VC 1.24 update 2, Not able to interface issue, first issue in over 7 years
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I just upgraded from 1.24 hotfix 1 to 1.24 update 2 and although my drives 'are' mounted, I can not open mounted drives by double clicking from the main VC window. Right clicking the drive and choosing 'open' does nothing either. I have to go to MyComputer to load my drives now. Also, none of the links in the help menu work, only the about link. The home page link on the front of the interface is also not working. The browser won't open.
OS: Windows 7 spk1 / encrypted host drive.
EDIT
I've downgraded from 1.24 update 2 back to 1.24 hotfix 1 and everyting is working again
Last edit: Nick 2019-12-26
No comment on this?
Hopefully the developer will see this thread. Fingers crossed.
@wave-form, @daver4: I can not reproduce the issue on any of my Windows 7 or Windows 10 machines. Tested with both admin and standard users. The change that was made in 1.24-Update2 that can be related to this is for fixing a security vulnerability that can be used by malware to elevate privileges and this change only apply when VeraCrypt is run with admin privileges.
@wave-form: Do you confirm that you are running VeraCrypt as an adminisrtrator ([Administrator] displayed in title bar)? If yes, can you please run VeraCrypt without admin privileges?
In my tests on Windows 7, I have tested the case of launching VeraCrypt with administartive privilges and everything was ok. So definitely, something on @wave-form is causing this side effect.
@wave-form: Can you please share the type of antivirus you are using? If others are affected as well and if all use the same antivirus, this could give a hint of the root cause.
Small explanation: when VeraCrypt is run with administrative privileges (which is not a good idea), we now avoid to execute URLs and open Explorer in the same high privilege context to avoid security issues and rather we use specific Windows API functions to execute URLs and open Explorer in the low privilege context of the user. This way, even if the local user registry is infected, the malware can't use VeraCrypt to elevate privilege.
Hello Mounir IDRASSI
If you mean run as admin (by right clicking the icon and choosing run as admin), I never do that with this program. I only do that when I install programs, exe..ect. I am however running under the windows accout admin user rather then a limmited user in Windows 7. I'll have to install 1.24 update 2 again to see the admin in the title as you mentioned. 1.24 hotfix 1 is installed at the moment, but the title is not displaying anything about admin no matter how I launch the program. I'm assuming the display of admin in the title bar is only displayed in 1.24 update 2?
I have not run an antivirus program in over 6 years. I monitor my ports with TCPview and I never open things in emails. I run script blockers on my browsers and I monitor start up locations in places like the registry, text.ini files, hosts file, just to name a few of many places I keep an eye on. I've never had an issue.
What you said in the last paragraph made sence. But I've never lauched the program usign the admin option in the context menu when you right click an start icon, but I am an admin user under Windows 7 spk1
Last edit: Nick 2020-01-23
@wave-form: I don't know if you managed to test again. Concerning your question, the admin in the title has always been displayed when VeraCrypt is run as an administrator so it is not something new. Thus, if you don't see it with 1.24-Hotfix1, then it should not be displayed with 1.24-Update2.
But I would like you to test again and be sure that issue happens with admin being displayed in the title bar because the modification introduced doesn't run if VeraCrypt is not launched with administrative privileges. Being admin user on Windows 7 was tested here and the issue doesn't occur. Even if we disable UAC in Windows, it works as expected. So, your feedback is important to understand what is happening in your machine.
@wave-form : I have modified the implemenation of the code in question in a way that can probably work in your case. I have uploaded an installer for upcoming 1.24-Update4 to Nightly Builds forlder so if you can test with it that would be helpful, thank you.
Hello Mounir
I just installed the nightly build of 1.24-Update4 installer, and also tested the portable version, 32 and 64 bit. Nothing has changed.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/veracrypt/files/VeraCrypt%20Nightly%20Builds/VeraCrypt%20Setup%201.24-Update4.exe/download
I also saved an desktop icon so I could right click it and choose run as admin (rather then clicking the icon in the windows system tray). I still do not see anything on the title bar mentioned about admin, and I am not able to open my mounted drives from the main VC mount window as I always have been. I can only mount them when I go to MyComputer in windows.
Also, None of the links in the help menu do anything when I click them: Userguild, OnlineHelp, downloads, Contact, Homepage... ect. Nothing works. Why are those links all broke all the sudden? That's a totally different issue.
Also, if I right click the VC icon in my Windows system tray and try to go to the home page from there, nothing happens. All this stuff is broke all the sudden as it was with update 2.
1.24 hotfix 1 is the last version that worked as normal. When I downgraded to hotfix1 two weeks ago, everything worked again. But all these updates have issues. Note: These issues are not a major problem for me, I just wanted to mention it. If you need any other info, or output logs from this computer, I'll provide them to you.
Again, this is Windows 7, Service pack 1 only.
Last edit: Nick 2020-01-23
Tested something else, This is interesting
I created a limited/standard user account under windows and ran VC 1.24 update4. Everything worked as it should, that includes the links, and the mounting in the main window.
Note: I realize that you should not run under an admin account for everyday use, and I can see why you prevented some functions from working as a security prevention to hijacks. But I do a lot of backing up files and I need to run as admin to transfer permissions with programs like FreeFileSync. That's why I run as admin.
Last edit: Nick 2020-01-23