Security Explorer 4.8

ScriptLogic's Security Explorer 4.8 lets administrators quickly and easily audit and adjust permission attributes for NTFS file systems, registries, and shares on local or remote computers. The program executes fast and displays exactly what you want: directories, files, and their associated permissions.

Important functionality buried in native Windows tools is accessible through Security Explorer's main interface. Through the graphical toolbar or right-click context menu, you can grant, revoke, and clone permissions, set file and folder owners, and search directories for matching permissions.

Security Explorer includes an arsenal of impressive shortcuts and UI efficiencies for viewing and modifying all aspects of permissions. If you're a power user, you'll like being able to set advanced attributes (e.g., list folders, create files, traverse folders) along side the traditional read, write, delete, and take ownership attributes. The Clone feature lets you map one user's or group's permissions to another user or group. To save your complex permission mappings, you can use the Backup feature or the Restore feature.

One of my favorite features is Enterprise Scope, which lets you manage permissions on multiple drives and computers simultaneously. You first create an Enterprise Scope composed of directories or other supported objects on one or more servers in your network. You then grant or revoke permissions from the Enterprise Scope and the permissions are automatically set on all the scope's members.

Security Explorer lets you view or close open files on a system. Other thoughtful shortcuts include being able to rename a user or group, launch Windows Explorer, and map a network drive all from within Security Explorer.

One drawback of this tool is its licensing model. Adding computers to the license is simple, but you must call ScriptLogic to get an authorization code to remove them.

All things considered, Security Explorer performs as a focused niche tool. It's perfect for any administrator who spends time managing file, share, or registry permissions.

—Jeff Fellinge