ScreenWings can block malicious programs from taking screenshots
We have talked about quite a few screenshot tools here, the most recent of which is Free Shooter. Let's take a look at a freeware anti-screenshot tool, ScreenWings. First of all, we need to answer a question: why do we need such an application. Short answer, privacy.
There are many kinds of malware out there on the internet, some of which are intended to steal user information. While most target user credentials, i.e., your username and password, low-level malware like screen loggers may capture a screenshot of the content on your monitor and secretly send it to the malware creator.
There is also the case where someone else who has physical access to the system may capture screenshots, or may install software that does so automatically.
So, let's say a screen logger infects your computer, and even if your password is obscured by the password field box, your username which is normally an email address becomes compromised. Well, technically such a malware can take screenshots of other information too, like your email inbox, bank statement, social network, private information and anything you do online. This is the problem that ScreenWings tries to address.
How to use ScreenWings
It is a portable application which means you can carry it with you on a USB Flash drive and use it to secure your data even on a publicly accessible computer. The program does not require administrator privileges to run so any user can use it. Extract the archive that you downloaded, run the EXE and you should see a small pop-up window appear.
This minuscule interface has a monitor icon which has a colorful Windows logo inside it. Click on it: the logo should disappear and the monitor icon should appear black. This means ScreenWings is in anti-screen shot mode. Click on the monitor icon in ScreenWings to disable the protection, and you can resume capturing screenshots as normal.
That's it, how simple was that? There are no settings or menus that you need to tinker with.
Testing the protection
To test whether it blocks screenshots, use the Print Screen key, or Snipping tool or any other tool and it should block the screen capture. When you try to paste the clipboard content after using trying to capture the screenshot, you will see just see a blank screenshot which is black (no text or picture appears). That's the proof you need. This works with all applications, system-wide.
Now for a bit of good news and bad news. The Good news is that ScreenWings has a Ghost mode, which can be used from the Command line. It makes the program run silently in the background without the pop-up and automatically enables the protection. Bad news? It's not available in the free version, which is meant for non-commercial usage.
The program is compatible with Windows 7 and above and runs on basically any hardware. The developer claims that ScreenWings can protect up to six screens, so multi-monitor setups are supported as well.
The application is about 3.28MB in size, and uses about 60MB of RAM, which is quite acceptable for the level of protection that it offers.
Closing Words
ScreenWings is a specialized problem to protect against a special kind of threat. While that means that only some users will find it useful, those who do may use it on any system that runs Windows, even on public computer systems as it does not require elevated rights to run.
Now you: do you use specialized security software?
this apps stopped working since windows 10 updates 20h2 or even 2004 (according to someone worked since 1909)
and moreover now it is not free anymore and you can’t even download it and like i said even if you have previous versions they do not work now with 20h2: you can still screen shot you screen and btw I asked the dev how much it costs he replied to me: sell only for entreprises not individuals lol !
I hate these guys they used us to test ands develop their apps then shut the doors….nvm
Dos this block a hacker fro viewing your screen or just taking screenshots?
ScreenWings Help
https://schiffer.tech/software/screenwings/help.pdf
Requirements
CPU: Any
RAM: 100 MB
SPACE: 5 MB
Privacy Policy | schiffer.tech
https://schiffer.tech/privacy.html
Log Files
The information collected by log files include internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. These are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. The purpose of the information is for analyzing trends, administering the site, tracking users’ movement on the website, and gathering demographic information.
ScreenWings.exe | VirusTotal
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/06a144c4643d3a27d6f6bf304f696a9faae410d1941eed0f3431f3f9cb707350/detection
8 engines detected this file
Hmm…,
The amount of system resources is not small.
Personal information is collected from the log file.
“Detected” from the extracted executable file.
Although it seems a “false positives”, since checksum, signature, and binaries are not disclosed, “Detected” evaluation cannot be judged.
The extracted executable file size:
3.92 MB (4,115,992 bytes)
Why is software being covered that no-one will install because its only use is when the system is already hopelessly compromised? Why not just cover how to lock a system down properly?
Businesses will already block simple things like the printscreen if security is an issue.
And that’s pretty much irrelevant with phones and even smaller devices.
7/60 including “Avira (no cloud)” and “F-Secure” (but not “cylance” for once) at
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/4464c95791d9bfa239f1ef1ba055bc5c68cb085342755bf60173da1f18c431bc/detection
– seems a bit toppy although presumed innocent till proven guilty.
doesn’t work for me ;-)