Data Protection on a Shared Computer
Dear all,
I would like to use Thunderbird on a shared computer at my universitys lab space (it is mainly my PC but other people have access and use it sometimes). However, as we are requested to keep mails confidential I thought it would be as easy as just setting a primary password and thunderbird would not start if that password is not set. However, that proofed to be a wrong assumption. Instead if I just cancel the dialog it will open and still display all the locally stored mails.
We are using IMAP server and I already set up that the mails are not stored locally. Still, some mails that I have used recently are visible. I am aware that there would anyway be the local copy in the profile folder but I guess none of the people sharing that computer would take the efford to check that, so I would be fine if I could simply prevent thunderbird from starting without the primary password.
Is there any option for that or any extention that would do so?
Thank you in advance! Juergen
Chosen solution
I think that Thunderbird installed on the hard disk can use a profile directly off a USB drive, so there may be no need to be copying things off and on it.
Also, I've read that Thunderbird Portable can run directly off a USB drive.
I don't have personal experience with either of these, but they're worth considering.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (5)
A low-tech approach would be each time after using to do this: - exit thunderbird - copy the appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder to a USB stick - then DELETE the appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder
When reusing, - first, copy the thunerbird folder back to appdata\roaming and restart thunderbird
The only other solution I'm aware of would be to create a separate user account on the PC in Windows and set up your thunderbird in the private Windows account. Otherwise, there is no guarantee. And anyone sneaky or wanting to peek at your local mail could always just copy the message folders from within the proflle. the message files are not encrypted and easily viewed with several free online tools.
Hi David,
Thank you for the quick reply. The idea of copying the appdata\roaming\thunderbird folder might be a good idea. Maybe I could simply move that to a network folder where only I have access and use the login to the network folder instead of the password. If that does not work out the USB drive is also a good idea.
Creating different user accounts would certainly be the easiest way. Unfortunately, that does not work out with our network structure where we have split right to particular network folders based on the user and sharing those with the private accounts is not possible while using the private accounts would prevent the people from their actual work...
Thank you again! Juergen
Chosen Solution
I think that Thunderbird installed on the hard disk can use a profile directly off a USB drive, so there may be no need to be copying things off and on it.
Also, I've read that Thunderbird Portable can run directly off a USB drive.
I don't have personal experience with either of these, but they're worth considering.
What Lin says is true. That's a super idea. Then you could access your account from any PC anywhere. You can get the portable version at https://portableapps.com/apps/internet/thunderbird_portable and it is a legal and supported product. You would then have thunderbird and your profile on the USB. A big thanks to Lin for the suggestion. (I shudda' thought of it too, since I'm running a portable version myself.)
On your network observation, if thunderbird would 'see' the profile as a local drive, you could put the profile on the network, with some steps not explained unless you ask. But Lin's approach is slicker and quicker and fool-proof. :)
Dear Lin and David,
The portable version seems to be a perfect solution for that issue. Thank you for the idea. I will try that for sure.
Thank you again and best regards, Juergen
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