MojoPac
Encyclopedia
MojoPac is an application virtualization
product from RingCube Technologies. MojoPac turns any USB 2.0 storage device, into a portable computing environment. The term "MojoPac" is used by the company to refer to the software application, the virtualized environment running inside this software, and the USB storage device that contains the software and relevant applications. MojoPac supports popular applications such as Firefox and Microsoft Office
, and it is also high performance enough to run popular PC Games such as World of Warcraft
and Half-Life 2
.
, Adobe Photoshop
, Firefox
) on the portable storage device by simply running the installer inside this environment. The user can switch between the host environment and the MojoPac environment by using the MojoBar at the top of the screen. Once the user is done with the applications, they just exit out of MojoPac and eject the USB device.
To run the applications on a different computer, the user does not need to reinstall the application. The user can plug the portable storage device into any Windows XP
computer. All the user's settings, applications, and documents function the same irrespective of which computer the portable storage device is connected to. The computer does not need any special applications or drivers installed to use MojoPac, although administrator rights are required if "MojoPac Usher" has not been installed on the host PC.
When the portable storage device is disconnected from the computer, there is no personal information left behind on the computer.
software such as FreeOTFE
or TrueCrypt
to provide any desired strong encryption
and plausible deniability
(just as Windows XP can). A MojoPac device secured using this type of software is reasonably safe in the case of theft.
Because of the virtualization performed by MojoPac, applications running inside the MojoPac environment cannot (generally) modify the host. For example, all the browsing history for Internet Explorer
and other browsers are stored on the USB device rather than the host. Similarly, if a malicious program tries to delete the C:\Windows directory inside MojoPac, the files on the USB device are deleted, but the files on the host machine will remain. However, it is possible for a user to modify MojoPac's system files, which are then reflected to the same system files of the host PC, so the current level of isolation between the virtual environment and the host PC is not as strong as provided by full machine virtualization technologies like VMware. RingCube has stated this is a known bug which will be addressed in a future version of MojoPac.
Application Virtualization
Application virtualization is an umbrella term that describes software technologies that improve portability, manageability and compatibility of applications by encapsulating them from the underlying operating system on which they are executed. A fully virtualized application is not installed in...
product from RingCube Technologies. MojoPac turns any USB 2.0 storage device, into a portable computing environment. The term "MojoPac" is used by the company to refer to the software application, the virtualized environment running inside this software, and the USB storage device that contains the software and relevant applications. MojoPac supports popular applications such as Firefox and Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is a non-free commercial office suite of inter-related desktop applications, servers and services for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, introduced by Microsoft in August 1, 1989. Initially a marketing term for a bundled set of applications, the first version of...
, and it is also high performance enough to run popular PC Games such as World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
and Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
.
Usage
To initially setup the MojoPac device, the user runs the installer and selects a USB device attached to the system. Once MojoPac is installed, it creates an executable in the root of that device along with an autorun file that gives the user the option of starting the MojoPac environment automatically when the device is plugged in (subject to how the host PC is configured). Once this application is started, a new Windows Desktop (with its own wallpaper, icons, shell, etc.) is started up in the virtualized MojoPac environment. Any application that runs inside this environment runs off the USB device without affecting the filesystem of the host. A user installs most applications (including Microsoft OfficeMicrosoft Office
Microsoft Office is a non-free commercial office suite of inter-related desktop applications, servers and services for the Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, introduced by Microsoft in August 1, 1989. Initially a marketing term for a bundled set of applications, the first version of...
, Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems Incorporated.Adobe's 2003 "Creative Suite" rebranding led to Adobe Photoshop 8's renaming to Adobe Photoshop CS. Thus, Adobe Photoshop CS5 is the 12th major release of Adobe Photoshop...
, Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...
) on the portable storage device by simply running the installer inside this environment. The user can switch between the host environment and the MojoPac environment by using the MojoBar at the top of the screen. Once the user is done with the applications, they just exit out of MojoPac and eject the USB device.
To run the applications on a different computer, the user does not need to reinstall the application. The user can plug the portable storage device into any Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
computer. All the user's settings, applications, and documents function the same irrespective of which computer the portable storage device is connected to. The computer does not need any special applications or drivers installed to use MojoPac, although administrator rights are required if "MojoPac Usher" has not been installed on the host PC.
When the portable storage device is disconnected from the computer, there is no personal information left behind on the computer.
Requirements
- Requires Windows XP Home or Pro; Windows 2000 is not supported, though Vista in planned to be supported in the near future http://www.mojopac.com/forum/showthread.php?t=683
- Requires Administrator access. A special version, MojoPac Usher, can be run in Universities or other locked down environments if the administrator is present to log in once http://www.mojopac.com/portal/content/products/usher.jsp. A Limited User version is under development. http://www.mojopac.com/portal/content/how/requirements.jsp
Security
MojoPac does not include features to encrypt the data on the USB drive, but does have a password protection system that prevents a person from starting up the MojoPac environment. All the files on the USB drive do not have any additional encryption, which is problematic if the MojoPac device is lost. However, this is no different from a default Windows XP installation and MojoPac can be used together with OTFEOTFE
On-the-fly encryption , also known as Real-time Encryption, is a method used by some encryption programs, for example, disk encryption software...
software such as FreeOTFE
FreeOTFE
FreeOTFE is an open source on-the-fly disk encryption computer program for PCs running Microsoft Windows, and personal digital assistants running Windows Mobile . It creates virtual drives, or disks, to which anything written is automatically encrypted before being stored on a computer's hard or...
or TrueCrypt
TrueCrypt
TrueCrypt is a software application used for on-the-fly encryption . It is free and open source. It can create a virtual encrypted disk within a file or encrypt a partition or the entire storage device .- Operating systems :TrueCrypt supports Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and...
to provide any desired strong encryption
Encryption
In cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the process is encrypted information...
and plausible deniability
Plausible deniability
Plausible deniability is, at root, credible ability to deny a fact or allegation, or to deny previous knowledge of a fact. The term most often refers to the denial of blame in chains of command, where upper rungs quarantine the blame to the lower rungs, and the lower rungs are often inaccessible,...
(just as Windows XP can). A MojoPac device secured using this type of software is reasonably safe in the case of theft.
Because of the virtualization performed by MojoPac, applications running inside the MojoPac environment cannot (generally) modify the host. For example, all the browsing history for Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer
Windows Internet Explorer is a series of graphical web browsers developed by Microsoft and included as part of the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, starting in 1995. It was first released as part of the add-on package Plus! for Windows 95 that year...
and other browsers are stored on the USB device rather than the host. Similarly, if a malicious program tries to delete the C:\Windows directory inside MojoPac, the files on the USB device are deleted, but the files on the host machine will remain. However, it is possible for a user to modify MojoPac's system files, which are then reflected to the same system files of the host PC, so the current level of isolation between the virtual environment and the host PC is not as strong as provided by full machine virtualization technologies like VMware. RingCube has stated this is a known bug which will be addressed in a future version of MojoPac.
See also
- Comparison of application launchersComparison of application launchers- Windows :- Linux :- Mac OS X :Although arguable, some consider desktop search tools to be application launchers as well, given their ability to quickly find and launch indexed applications. Such desktop search tools able to launch applications as well include Spotlight or Google Desktop...
- vDeskRingCube vDeskRingCube vDesk is a Desktop virtualization product from RingCube Technologies. vDesk is a client virtualization or virtual workspace platform which virtualizes the entire desktop at an operating system level...
- a similar product produced by RingCube - Portable application creatorsPortable application creatorsPortable application creators allow the creation of portable applications . They usually use application virtualization.- Creators of independent portable applications :...
- Windows To GoWindows To GoWindows To Go is a feature in Windows 8 that allows the entire system to run from USB mass storage devices such as flash drives and external hard drives....
External links
- MojoPac
- The Wall Street Journal - Turning Another Computer Into Your Own
- Lifehacker - Build your 'PC on a stick' with Mojopac
- Security Now Episode about Mojopac
- Leo LaporteLeo LaporteLéo Gordon Laporte is an Emmy Award winning, American technology broadcaster, author, and entrepreneur. A former resident of Providence, Rhode Island, he now lives in Petaluma, California with his wife Jennifer and two children, Abby and Henry....
and Steve Gibson discuss Mojopac in the Security NowSecurity NowSecurity Now! is a weekly podcast hosted by Leo Laporte and Steve Gibson. The first episode was released on 19 August 2005.Released each Thursday, Security Now! consists of a discussion between Gibson and Laporte of issues of computer security and, conversely, insecurity...
podcast - A Detailed Article about MojoPac