Protect File Streams

Endpoint Administration Guide for Windows › Managing Resources › Protect File Streams

Protect File Streams

A stream is a sequence of bytes. File streams contain file data, and provide additional information about a file. For example, you can create a stream that contains keywords or metadata.

Note: File streams are only available on the NTFS file system. For more information on file streams, see the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Library website.

When you create a FILE rule, CA ControlMinder automatically protects the default data stream for the file. For example, a rule that protects the file c:\foo.txt also governs permissions to c:\foo.txt::$DATA. However, CA ControlMinder does not automatically protect any non-default data streams; for these, you have to create additional file protection rules.

To protect file streams do either one of the following:

To protect a specific stream, create a file rule in the format:
```
drive:\path\filename.ext:stream
```
To protect a specific stream type of a particular stream, create a file rule in the format:
```
drive:\path\filename.ext:stream:type
```
To protect all streams, create a generic file rule in the format:
```
drive:\path\filename.ext:*
```

Example: Protect All File Streams

The following selang command creates a generic file rule that protects all the streams in the file c:\foo.txt:

er file c:\foo.txt:* owner(nobody) defaccess(none)

Example: Protect A Specific Stream

The following selang command creates a file rule that protects the stream mystream in the file c:\foo.txt:

er file c:\foo.txt:mystream owner(nobody) defaccess(none)