Securing a Primary SSD from a Test Environment Using NTFS Permissions
Managing multiple storage disks within a single system is a common practice among developers and testers. Often, users wish to isolate their main system drive from testing environments to prevent accidental data modification or security breaches. One effective method is to leverage NTFS permissions to restrict access at the filesystem level. This article explores how to isolate a primary SSD from a test SSD by configuring NTFS permissions, ensuring a secure testing environment while maintaining usability.
Scenario Overview
Consider a PC with two internal SSDs:
- Primary Drive: Hosts the main Windows installation and critical data.
- Test Drive: Used to install and run untrusted or experimental software.
The goal is to allow the test environment to operate freely without risking accidental or malicious alterations to the primary SSD’s contents.
Step 1: Hiding the Primary Drive from the Test Environment
To minimize accidental interactions:
- Open Disk Management in Windows.
- Locate the primary drive.
- Remove or hide its drive letter, making it invisible in File Explorer (This PC).
This step reduces the chance of users navigating directly to the primary drive during testing.
Step 2: Configuring NTFS Permissions for Access Control
Next, enforce access restrictions at the filesystem level:
- Identify the Test User Account:
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Ensure the account used in the test environment is clearly defined for permission assignment.
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Modify NTFS ACLs on the Primary Drive:
- Right-click the primary drive folder or root, select Properties.
- Navigate to the Security tab and click Edit.
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Add the test user account if not already present.
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Set Deny Permissions for Write/Modify:
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For the test user, explicitly set Deny permissions for Write and Modify.
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Preserve SYSTEM and Administrators Full Control:
- Do not alter permissions for SYSTEM or Administrators, ensuring administrators retain full access.
Important: Deny permissions take precedence over Allow permissions, which ensures the test user cannot modify the drive despite any broader permissions.
Step 3: Testing the Configuration
Boot into the test Windows environment:
- Attempt to copy files to the primary drive.
- Observe that file copy attempts result in Access Denied errors with no UAC prompts, confirming that the permissions are effectively blocking write access.
- From
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