Taskbar Gadgets & Security

I installed CryptPrevent, and it's telling me that Windows sidebar and desktop gadgets are a major security vulnerability and that Windows recommends that they be disabled. I don't have anything in the sidebar, but I've got a bunch of stuff in the taskbar that I'd rather not disable. Should just move them all to the Desktop?

 

It doesn't alter the taskbar at all. That's not what it's referring to. For a full understanding of what CryptoPrevent does, in its free default settings, you should be reading its user guide.

 

Desktop Gadgets has been discontinued due to security vulnerabilities. Instead of Microsoft fixing them they decided to ditch them in favour for apps in windows 8 upwards.

 

Gadgets were available in Windows Vista and as stated by sexyand81, they've been discontinued because of the security risk they pose. Leave CryptoPrevent's protection scheme at it's default level. If this was a new Windows install, white list known blocked otherwise select no. Restart computer to apply refreshed Group Policy and click OK in ensuing message.

 

I really don't know what CryptoPrevent was referring to; I didn't have anything that I recognized as a gadget in the taskbar (just program shortcuts). It asked me if I wanted to remove them from the taskbar and I said "no", and it didn't ask me again.

I tried to open Gadgets to see what it may have been referring to, but despite being in an admin-level user account, I lacked the necessary admin credentials to do so. I think this must be due to the Group Policy that got effected when I set up a home group, I'll have to look into that.

At any rate, online I've found reference to Desktop Gadgets and Sidebar Gadgets, but not Taskbar Gadgets. I don't know what that's all about.

Incidentally, when I ran Avira file scan ("Luke Filewalker") shortly after I got the message from CryptoPrevent, some of the shortcuts on my desktop to links in Control Panel (stuff like Backup and Restore) disappeared. Could Avira have considered them Gadgets, and was me putting them there a security vulnerability?

 

You are misreading the window that comes up from CryptoPrevent. It doesn't mention 'taskbar' at all. And it doesn't ask to allow it to move, change or touch anything in the 'Taskbar'. You really are making a meal of this (or should I be jovial and say 'Dogpile' )
Just allow it to implement its default settings, click 'ok' all the way through and restart your system. It's so simple even a well-trained mutt could do it.

 

Max, I don't know why you are so arrogant as to refuse to believe that I can be trusted to accurately report what I see. Do us both a favor and, to put this politely, "trouble yourself no further on my account".

I will not respond to your loutish insults again.

 

This would most likely be due to the policies that CryptoPrevent puts in place.

 

If you can't take a little joviality then I offer my sincere apologies. And if you have a non-problem with using CryptoPrevent because you can't tell the difference between the words 'Desktop' and 'Taskbar' and you can't even be bothered to take advice, let alone read its own guide, then I am happy to keep silent. I can't be bothered to comment on your own rather infantile rudeness.

 

Look carefully at this image - no mention of 'Taskbar'. No need to apologise.

 

And if you are sufficiently open-minded you might also gain some real benefit from following this crucial advice given to you some time ago in one of your other many threads:

 

You went to pains to avoid revealing you were just quoting yourself.

What part of "Go away" don't you understand?

 

CryptoPrevent didn't mention 'taskbar' at all; it didn't 'ask you if you wanted to remove them/anything from the 'taskbar''; you didn't say 'no' to that as it didn't ask you that. And it didn't ask you again as it never asked you to start with.
You were advised of the above in the very first post in answer to your question.

 

Leave your Taskbar as it is, and don't use the Desktop Gadgets.
And ignore the message from CryptoPrevent - if you don't use Desktop Gadgets they are effectively disabled.

 

Yeah, thanks, _nullptr got me up to speed on that in Desktop Gadgets.