Windows 10: Important Problem: How To Prevent App From Calling Home?

I keep a lot of site related information including all my logins in Roboform's database - I prefer to keep that on my PC rather than using its cloud version 'Everywhere' - but that has to be available on my PC because it's my means of opening sites and filling login data automatically. It also supports simple notes.

Truecrypt and others:
3 Alternatives to the Now-Defunct TrueCrypt for Your Encryption Needs

 

my choice for many years : a kind of encrypted notepad (a single 400k *.exe which contains programs & text / AES 256)
Steganos LockNote

 

Wow, I definitely appreciate your ideas guys!

 

I use Bitlocker too, but the main disadvantage of Bitlocker is that it's not available on Windows 10 Home edition.

 

Not quite true. I created the Bitlocker USB drive on my Windows Pro PC but I can open the protected drive on my Windows Home laptop.

 

Good tip but how does the security compare to double protection with Bitlocker on the drive and a password on the Word file?

 

Thanks, but I'm using OpenOffice and not Microsoft Word so I don't know if it's possible for me to add a password to the files?

 

Thanks for the replies!

Is it possible for apps to take screenshots of my screen and then upload them back to the app's author on the internet?

How can I prevent this?

 

New problem:

How can I prevent an app like 'OpenOffice' from connecting to the Internet?

I know it connects to the Internet because it tells me that there is a new update available.

 

Hi, if you know the address or domain name it's connecting to then you can block that address/domain name using the Hosts file.
(Use e.g. Bluelife Hosts Editor). (assign it to ip address 127.0.0.1)

Or you can use a firewall rule- best and most straightforward.
How to Create Advanced Firewall Rules in the Windows Firewall
(This is 2012- there's probably a more up to date version)
- or see your own firewall rules if using a different program

Or if there is a specific file you can identify within the program's installation folder which is responsible for the request, you could try renaming that.

 

I'm using the inbuilt Windows 10 Pro firewall and it's the most up to date version.

I'm looking at "Windows Defender Security Centre" now, but I don't see an option to block an app from contacting the Internet?

Thank you!

 

Open 'Windows Defender Security Centre' and click on 'Firewall & network protection', then click the 'Allow an app through the firewall' link on that page. This opens the Control Panel at 'Allowed applications'. Click the 'Change settings' button and you will be able to tick or untick any app listed there.

 

Thanks Bree!

I just searched through the list of apps in "Allowed applications" but I couldn't find the OpenOffice Writer app?

 

More likely to be something to do with the Office suite, not just the Writer. Keep an 'Open' mind.

However, if you're afraid of automatic updates, note these comments (ok it's older, so you'd need to check the current approach) and the means of disabling a check:
How to stop automatic updating (View topic) Apache OpenOffice Community Forum

 

I've searched the list of "Allowed apps and features" multiple times, but I can't see a mention for anything related to "OpenOffice" or "Writer" at all.

Is there another way I can block the app and be 100% sure it can't contact the Internet?