Comments on: Automatically Clear The Contents Of The Pagefile (Windows Server 2003) http://www.windowsvistaplace.com/automatically-clear-the-contents-of-the-pagefile-windows-server-2003/dianas-tips Install all the software and drivers you need for compatible windows vista. Best articles, reviews and videos Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:19:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Larry Miller http://www.windowsvistaplace.com/automatically-clear-the-contents-of-the-pagefile-windows-server-2003/dianas-tips#comment-8384 Larry Miller Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:32:37 +0000 http://www.windowsvistaplace.com/automatically-clear-the-contents-of-the-pagefile-windows-server-2003/dianas-tips#comment-8384 By itself, clearing the pagefile on shutdown will do little for security. Many things must be done to secure a system, there are no quick fixes. If the system is actually being used as a server it will be virtually useless as servers are rarely shutdown. Windows locks the pagefile for exclusive access while it is running and it cannot be accessed by any applications. Such access would require booting with an alternate operating system, such as a DOS boot disk with the necessary software. Fanding anything of value in several hundred MB of raw data would be quite time consuming. Clearing the pagefile might be useful when highly sensitive data is involved. But this would only be effective as part of a well thought out security policy. Larry Miller Microsoft MCSA By itself, clearing the pagefile on shutdown will do little for security. Many things must be done to secure a system, there are no quick fixes. If the system is actually being used as a server it will be virtually useless as servers are rarely shutdown.

Windows locks the pagefile for exclusive access while it is running and it cannot be accessed by any applications. Such access would require booting with an alternate operating system, such as a DOS boot disk with the necessary software. Fanding anything of value in several hundred MB of raw data would be quite time consuming.

Clearing the pagefile might be useful when highly sensitive data is involved. But this would only be effective as part of a well thought out security policy.

Larry Miller
Microsoft MCSA

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