| Version | Supported |
|---|---|
| 2.0.x | Yes |
| 1.x | No (legacy; replaced by 2.0) |
TempCleaner is a local Windows utility that permanently deletes files under a fixed set of allowlisted temp/cache paths. It is not a network service and does not sync data to the cloud.
| Area | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Destructive action | Permanent delete of children under allowlisted roots (not Recycle Bin) |
| Guardrails | GUI confirm + acknowledgment; CLI requires --yes; path allowlists; forbidden roots |
| Scheduled clean | Trusted path with no interactive confirm; only when enabled in settings; heavily logged |
| Privileges | Optional UAC elevation for system locations; elevation is explicit |
| Network | Optional GitHub Releases API check only; no telemetry, no auto-download of updates |
| Logging | Local log files under %AppData%\TempCleaner\logs\ may contain paths |
- Permanent delete cannot be undone via Recycle Bin.
- Running elevated increases what can be deleted under system targets.
- Enabling scheduled clean + elevated targets without reviewing selection can delete caches unattended.
- Malicious modification of
settings.jsonor the scheduled task command could change what runs — protect your user account and review Task Scheduler entries named TempCleaner Scheduled Clean. - Locked files fail with skip/error rather than elevating automatically mid-clean.
- Secure multi-user isolation beyond normal Windows ACLs
- Protection if an attacker already has full control of your user session
- Soft-delete recovery paths
Please do not open a public issue for security vulnerabilities that could enable unexpected mass deletion, privilege abuse, or path-escape beyond allowlists.
Prefer one of:
- Private contact via the maintainer channels listed on GitHub (profile / security advisory if enabled).
- If a private channel is unavailable, open a GitHub issue without exploit detail and request a private follow-up.
Include:
- TempCleaner version
- Windows version
- Description of the issue and impact
- Minimal reproduction steps
- Whether admin elevation is required
We will acknowledge reports as capacity allows and coordinate a fix before public disclosure when practical.
- Use disposable directories and pytest
tmp_pathfixtures. - Never aim automated tests at real
C:\Windows\*contents. - Prefer
--scan/--dry-runwhen exploring on a real machine.