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Security: Rulesmash/TempCleaner

Security

SECURITY.md

Security Policy

Supported versions

Version Supported
2.0.x Yes
1.x No (legacy; replaced by 2.0)

What TempCleaner is

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.

Threat model (local delete)

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

Residual risks (users should understand)

  • 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.json or 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.

What we intentionally do not claim

  • Secure multi-user isolation beyond normal Windows ACLs
  • Protection if an attacker already has full control of your user session
  • Soft-delete recovery paths

Reporting a vulnerability

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:

  1. Private contact via the maintainer channels listed on GitHub (profile / security advisory if enabled).
  2. 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.

Safe testing

  • Use disposable directories and pytest tmp_path fixtures.
  • Never aim automated tests at real C:\Windows\* contents.
  • Prefer --scan / --dry-run when exploring on a real machine.

There aren't any published security advisories