Secure Virtual Desktop

Secure Virtual Desktop Editor's Review

Secure Virtual Desktop is a piece of software that allows you to enter a temporary ‘Secure’ desktop state, where everything is filtered and anonymous - sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Secure Virtual Desktop is definitely something unusual that I haven’t really seen before.

Secure Virtual Desktop is a single executable that once opened turns your current Windows Desktop into a new desktop environment, where all changes and saves made are discarded, as well as disallowing access to other areas of your system such as Task Manager, Control Panel, USB devices and ‘insecure’ applications. It also automatically enters an InPrivate browsing session within Internet Explorer. Its aim I guess is to essentially disallow any tracing of your activities whilst your Secure session is active. You can easily switch back or end your secure session using the widget on the right hand side of the desktop, which will either take you back to your standard Windows Desktop, or close Secure Virtual Desktop. If you try and run an application inside your Secure Desktop, it’ll either not run at all, of you’ll be displayed with a popup box informing you whether or not the program has been found to be secure, giving you the choice to proceed with its launch or not.

Secure Virtual Desktop is a useful application, however may start to become slightly annoying if you spend a lot of time in your Secure Desktop environment. Because anything you create, change, or save is removed once the session ends, and access to your external drives and devices is prohibited as well as the ability to copy and paste, this could mean that any work you start or edit whilst inside your secure environment may be lost as there appears to be no way to save it. Nothing seems to be able to enter or leave the secure session - brilliant, yet possibly (and most probably) an incredibly unhelpful feature at times.

I can see that Secure Virtual Desktop definitely has some potential - I wouldn't necessarily use it nor recommend it for securing a kiosk or public computer system (even though it really would do a great job) as you can easily and quickly end the session whenever you want. Because you can end the session so quickly, it really only renders Secure Virtual Desktop useable on a home computer, but then again, what use would it be to you on your personal or shared family laptop or desktop? The features found in Secure Virtual Desktop are fantastic, and provide a secure environment to use for whatever you like, however without a more difficult way to end the session, I cannot see the point in installing this software. If, for example, a password could be added and required to end the session, I would hugely reconsider. Overall, Secure Virtual Desktop is great in my opinion, but requires some fine tuning. I’d rate it 8/10.

Secure Virtual Desktop Publisher's Description

Secure Virtual Desktop (SVD) is a desktop isolation solution that creates a secure session in which all data created on the machine is cleared upon exit. All files generated, accessed or modified are put in a secluded layer, ensuring that no existing data on the computer is touched during the session. Inside the tool, you are able to use many existing applications on your computer, access data currently on the machine, and switch between the secure and regular environments.

SVD is a small download that will run on any internet connected Windows PC and requires no installation or registration to use. With the demo available online, you will get a free, 5 minute session to benefit from the features of Secure Virtual Desktop, including a masked IP address to enable private, anonymous browsing.

Whenever you use a computer, whether it is your home laptop, a friend\'s machine, or a public terminal at the airport, library or an internet cafe, many traces of your activity are left behind without you being aware. Even an advanced and competent computer user is likely to leave some evidence of data that could be viewed by the next user of the machine. Secure Virtual Desktop enables you to download and edit files, create new files, and edit existing files, and all changes will be erased when you exit the secure SVD session.

Also use SVD to browse privately and anonymously:
Many records of your activities on the web are stored on your computer and by the sites you visit, both to increase your browsing speed and to deliver relevant content. When you want to remain anonymous, or when accessing sensitive information, use SVD to ensure that these records of your activities aren\'t saved. Using a proxy, SVD masks your IP address so that your activities aren\'t associated with your true identity (as long as you remain logged out of sites like Google). In addition, cookies, browsing history, and additional browser records will be cleared from your computer when you exit SVD.

Free download from Shareware Connection - Secure Virtual Desktop lets you securely access sensitive information on any computer. Browse anonymously and privately and download, edit, and send documents, knowing that all traces of your activity will be removed from the computer when you exit.