Re: Alternate data Streams
- From: Mike Hoban <MikeHoban@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 May 2007 12:08:02 -0700
Hello, Thanks for the further advice. All is now resolved, in each folder was
a hidden .db folder referencing the database software (Fotostation Pro)
thumbnail versions of my images. I think they are generated to simply speed
up the viewing process. Nothing sinister.
Again, thank you for all your help, the problems are resolved and I will
leave you in peace.
Mike
--
Mike H
"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
What actually scanned the folder?.
HOW TO: Search For Hidden Or System Files In Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302347
To display Hidden files and folders...
Start | Settings | Control Panel | Folder Options | View tab
Check:
Display the contents of system folders
and
Show hidden files and folders
UNCheck:
Hide extensions for known file types
and
Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)
Click Apply | Click OK
When you uncheck: Hide protected operating system files,
you will get this message...
Warning
----------
You have chosen to display protected operating system files (files labeled
System and Hidden) in Windows Explorer.These files are required to start and
run Windows. Deleting or editing them can make your computer inoperable.Are
you sure you want to display these files?
----------
Click YES.
[[Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed to indicate they are not
typical items.]]
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:E972A7C5-A7C9-49CA-9985-9B3CC6132C66@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Mike Hoban <MikeHoban@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> hunted and pecked:
Fun indeed. Thanks. Your suggestion re copying to CD and back to the HD
worked, and the folder I tested now has no ADS data (visibly) attached to
the file name. It also took a fraction of the time to scan the folder.
However on doing so, it claimed to have scanned 450 files, when in fact
there are only 150 files in the folder, is this something else I should
be worried about?. I am currently looking many thousands of afected files.
Many Thanks again.
--
Mike H
"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
Keep having fun, Mike. :-)
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:31D37451-0D8C-4A53-8A60-73AF2555D657@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Mike Hoban <MikeHoban@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> hunted and pecked:
Extraordinarily helpfull and usefull response, thank you very much. I
will read everything and take it all on board.
Best Wishes
Mike
--
Mike H
"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
Hi Mike,
Thank You. Very Helpfull, I will try that. All of my external HDs are
NTFS formatted, and all retain the ADS when files are copied between
them.
To get rid of Alternate Data Streams on any file, move to a non NTFS
media, like a floppy, a CD or a memory stick and then move the file
back to the hard drive.
If I
were to create new external HD's formatted to FAT32, then copy the
files from the NTFS drives, would that remove the ADS?.
Seems awful drastic.
Keep in mind that adding Comments to any file adds ADS.
<quote>
To add a comment to a file
1. Right click a file.
2. Click Properties.
3. On the Summary tab, type your comment in the Comments area.
-or-
On the Summary tab, click Simple, and then type your comment in
the Comments area.
Notes
To display the comments you add to files, double-click the folder that
contains the files you want to view. On the View menu, click Choose
Details, and select the Comment check box, and then click OK. On the
View menu, click Details to see comments for several files at once, or
select a file and click Details in the left pane to view the comment
for the selected file. <quote>
from...
Add a comment to a file
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/windows_add_comment.mspx
Not all Alternate Data Strems are evil. Although with SP2 Microsoft
adds zone info as ADS with the Attachment Manager.
You can use the HijackThis ADS Spy to remove ADS.
Both of these are copied and pasted from HijackThis.
HijackThis ADS Spy
---------------------------
Alternate Data Streams (ADSs) are pieces of info hidden as metadata on
files. They are not visible in Explorer and the size they take up is
not reported by Windows. Recent browser hijackers started hiding their
files inside ADSs, and very few anti-malware scanners detect this
(yet).Use ADS Spy to find and remove these streams.Note: this app also
displays legitimate ADS streams. Do not delete streams if you are not
completely sure they are malicious!
---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
HijackThis
---------------------------
Using ADS Spy is very easy: just click 'Scan', wait until the scan
completes, then select the ADS streams you want to remove and click
'Remove selected'. If you are unsure which streams to remove, ask
someone for help. Don't delete streams if you don't know what they
are!The three checkboxes are:Quick Scan: only scans the Windows folder.
So far all known malware that uses ADS to hide itself, hides in the
Windows folder. Unchecking this will make ADS Spy scan the entire
system (i.e. all drives).Ignore safe system info streams: Windows,
Internet Explorer and a few antivirus programs use ADS to store
metadata for certain folders and files. These streams can safely be
ignored, they are harmless.Calculate MD5 checksums of streams: For
antispyware program development or antivirus analysis only.Note: the
default settings of above three checkboxes should be fine for most
people. There's no need to change any of them unless you are a
developer or anti-malware expert. ---------------------------
OK
---------------------------
HijackThis (More for the advanced user)
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
HijackThis log tutorial
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/htlogtutorial.html
HijackThis Log Tutorial
http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm
See 9. How to use ADS Spy
How to use HijackThis to remove Browser Hijackers & Spyware
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial42.html
--------
NTFS Alternate (Multiple) Data Streams articles
The first four are short and to the point.
NTFS Data Streams - Windows Alternate Data Stream, NP.EXE
http://www.auditmypc.com/freescan/readingroom/ntfsstreams.asp
Windows Alternate Data Streams
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial25.html
Windows NTFS Alternate Data Streams
http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1822
NTFS Streams
http://www.alcpress.com/articles/ads.html
-----
Alternate Data Streams Threat or Menace Why Alternate Data Streams
http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=413685&rl=1
FAQ Alternate Data Streams in NTFS
http://www.heysoft.de/nt/ntfs-ads.htm
Fork (filesystem)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_data_stream
Hidden NTFS Alternate Data Streams (ADS) Explained - Are You At Risk?
http://www.diamondcs.com.au/web/streams/streams.htm
Hidden Threat Alternate Data Streams
http://www.windowsecurity.com/articles/Alternate_Data_Streams.html
NTFS Alternate Data Streams » Girl Geekette dotNet
http://www.girlgeekette.net/2005/09/16/ntfs-alternate-data-streams/
NTFS Data Streams
http://www.relsoft.net/datastreams.html
NTFS Streams - Everything you need to know (demos and tests included)
http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=archive&id=ntfs-streams
Practical Guide to Alternative Data Streams in NTFS
http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=security/altds
Is there any advantage to the NTFS format over FAT32?, . Finally, can
I reformat the existing NTFS drives to FAT32 (obviously losing the
data in the process?.
You cannot reformat an NTFS drive to FAT32 without some 3rd party
utility.
You can do whatever you like, but NTFS is the way to go, not FAT32.
What Is NTFS?
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/59a9462a-cbdd-45e7-828b-12c6cd9ae4781033.mspx
FAT & NTFS File Systems in Windows XP
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/ntfs.htm
Limitations of the FAT32 File System in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314463
NTFS vs. FAT: Which Is Right for You?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/columns/russel/october01.asp
Overview of FAT, HPFS, and NTFS File Systems
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/100108
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:F869C836-D6CC-4D0B-83D6-15589BB5F4DF@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Mike Hoban <MikeHoban@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> hunted and pecked:
Thank You. Very Helpfull, I will try that. All of my external HDs are
NTFS formatted, and all retain the ADS when files are copied between
them. If I were to create new external HD's formatted to FAT32, then
copy the files from the NTFS drives, would that remove the ADS?.
Is there any advantage to the NTFS format over FAT32?, . Finally, can
I reformat the existing NTFS drives to FAT32 (obviously losing the
data in the process?.
Many Many Thanks
Mike
--
Mike H
"Wesley Vogel" wrote:
ADS probably does not slow down your system.
To get rid of Alternate Data Streams on any file, move to a non NTFS
media, like a floppy, a CD or a memory stick and then move the file
back to the hard drive. ADS can only exist on NTFS formatted drives,
moving or copying files strips the files of the ADS crap.
You get Confirm Stream Loss messages when copying files with ADS to
non-NTFS formatted media...
Confirm Stream Loss
-----------------------
The file 'xxxxxxxxxxxxx.zzz' has extra information
attached to it that might be lost if you continue copying. The
contents of the file will not be affected. Information that might be
lost includes:
Summary Info
Document Summary Info
Do you want to proceed anyway?
-----------------------
Click YES because there is nothing you can do about it.
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In news:790E5795-6EFE-40EE-93C2-150D3DD87F10@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
Mike Hoban <MikeHoban@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> hunted and pecked:
Hello, I am looking for advice on how to locate and remove Alternate
data Streams from jpeg files. They during in my virus scan, but no
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