Norton Active Protecton vs Password

Llars, sorry but I am not familiar with Norton Active Protection so cannot comment directly on that product.

The key concern with using multiple protection methods is whether there will be any conflict between those methods, i.e. it has never been recommended to have multiple antivirus applications installed and active.

When you create any new Acronis backup tasks, you have the option at that time to encrypt the destination backup archive file by using a strong password, which should definitely be different to any of your Windows passwords.

If you have Windows 10 Pro, then you also have the additional option of encrypting whole drives or partitions using BitLocker too, though by default these will be 'unlocked' when you sign in to the Windows desktop.

The degree of protection needed should reflect the importance of the data being protected, i.e. some very large businesses have being reported as paying the ransom after their data systems were compromised by ransomware, demonstrating that their backup protection schemes were lacking, and in particular, they did not have adequate offline protected backups for critical data!

Protecting your Acronis (or other) backup archives is only one element of this topic!  If the data is very important, then the backup source data and the hosting PC itself needs to be well protected by strong security measures, router firewall protections, PC firewall, antivirus and other security measures / applications, along with a comprehensive backup strategy with a 3-2-1 approach.

Hi Steve,

Thanks for letting me know. I have win 10 pro and have tried Bitlocker, but no more. My configuration with many hard drives both intern and extern made it hard to use.

I have been an it specialist for nearly 50 years now and spite am retired, I like to have my systems up to date with all new possibilities. My question was if active protection would stop any ransom attack and where any risk still would be.

Llars, the Acronis Active Protection is intended to help protect against ransomware attacks but the vulnerability of any such protection lies with the individual user and the decisions / actions they make or take!  The same is true for all antivirus applications, anti malware etc.

If the user overrides any warning messages, opens unsolicited file attachments or clicks through on email or web links, then there is always the possibility of malware getting a foothold and then working away under the covers / behind the scenes quietly compromising any installed security protections!

As a brother IT retiree, there was an old saying about 'practising safe hex!' when I was still working in tech support.

The only truly safe computer is one that is completely disconnected from any networks, and has no I/O ports to allow USB or other media devices to be connected etc.  Only the truly paranoid has such PC's unless working in a top secret type environment with strict physical controls etc! That is if you ignore the potential for hackers 'listening' to electronic sounds or energy that can be detected over the air, through window glass, from drive emissions etc!
(I have worked on devices which were in lead lined cabinets in rooms with no windows etc in some such environments!).

I just run into a problem (or may be not).

I have made some new backups - with password and when I try to open them from File Explorer the passwork will not work.

But when I open Acronis True Image 2018 and move to the backup I can open it and also do restore with the same password.

I think this is strange and must ask if it is normal?

Ps. Thanks again Steve.

Some of my email accounts (those I use on ebay etc.) very often give me spam or worse spite I use both Norton and block ads and have other mailcontrol. I never open these, but I can think children and many others very likely go into problems. A little tip; I never use real firstname in the mailaddress and it's easy to select out "Dear xxxxx" mail.

My backup totality is arranged in 3-4 level where I daily or weekly backup partitions and separately files and folders like documents, pictures, downloads, messages etc. to another intern drive. Next step is copy the last of these backup to different extern disks every month or earlier (not connected else). Third, I have the backups or real copy in two different cloud. These cloud is not daily connected to the computer and use different password from the computers (important). Last I have a laptop with exact the same stuff as the stationary computer and sync now and then. (And for both computers I have "the first day" backup/setup on an extern disk). Overkill as it is only mail and docs thats really important; but for me it is also interesting to investigate possiblities.

I just run into a problem (or may be not).

I have made some new backups - with password and when I try to open them from File Explorer the passwork will not work.

But when I open Acronis True Image 2018 and move to the backup I can open it and also do restore with the same password.

I think this is strange and must ask if it is normal?

That doesn't sound to be normal to me Llars!  I would need to do some testing with my own PC's to check it as I mainly use passwords for my Cloud backups rather than the local ones!

A quick test with ATI 2021 with a password protected backup worked exactly as expected when opened in Explorer and the password was entered.

A further test with ATI 2018 also worked just fine for a password protected backup.

Thanks Steve.

I have to try it once more.

Still not working. It must be some other program / control blocking it. I have tried 2xExplorer but the same problem from there. May be Norton has prevented me from open files with password - or moe likely win 10 pro.

Llars, have you tested the same type of operation with non-password protected backups to confirm it is only the protected files that give the issue?

Hi Steve,

I am a little closer. I tested some new backups with password - and used quite a simple password this time. Then it worked ok in explorer.

Then I tested new backup with same password which let me into trouble, and interesting, it will not work i explorer - only in acronis.

I used both large and small letters, numbers and hashtag. May be explorer don't like hashtag?

That sounds like a possible cause here if the password contains any values that Explorer doesn't pass correctly or has any restrictions (undocumented) regarding characters or length etc.

I think I can live well with a more simple password on acronis backups. Spite it is quite strange that everybody recommend special values in password et seems that explorer don't accept.

The problem is located to microsoft and therefore we can close this thread.

Thanks again Steve for must helpful dialog which made it easier for me to find the solution.

Llars, glad that you have a solution that will work for you!  Has been a pleasure working with you!