Stay loggeg in according to windows user logged in status

[Califauna]

Hello,

Im using axcrypt. I frequently suspend or hibernate my machines between classes etc and every time I reopen the laptop or pc I have to sign in again to open encrypted files.  Im using windows with Hello functionality using a fingerprint reader so log on each time is instantaneous. This password requirement for axcrypt each time is a major headache (to add to the headache, its a long password) and completely redundant in my setup as there’s no way to get to desktop without fingerprint log on anyway.

Are there any versions of axcrypt (old, new, whatever) that remain logged in until the windows user LOGS OUT rather than any time the pc sleeps, hibernates, etc?

If not, and if this is planned as a feature in te next release unfortunately I’ll have to stop using axcrpyt it as I have another solution ready to go which doesnt have this problem ( an encryption software specially written for the fingerprint reader device, whivh allows me to just touch the reader whenever I want to open a file, rather than type in a long password).

Of course, if axcrypt had the functionality to work with fingerprint readers that would be ideal by my understanding is that few encryption softwares support such functionality.

Please note, I am not suggesting this feature be ‘forced’ onto users  (and neither is this necessary) as it can simply be added as an option.

No need for  ‘modern’/ ‘minimal’ / ‘clean’ GUI interface designers or Apple customers to get flustered over the prospect of an addition to the menu either. As always, such a feature could be hidden in an ‘expert’ / ‘daredevil’ GUI mode.

Thanks.

[Stefan]

as there’s no way to get to desktop without fingerprint log on anyway.

There actually is a very easy way of bypassing fingerprint authentication but this isn’t the forum to discuss that.

Are there any versions of axcrypt (old, new, whatever) that remain logged in until the windows user LOGS OUT

No, there aren’t.

if axcrypt had the functionality to work with fingerprint readers that would be ideal by my understanding is that few encryption softwares support such functionality.

Proper encryption software doesn’t have this functionality because it’s insecure and has nothing to do with encryption. It would require insecurely storing the – what is supposed to be a secure – encryption key in memory to magically ‘unlock’ once your fingerprint is used to authenticate. Hackers can extract this key and all your private data is gone. (Even Apple tell users not to use TouchID if they need ultimate security; it’s a convenience feature.)

…this feature be ‘forced’ onto users  (and neither is this necessary) as it can simply be added as an option.

It gives a false sense of security <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>and will not be added</span> as per previous discussions on here.

[Anonymous]

Additionally, one can take the fingerprint reader and any security concerns over such devices completely out of this particular feature request and replace it with a password login and the request would still be the same.

With a password login there is still the inconvenience mentioned — that each time the device suspends, sleeps, hibernates, screenlocks, etc, it becomes necessary to introduce not only the windows password but also the very long axcrypt password.  This inconveniencwe could easily be avoided if axcypt could be configured by the user not to log out until the window user logs out of their windows account.

 

 

[Anonymous]

Stefan thanks for your reply.  Whilst it responds to the issue of security using fingerprintreaders, it doesn’t appear to respond directly to the feature request, which is the result of inconvenience of long axcrypt passwords having to be reentered multiple times during a single windows user session becasue of suspends, hibernates, screen locks, etc. This inconvenience results regardless the windows login/screen unlock method in use.  Please see my above post.

[Anonymous]

Stefan thanks for your reply. Whilst it responds to the issue of security using fingerprint readers, it doesn’t appear to respond directly to the feature request, which is the result of inconvenience of long axcrypt passwords having to be reentered multiple times during a single windows user session because of suspends, hibernates, screen locks, etc. This inconvenience results regardless the windows login/screen unlock method in use. Please see my above post.

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello,

Fingerprint discussion aside, this is really about how should AxCrypt handle the situation of screen saver going active, going to sleep etc.

Unfortunately, there are two schools of thought among users:

1) Those who are very annoyed because they are not prompted for the password often enough. It is insecure they say!
2) Those who are very annoyed because they are prompted for the password too often. It is unusable they say!

We’ve tried to hit a balance here, but we’ll probably be adding yet another option (I really don’t like all these options…) to control the sign out behavior when the screen saver goes active. Maybe we’ll connect it to the inactivity option we already have. If it’s set to never timeout, we don’t sign out at sleep either. Or we’ll just have it as yet another option.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply Svante.

If, as you expect, this feature is added, any idea of a the lowest time estimate before a version with it is released?

 

[SvanteSpectator]

Hi,

A couple of weeks I think, but I won’t promise… ;-)

[Anonymous]

Svante, on your profile page it states you are the ‘lead developer’ for the Axcypt program, yet according to your posts here you don’t know if a new release, potentially within two weeks, will contain a new feature or not.  Could you confirm that information on your profile is correct please?

If this is correct, and you are the lead developer, are you able to give something more solid re. this feature? So far the verdict is ‘we might’, ‘I don’t like adding options’, ‘a couple of weeks ‘, and ‘I won’t promise’.    You’ll understand that from a users perspective this doesn’t provide much by way of assurance over the possibility of this feature appearing any time soon. .  I have to either encypt with axcrypt , or encrypt with 7zip or another solution, a bunch of large hdd images which will take hours, possibly days.  I have to do this now but I cannot hold out on axcrpyt to do it on the strength of what’s written here in this thread so far re. the feature mentioned.

[SvanteSpectator]

Hello Anonymous,

Yes, I am the lead developer. Really ;-) No, sorry, I won’t give you any more solid than that about this feature. Wish I could, but I’ve given up trying to predict the future since many years in the IT business with failed such predictions.

We’re not a large company, and we don’t have scheduled releases and our priorities keep shifting all the time since we try to be very flexible.

“We might”, “I don’t like adding options” etc reflect the fact that we also discuss these things internally, we let suggestions take a little while to settle before we rush off and implement, and also we have several definitely higher priority things to do first which in turn I can’t give any solid delivery dates on – so that’s why I’m responding as I am.

[Anonymous]

Ok.Ill have to switch to the encyption software that came with my fingerprint device for the time being as the option of staying logged in through sleeps etc is a must have for me personally, and will check the next release of axcrypt when available.  Thanks.

[Author]

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