Password protection for the desktop version

Is there a way to password-protect my desktop version of Zotero? I use it at work and home, but want the version on my work computer password-protected.
  • No; it also doesn't help a lot. You should assume that anyone who has physical access to your logged in computer has access to all data on it. If you consistently log out of your account, your data are pretty well protected (at least on Windows 10 professional and on Mac with file vault enabled)
  • Thanks, Adam. How do we add something to the wish list?
  • Posting here counts, but adamsmith's point is that we wouldn't implement this, because it would be security theater.
  • Sorry I took so long to see this. Thanks, guys. I assume you're saying we'd be closing the front door and leaving all the windows wide open because of the files on the drive? I will be teaching Zotero several times this year and want to be ready to answer students' questions. So, just so I'm clear...it's not possible for Zotero to lock down the folder where all the files are kept on the hard drive, correct?
  • Yes, exactly. Password-protecting the files on a computer is the responsibility of the operating system, not an individual program.
  • Gotcha. Someone made the point this past weekend that openly readable files might be the thing that saves our work from becoming obsolete when software disappears. We'll still have it in some form. There's an up-side.
  • Even in the unlikely event that the current Zotero project funds go away, the program is free and open access. If Zotero "disappears" the current Zotero program will survive indefinitely. If operating systems radically change and the current Zotero no longer works well, there are enough users who have extraordinary programming talent that I have every confidence that Zotero will continue in some form.
  • That's good to hear. Thanks!
  • I have lost my laptop. So how can I protect my account?
  • @phearounpok: If you weren't using full-disk encryption on your laptop, go to your access key settings and delete all keys, and change your password. Do the same for all other services.
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