the system date. If it is not April 1st yet, you can copy, delete, ... files. After 1st, the disk is automatically locked, and you need a password to unlock it.

 

[Ralston18]

The objective being that the USB external drive is powered up on the desired date and then automatically locked at that date and time?

If the PC is powered on when the drive is connected I can envision some script being run via autorun (or Task Scheduler) that would send the necessary commands to the USB external drive.

USB external drive being assigned a drive letter and the PC having the necessary rights to alter the drive parameters.

Or, taking a different approach, if the PC is on and the USB external drive is plugged in then there would need to be some background task running that would detect the drive being connected and once connected then send the applicable locking commands to the drive:

Generically:

"If Drive U: present and Date = April 1, then Lock Drive U". (Does that describe the requirement?

Perhaps via BitLocker & Powershell.

FYI:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/p...cker/lock-bitlocker?view=windowsserver2022-ps

https://stackoverflow.com/questions...er-on-with-powershell-automating-device-setup

= = = =

That said, I am moving this thread over to Storage. More applicable Category I think.

Please provide more information about the requirements: hardware, connectivity, and a "step-by-step" outline of the envisioned process.

 

[stonecarver]

This is for a USB external drive. I need it to enable the lock/encrypt say 1st of April. Nothing shady here.

That hair on the back of my head is tingling. Lots of your past question more or less ask how to do something and not leave evidence that the host computer would show.

If someone did this say in a major corporation who was the IT Guy.

I guess it's self created job security. System goes down and the IT guy who created the down system than becomes the hero.

I guess it's none of my business why you need to do this on your own computer to yourself but is it on your own system.

 

[Corwin65]

Sounds like some ransomeware.

 

[KatakuriChan]

"If Drive U: present and Date = April 1, then Lock Drive U". (Does that describe the requirement?


That said, I am moving this thread over to Storage. More applicable Category I think.

Very close. Exact situation is something like creating a batch file and an autorun.inf (pointing that bat) and place both inside of the hard disk. Batch file = If Date = April 1, then Lock Drive".

 

[KatakuriChan]

Sounds like some ransomeware.

shhh . Need some funding for my next startup.

 

[USAFRet]

Very close. Exact situation is something like creating a batch file and an autorun.inf (pointing that bat) and place both inside of the hard disk. Batch file = If Date = April 1, then Lock Drive".

If the drive is disconnected and powered off, it does not know the date, until you connect it to a system, and it reads the system date.

 

[Ralston18]

My thought is to use Powershell and test in small steps:

1) Work out the necessary BitLocker commands to manually lock and unlock the hard disk.

2) Work out the Powershell cmdlets and script to take some simple file action (copy file) based on the date.

3) Work out combining 1 and 2 into a larger script that you can manually execute. Beginning with the simple file action and then swap in the bit locker actions.

4) Work out placing the larger script into autorun.inf on the host external drive.

Use a test target hard drive that can easily be restored/recovered....

If you research ("google") each step and take the time to plan it all out - again step by step - beforehand then all will be easier.

 

[USAFRet]

Very close. Exact situation is something like creating a batch file and an autorun.inf (pointing that bat) and place both inside of the hard disk. Batch file = If Date = April 1, then Lock Drive".

What if the host system has autorun completely disabled?
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/autoplay-reg

Or the host is a Linux system, with no concept of BL or autorun.

 

[KatakuriChan]

My thought is to use Powershell and test in small steps: 1) Work out the necessary BitLocker commands to manually lock and unlock the hard disk. 2) Work out the Powershell cmdlets and script to take some simple file action (copy file) based on the date. 3) Work out combining 1 and 2 into a larger script that you can manually execute. Beginning with the simple file action and then swap in the bit locker actions. 4) Work out placing the larger script into autorun.inf on the host external drive. Use a test target hard drive that can easily be restored/recovered.... If you research ("google") each step and take the time to plan it all out - again step by step - beforehand then all will be easier.

Thanks. Will try.

 

[KatakuriChan]

What if the host system has autorun completely disabled?
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/autoplay-reg

Or the host is a Linux system, with no concept of BL or autorun.

No. No. Autorun path is an example to explain the situation. I was expecting a small tool like these https://free-password-protect-usb-flash-drive.en.softonic.com/ But with the date function.