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Running OneNote 2016 from an encrypted drive

We have a user that uses heavily OneNote for almost everything. The user requested to protect these notebooks. We recommended the to set a password per section (since there cannot be a password set per notebook). Unfortunately, there are like 11 notebooks and almost over 400 sections - so the user requested another way of protecting the notebooks with a password).

After searching for options, we came up with the option of placing OneNote, or re-installing OneNote, to a TrueCrypt drive. That done, the following files,

Backup Folder: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote
Default location: C:\Users\username\Documents\OneNote Notebooks
Cache file location: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote

Would now be located in the encrypted drive.

In essence, in the encrypted drive, all should be protected (the user will have to enter a password for the encrypted drive every time uses the computer).

What s the best way to go about this, OneNote running from an encrypted drive?

If its just uninstalling OneNote from c-drive and reinstalling it to the encrypted drive, what other considerations, like maybe folder locations (as said above), should we take look on?

Thank you in advance.

Andy M

For starters, don't use Truecrypt - it's no longer secure (Truecrypt developers themselves have shelved it).

Depending on the version of Windows you could use Bitlocker to encrypt the drives.

Then instructions for moving the Onenote files can be found here: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/msoffice_onenote-mso_win10-mso_2016/moving-location-of-onenote-notebook-to-a-different/7cac88c7-c648-4d96-a3a0-206a5bd54291

Obviously if the user forgets the password for the drive, they pretty much will lose everything.

McKnife

It's always the best and recommended option to encrypt the whole drive if the attack scenario is: I am the sole user of the machine and I lock the screen when absent, but I cannot grant physical security at all times. Use bitlocker, use veracrypt, whatever suits you best.

jana

ASKER

Understood on the encryption tools, thanx guys.

I am more directed on moving or reinstalling or what it takes to place all OneNote files that are usually located on C Deive to the new encrypted drive.

The link iprobided ndicate to “Click on Change Location and select the folder where you want to move this notebook to.”

In my question I place the folders I have identify:

Backup folder: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote
Default location: C:\Users\username\Documents\OneNote Notebooks
Cache file location: C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneNote

Is there any other OneNote folder I need to consider?

Also, based on the links, it’s just create the new folders and move; is there anything else to consider?

McKnife

It should be clear to anyone, that unless we decrypt the whole system, there are always ways for attackers to get to any data. I would not recommend to move the folders.

jana

ASKER

The C-drive is not encrypted nor we want it encrypted. So moving the folders to en encrypted drive seems more secure than leaving it in a non-encrypted C-Drive (unless I am missing something here). FYI, the user wants privacy on his OneNote notebooks, nothing else; thus creating a small 100gb container for the users OneNote notebooks; which will open and close as needed, seems to be an option - unless you have another idea.

Please advice.

McKnife

The idea to encrypt only a single portion and hope to gain security with it, is really utterly wrong. That's all I can tell you. I take his machine, install some malware and whenever the machine starts, it makes screenshots and records keystrokes of his "protected" encrypted notes. Don't do that, it is pretty useless.

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McKnife

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jana

ASKER

So what can we do?

McKnife

You can take a half measure and go on as you planned and change the folder locations and encrypt the drive, or take good advice and encrypt the whole machine.

jana

ASKER

Thank you for your input.

jana

ASKER

Did not award Andy since the is to move from the Internet location and that is not whet we want. We were looking for the local, more directed on moving the contents saved in the c-drive (as backup, etc.). McKnife confirmed the folders we identified prior the question.