Batch File to Gracefully Close AirVPN and Shut down Windows in One Click

[GoodLuckGCHQ 1]

Hello fellow humans ,

Though it's recommended that Eddie is closed manually before shutdown in order to function as intended, it's inconvenient to click the exit button and the confirmation each time I shut down Windows . So, I made a simple batch file to safely close Eddie!

When a user clicks the exit button of any window, Windows sends a WM_CLOSE command to that window. This can also be done through the TASKKILL command, which is kind of a 'please can you close?' request. The effect of TASKKILL is not the same as that of TASKKILL /F, which is a 'force close' command.
 

taskkill /im airvpn.exe
shutdown /s /t 0

 

Copy the code into a text file and save it with a '.bat' extension. Make sure you run it through a shortcut as an administrator and disable 'Exit confirmation prompt' in Eddie. Put it on the start menu for a one-click shutdown! (Actually, thinking about it now, you could probably just put the code in a shortcut and run it that way, without the batch file.)

 

As far as I am aware, Eddie closes all of its child programs automatically when it is closed, so I only need to close the client. My experience with batch files is very limited, so please test this out and let me know if it is indeed safe.

 

Have a good one!

[LZ1 672]

Hello!

 

Hahahaha, there's no limit to human laziness eh? Well done to you . I might just try and test it.

[OpenSourcerer 1435]

You could automate it even further and create a task for this in the task scheduler. I think you don't even need a batch file after this.

[Widon 0]

Wondering why one might want to shut down AirVPN and Windows in one click (boss/spouse/other oversight), and how that alone would be lacking in a case of government search and seizure, I remembered some ideas I had while reading Cryptonomicon a while back.

Spoiler contains plot elements that might be important if you haven't read the book.

There's a mailserver housed in a utility closet rented from a company that specializes in something connected with IT security (I can't remember what). One of the server's owners remotely wipes the server and overwrites it numerous times, but then an EMP pulse shuts down the whole facility, possibly before the hard drive wipe is completed.

I concluded that in a situation like in the book, the ultra paranoid would want their hard drives protected against physical seizure as well as digital intrusion. Assuming the attacker can eventually get access to the facility means the drive(s) need to be installed in some device that will wipe or destroy them mechanically. Ideally this method would be resistant to EMP attacks and grid down scenarios as well. I envisioned several methods involving a large electromagnet powered from a battery bank, but the simplest and cleanest would be powerful magnets mounted around the rim of a large flywheel that's held by a powered solenoid at the top of an angled set of rails. If power fails for any reason, the solenoid turns off and retracts under its spring tension, releasing the flywheel to roll down the rails. Within 30 seconds or so of power down, the flywheel would be lowered into position and spinning above the hard drive.

The only other method I can think of that would be more secure would be a thermite grenade ignited by a similar power down activated device, and all housed in a fireproof enclosure.

Widon

[zhang888 1066]

Physical destruction of evidence might be as bad as evidence. A properly encrypted harddrive is not.

[Widon 0]

Physical destruction of evidence might be as bad as evidence. A properly encrypted harddrive is not.

Oh I hadn't thought of that. A properly encrypted drive is probably more secure as well - I don't know how effective a magnetic wipe really is, though I suppose if I was going to rely on it I'd test it out pretty thoroughly. But it's probably only a practical method in Hollywood.

[GoodLuckGCHQ 1]

Wondering why one might want to shut down AirVPN and Windows in one click (boss/spouse/other oversight), and how that alone would be lacking in a case of government search and seizure, I remembered some ideas I had while reading Cryptonomicon a while back.

Spoiler contains plot elements that might be important if you haven't read the book.

There's a mailserver housed in a utility closet rented from a company that specializes in something connected with IT security (I can't remember what). One of the server's owners remotely wipes the server and overwrites it numerous times, but then an EMP pulse shuts down the whole facility, possibly before the hard drive wipe is completed.

I concluded that in a situation like in the book, the ultra paranoid would want their hard drives protected against physical seizure as well as digital intrusion. Assuming the attacker can eventually get access to the facility means the drive(s) need to be installed in some device that will wipe or destroy them mechanically. Ideally this method would be resistant to EMP attacks and grid down scenarios as well. I envisioned several methods involving a large electromagnet powered from a battery bank, but the simplest and cleanest would be powerful magnets mounted around the rim of a large flywheel that's held by a powered solenoid at the top of an angled set of rails. If power fails for any reason, the solenoid turns off and retracts under its spring tension, releasing the flywheel to roll down the rails. Within 30 seconds or so of power down, the flywheel would be lowered into position and spinning above the hard drive.

The only other method I can think of that would be more secure would be a thermite grenade ignited by a similar power down activated device, and all housed in a fireproof enclosure.

Widon

 

Actually I wasn't considering anything as serious as a raid on my house. I was simply looking for convenience. Does it not bother you that two or three clicks are required to shut down Windows when using AirVPN? I wanted to reduce that number to one.

[GoodLuckGCHQ 1]

I have improved the batch file!

 

taskkill /im airvpn.exe
timeout /t 5
shutdown /s /t 0

 

I noticed that sometimes Windows would shut down too quickly while the AirVPN client was still closing, which would result in the client being forcibly closed. I added a delay before the shutdown to fix this.

 

I considered writing commands to wait until AirVPN closes successfully, and then shut down, but I don't feel it's necessary. Five seconds should be more than enough time. However, if you know how to do this, then please improve the commands. I also think the command window could be made to look pretty with echos and stuff.

 

EDIT: spelling

[techterrain 4]

This is pretty usefull! Will this disengage the network lock so that Windows will not have any problems when it reboots eventually?