How to remove App from Task Manager and Task bar

[sharpharp]

Hi,

I've written an App.exe using Autoit which displays a countdown timer (used to keep users logged in for 30 mins), problem is users can go to Task manager and close the exe, which kind of defeats the object of what I am trying to do. Plus there is an icon in the Taskbar which shows the name of the exe, so its not rocket science to work out the process to close in task manager.

Is there any code within AutoIT which can provide the icon from the Taskbar which my counter is displayed on the screen, and more importantly a way to prevent the user from closing the process from within Task Manager.

Any help would be appreciated.

[JohnOne]

You can hide the icon with

#NoTrayIcon

[sharpharp]

#NoTrayIcon only removes it from the System Tray, I want to remove it from the Task Bar and Task manager

[Melba23]

sharpharp,

If you set the hidden AutoIt window as parent when you create your GUI, the Taskbar button will vanish:

#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>

$hGUI = GUICreate("Test", 500, 500, 100, 100, -1, -1, WinGetHandle(AutoitWinGetTitle()))

GUISetState()

While 1

    Switch GUIGetMsg()
        Case $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
            Exit
    EndSwitch

WEnd

I am not sure you will get told how to hide the app in Task Manager - too many possibilities for others to use the info in nefarious ways!

But you could always have 2 scripts which check on each other and restart the other if it is closed - that might do the trick. There are a number of examples on the forum.

M23

[GEOSoft]

If you are smart, you will remove any reference to hiding something from Task Manager. That is most often used for malicious purposes and M23 is correct in the assumption that you won't get any help with it and it may in fact cause the thread to be locked.

Edited May 28, 2010 by GEOSoft

[Tvern]

You already asked this question here and you already insulted the people trying to give you the same answers as you are getting here.

I know It's not my job to moderate this forum, but I would like to politely request you to leave.

up goes the post count!

[Mobius]

~

Edited March 2, 2011 by Mobius

[Jos]

...., I want to remove it from the Task Bar and Task manager

This is the last time you posted this question here and get away with it.

Reasons are given why this is not open for discussion.

Jos

[sharpharp]

Thanks for your replies, I understand what you are saying, but this is a genuine request.

I added some code to remove the program using $WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW which works, but also hides my display timer window as well :-)

So I don't mind having the window and the taskbar visible, but I would need to hide the exe from the Task Manager, is anyone able to please help to do this with AutoIT? If nobody wants to publish the code, they can just PM me.

Thanks in advance

[Jos]

.... but I would need to hide the exe from the Task Manager, ...

I assume your and my post crossed ... better read it and comply.

There can never be a good reason for it.

Jos

[sharpharp]

I assume your and my post crossed ... better read it and comply.

There can never be a good reason for it.

Jos

Why are you being so nasty? I have clearly explained what i intend to do. To prove it is nothing untoward I have said I am happy to show the user the display window and keep the program visible on the Taskbar, I simply want to prevent them from seeing it in the Task Manager to stop it.

I can't have to two autoit programs watching for each and then restart, because that would reset my timer back to the initial count.

Yes I am aware it is a sensitive subject, but I like AutoIt and I was delighted to even manage to get a timer display which stays on top (thanks to all the members on here), so all I ask for is a bit more help just to help secure my little Timer program from being stopped by my users.

Doubters can check my posts, all completely honourable, all mostly for help with timer and how to secure my program.

If nobody wants to post code on here, thats perfectly fine, but just thought i'd explain myself to all the doubters. If anyone could even just PM or email the code, that would be well appreciated.

Regards,

Sharpy

[SmOke_N]

Why are you being so nasty? I have clearly explained what i intend to do. To prove it is nothing untoward I have said I am happy to show the user the display window and keep the program visible on the Taskbar, I simply want to prevent them from seeing it in the Task Manager to stop it.

I can't have to two autoit programs watching for each and then restart, because that would reset my timer back to the initial count.

Yes I am aware it is a sensitive subject, but I like AutoIt and I was delighted to even manage to get a timer display which stays on top (thanks to all the members on here), so all I ask for is a bit more help just to help secure my little Timer program from being stopped by my users.

Doubters can check my posts, all completely honourable, all mostly for help with timer and how to secure my program.

If nobody wants to post code on here, thats perfectly fine, but just thought i'd explain myself to all the doubters. If anyone could even just PM or email the code, that would be well appreciated.

Regards,

Sharpy

Now for the fun question.

help secure my little Timer program from being stopped by my users

Why would you want to prevent someone on their own pc from stopping something you wrote?

You mentioned security, yet you wish to strip the users security. I can only assume with the term "timers", that you are trying to regulate usage, I'd suggest you think of a smarter way.

Edited May 29, 2010 by SmOke_N

[sharpharp]

Now for the fun question.

Why would you want to prevent someone on their own pc from stopping something you wrote?

You mentioned security, yet you wish to strip the users security. I can only assume with the term "timers", that you are trying to regulate usage, I'd suggest you think of a smarter way.

It is a public access pc, so i wish to limit timed usage per user, and no the pc does not belong to them!!!

It is not logical to you that i want to provide a service which limits time allowed on a pc? So security aspect is to prevent the user from closing my program.

If there was another way I would have done it, but i've spent a long time developing the code for the display timer in AutoIT, so naturally I would want to use the same code to secure my program...

[Jos]

If it is a PC you control and being publicly available you would arrange for the process to run under an account that the general public cannot touch.

Stop contradicting yourself by stating you understand the sensitivity of the subject but are still asking questions about it and then telling me I am being nasty.

Just trying to make live easy here by being clear.

Jos

lets see who's this time going to tell me Iam out of order, unreasonable and arrogant stupid bastard.

[sharpharp]

If it is a PC you control and being publicly available you would arrange for the process to run under an account that the general public cannot touch.

Stop contradicting yourself by stating you understand the sensitivity of the subject but are still asking questions about it and then telling me I am being nasty.

Just trying to make live easy here by being clear.

Jos

lets see who's this time going to tell me Iam out of order, unreasonable and arrogant stupid bastard.

Not possible, there is no generic account on the PC. Users login with their own Active Directory Account. I run my display timer script via the Group Policy Logon script, so the user gets it when they login. They simply see the name of the file in the Taskbar, then hit CTRL ALT DEL and bingo, they kill the exe there and then. So that is the whole premis behind this.

Dunno why the doubters still making excuses to bash me. Just came here for some help is all :-(

[Jos]

Not possible, there is no generic account on the PC. Users login with their own Active Directory Account. I run my display timer script via the Group Policy Logon script, so the user gets it when they login. They simply see the name of the file in the Taskbar, then hit CTRL ALT DEL and bingo, they kill the exe there and then. So that is the whole premis behind this.

Dunno why the doubters still making excuses to bash me. Just came here for some help is all :-(

Anything is possible when you give these domain users just "User" or "Power User" rights and have a process running as Service with Admin rights.

Again, we do not like these type of topic discussed in much detail as it will be misused by pranks that want to write a quick and dirty malicious script.

So, I am not doubting your intentions but we simply do not want to have discussions on these type of subject in our forums for the stated reason.

Jos

[Melba23]

sharpharp,

They simply see the name of the file in the Taskbar

I have already shown you how to remove the TaskBar button and suggested a way to get 2 scripts overseeing each other to prevent their closure - did you read it? You know how to remove the Systray icon. That should be enough for most users.

And if your users do get round all that, then what makes you think that your script would survive their attentions in any event? The best you can hope for is to limit the less well-informed patrons - the experienced ones will beat whatever you put in there - if you do not do as Jos suggested.

M23

[JohnOne]

I cant fathom exactly your setup for needing such a thing but here are a few suggestions

Have your script running from a remote PC and log the user off from it.

Have a dummy script in your systray, and the true process with your script renemed to something apt.

Smack them on the back of the head with a ruler after 30 mins.

[KaFu]

Maybe the MS SteadyState solution is something for you...

[joakim]

I think it's safe to say the simple answer is to install system wide api hooks. However, it is not so simple to create such a thing.

The malicious potential is of course huge, because it basically is something that the rootkits depend on. This forum obviously don't want recipes for such being the hot topics around here.

Joakim