Can the page file be read?

[Britton30]

Since there is much discussion of overwriting the pagefile.sys I am wondering is there a way to read its contents?

I'd also like to view contents of thumbs.db (I think) just to see what if any info is stored in them.

 

[pincushion]

I think any Hex Editor would read the pagefile as long as it could handle the length. I like Directory Snoop for the many things that it can do and this is certainly one of its functions. Probably plenty of free hex editors about. Will have to have admin access though. Not much use for mine though since it is encrypted, lol.

 

[Britton30]

A hex editor?

 

[Ztruker]

I use X2 Programmers Editor. It has a hex (hexadecimal) mode. I don't know if Windows will allow you to look at pagefile.sys though.

 

[Britton30]

Ok, thanks Rich, I'll try it out even though I don't know what I'm doing.

 

[A Guy]

Thumbs.db viewer and cleaner

A Guy

 

[pincushion]

Just had a look on my system - I have a Hex Editor - HxD - and this will not allow me to open pagefile.sys but Directory Snoop does - not sure why since I run as admin and I presume I installed HxD to run with admin privileges.

PS I can recommend Directory Snoop although it is not free. Does all sorts of goodly things.

:huh:

 

[Britton30]

Rich: The X2 software had no option for .sys files during install and I can't find it on my system.

Bill: Thanks Ghacks looks useful if I could find the download for them.

pincushion: I'm not wanting to pay for anything, just curious.

Thanks y'all!

 

[Ztruker]

There is no actual installation for the X2 editor. You just unzip stuff then add a few environment variables and change the PATH. See here: X2 Editor General Information

Curious, why do you want to look at pagefile.sys?

 

[A Guy]

Lol, Gary, blue text in the article if you mean Thumbnail Database Viewer

System utilities, password recovery and network tools, miscellaneous software with source code

There is no actual installation for the X2 editor. You just unzip stuff then add a few environment variables and change the PATH. See here: X2 Editor General Information

Curious, why do you want to look at pagefile.sys?

Think you answered your own question

A Guy

 

[Britton30]

There is no actual installation for the X2 editor. You just unzip stuff then add a few environment variables and change the PATH. See here: X2 Editor General Information

Curious, why do you want to look at pagefile.sys?

Yup, that's it just curious. That stuff is all foreign to me and it look like it was made in 98/XP days.

Lol, Gary, blue text in the article if you mean Thumbnail Database Viewer

System utilities, password recovery and network tools, miscellaneous software with source code

Think you answered your own question

A Guy

Thanks Bill call me slow.

 

[logicearth]

Nothing to really see, all you will get is what appears to random data on one side, series of hexadecimal numbers on the other. Opening any binary file would get you the same results.

 

[Britton30]

I'm still wondering then why some security experts recommend either deleting it or encrypting it if indeed it can't be read to gain any personal info or account numbers, etc? I have always read that the pagefile contains all this personal data.

 

[logicearth]

I did not say it could not be read. It requires experience to be able to fully understand what one is seeing with a hex editor. In reality, if an attack can read a pagefile then they can read everything else on the system. Its really not that big of a deal to get all paranoid about it. Reading the pagefile is not something that is easy. Physical access to the computer would be required in most cases.

 

[Layback Bear]

Once the Virus Fox gets in the Windows 7 Chicken House and is sniffing around for Page File Chicks it's to late. It's time to break out the big Anti Gun, loading it with updates and shoot the Virus Fox.

 

[Britton30]

I guess I was misunderstood. I'm not paranoid about the pagefile, just curious about what data it really contains to see if it is worth the extra boot times to overwrite it.

Oh yeah, I have a few Anti guns for Virus Fox. My henhouse has no chicks anymore though, just an old bird.

 

[logicearth]

It can contain whatever your memory (RAM) can contain...

 

[pincushion]

All this discussion is besides the point. If your computer is stolen then there might be information in the pagefile of use to a criminal. The software that LEA's use to get at this information is often pirated and so it might be wise to take precautions - just as it is with ANY personal data - don't leave it lying around to be pilfered. Theft is not going to happen? Nice philosophy for life but hardly prudent.

:huh:

 

[Britton30]

I don't think it is besides the point at all. It's just a matter of my own curiosity. My computer is a 50 pound desktop so I'm not leaving it laying around.

 

[logicearth]

Furthermore, if your laptop is stolen do you honestly think someone would care enough to pull fragments of your personal information that may or may not be contained in the pagefile when they now have unrestricted access to your personal information stored on the computer in full. Or passwords stored in the browsers log in cache. Why would they bother with the pagefile? (BTW, encryption keys are already protected from being paged out in the first place, they will not be contained in the pagefile.)