Patent ID: 8850428

Claim:
A computer implemented method for maintaining security of a computing system having a real file directory, comprising directing a processor to perform the actions: defining a virtualized environment within the computing system wherein programs running in the virtual environment are restricted programs that have limited or no access to trusted programs and data residing in the real file directory; defining a virtualized repository within storage resources of the computing system, the virtualized repository comprising a virtualized file directory; whenever a program runs within the virtualized environment, preventing the program from modifying with any computing resources that are residing in the real file directory; whenever a program executing within the virtualized environment attempts to save a file in a designated folder from the real file directory, performing the following operations: if no virtualized folder corresponding to the designated folder exists within the virtualized repository, creating a corresponding virtualized folder inside the virtualized repository, saving the file inside the virtualized folder, and creating a virtual shortcut inside the designated folder in the real file directory, the virtual shortcut pointing to the file inside the virtualized folder; and, if a virtualized folder corresponding to the designated folder exists within the virtualized repository, saving the file inside the virtualized folder, and creating a virtual shortcut inside the designated folder in the real file directory, the virtual shortcut pointing to the file inside the virtualized folder; whereby the program executing within the virtualized environment can find the file in the virtualized directory and a user can find the file in the real file directory; and, further comprising adding a graphical indicia to the virtual shortcut inside the designated folder to indicate that the virtual shortcut points to the file inside the virtual environment.