Is renaming folders & files and changing file types an effective solution for file security of a PC?
I am an application programmer and have an extensive background in it. I have written a robust program that renames folders and files and also changes file types. It does not compromise the integrity of the file, although I have been able to do that as well and change it back.
I am just wondering, how secure this is. I know that if for example I change: test.jpeg to test.txt, if someone were to simply change it back, my security is compromised. I've obviously made it more complex than this, but is there a loophole? Is there a way to check PC logs for file changes or some other way a pro would decipher this. As I said, my program that 'encrypts' these files is very robust, I highly doubt anyone but myself would be able to understand / compromise it.
Some of the security vulnerabilities I do know about:
A user could simply rename all of the files and thus have beaten the security
To solve this I would add a header line to files so that even if the file was renamed it could no be read by the program.
For images a user could check the system thumbnails
To counter this I clear all temporary files upon encrypting files.
PC backups that contain the non-encrypted file
Know and control your backups.
Any other ways to crack this security?
A further note to this, this security solution was thought of after having CryptoVirus attack my server. Awfully impossible to reverse the changes that that virus made. I thought why not apply the same methodology to my file security.
Another note is that I am building upon Windows 7, with thoughts to expanding to other Windows platforms.