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Project Title: Build a Windows Desktop Privacy & Sensitive-Data File Scanner I need an experienced Windows software developer/team to build a professional desktop application that scans a computer deeply and identifies files containing sensitive or confidential information. The application must work mainly locally/offline, so customer documents do not need to be uploaded to external servers. The software must inspect the actual contents of files, not only filenames. Core Purpose The app should help businesses discover forgotten or exposed sensitive information such as: - Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) - Bank/account numbers - Credit card numbers - Passport/driver licence numbers - Dates of birth - Names, addresses, phone numbers, emails - Health information - Employee/customer information - Tax-related information - User-defined confidential keywords/patterns Deep Scanning The application must scan: - Entire drives - Selected folders - Deeply nested folders - Hidden files/folders - System folders where permissions allow - USB/external drives - Network/shared drives where authorized The program must never silently skip files. Each discovered file should receive a status: - Successfully scanned - Access denied - Password protected - Encrypted - Unsupported - Corrupted - Locked - Skipped with reason File Types Minimum support: - PDF - DOC/DOCX - XLS/XLSX - TXT - CSV - RTF - PPT/PPTX - JPG/JPEG - PNG - TIFF - BMP - ZIP Preferred additional support: - EML - MSG - PST - 7Z/RAR Images/scanned documents should use OCR when required. Sensitive-Data Detection Use appropriate combinations of: - Regular expressions - Checksum validation - Named Entity Recognition - Local AI/NLP if useful Custom detection rules must be supported. Example: "CLIENT-12345678" or “CONFIDENTIAL ACQUISITION” False positives should be minimized. Exact File Location When sensitive information is detected, the app should show: - File name - Full path - File type - Created/modified date - Sensitive-data category - Risk level - Exact PDF page where possible - Excel sheet/cell where possible - Text line/paragraph where possible - Masked evidence preview Example: Type: SIN File: "C:\Clients\Client123\[login to view URL]" Page: 7 Preview: "*** *** 123" Risk: High Buttons: - Open File - Open Folder - Mark Reviewed - False Positive - Ignore File - Ignore Folder Local Privacy Default mode must keep files on the customer’s computer. No document uploads to external AI/cloud services unless explicitly enabled in a future version. Any external APIs/libraries must be disclosed. The application should clearly show: Local Scan – Documents remain on this computer Performance The app may need to process: - 10,000 files - 100,000 files - 500,000 files - 1,000,000+ files It must not load everything into RAM. Include performance modes: Low Impact – computer remains usable Normal – balanced Overnight/Maximum – faster scanning Allow control of: - CPU usage - Worker threads - Disk activity where practical Pause / Resume Mandatory. Scan progress must be saved continuously. If a scan stops at 60% because of shutdown/restart/crash, reopening the application must allow: Resume Previous Scan It should continue rather than restart from zero. Previously scanned unchanged files should not need complete rescanning. Use file metadata/hash where appropriate. Dashboard Display: - Total files discovered - Files scanned - Files remaining - Completion % - Current location - Scan speed - Findings count - Access denied - Encrypted/password protected - Unsupported/corrupted files Search & Filters Filter findings by: - Risk level - Data type - File type - Folder - Date - File age - Hidden/non-hidden - Duplicate/non-duplicate - Reviewed/not reviewed Duplicate Detection Identify exact duplicate sensitive files using file hashes. Example: “This passport scan exists in 6 different folders.” Old Sensitive Files Allow the user to flag sensitive files older than: - 2 years - 5 years - 7 years - 10 years - Custom period The software should only flag them for review, not claim they legally must be deleted. Folder Permissions Where technically possible, inspect Windows folder/file permissions. Example: Sensitive file located in folder accessible by 35 users Flag as: Potential broad-access exposure Do not automatically classify this as a legal violation. Quarantine Allow users to move selected files to a quarantine folder. Requirements: - User confirmation required - Record original location - Record new location - Audit log - No automatic deletion Review Actions Allow: - Reviewed - Accepted - False positive - Needs action - Ignored - Notes/comments Users should also be able to create ignore rules for specific folders/files/patterns. Reporting Export professional reports to: - PDF - Excel - CSV Reports should include: - Total files scanned - High/medium/low findings - Duplicates - Old sensitive files - Permission exposures - Files not successfully scanned - Top risky folders - Data categories detected Full sensitive values should be masked. Before/After Comparison If the customer performs another scan after cleanup, show: - Previous findings - Current findings - Removed findings - New findings - Remaining findings - Percentage reduction Audit Log Record: - Scan started/stopped/resumed - Finding reviewed - File quarantined - Ignore rule created - Report exported Include date/time. Local Database Use SQLite or similar embedded database. Store: - File metadata - Scan status - Hash - Findings - Review status - Scan history Do NOT store unnecessary complete copies of customer documents. Security Requirements: - No hard-coded passwords - No hidden uploads/telemetry - Mask sensitive previews - Secure handling of temporary files - Delete temporary extraction files when no longer required Installer Final product must include: - Windows installer - Uninstaller - Application version - App icon - Installation documentation Acceptance Testing I will independently test the program before final payment. I will create test folders with thousands of files containing fake sensitive information known only to me. Tests may include: - Fake SIN inside PDF - Fake banking information inside DOCX - Sensitive value inside XLSX - Hidden file - Deeply nested folder - Image requiring OCR - ZIP containing sensitive file - Password-protected file - Corrupted file The developer will NOT know which files contain test information. Readable/supported test files must be detected. Unreadable files must appear clearly in the “not scanned” report. Restart Test I will: 1. Start a large scan 2. Stop/restart the computer before completion 3. Reopen the application The program must resume the previous scan instead of starting again from zero. Performance Test Low Impact Mode will be tested while Chrome, Word, video and other normal applications are running. I understand zero resource use is impossible, but the computer should remain reasonably usable. Deliverables I require: - Finished Windows application - Installer - Full source code - Build instructions - Database schema - Dependency/library list - Technical documentation I must have the legal right to commercially use, modify and sell the finished application. All third-party libraries and licences must be disclosed. Development Milestones Suggested milestones: 1. Deep file crawler + file-status logging 2. PDF/Office/image content extraction 3. Sensitive-data detection 4. Findings UI + exact file location 5. Performance throttling + pause/resume 6. Duplicate/age/permissions analysis 7. Reports + audit log 8. Installer, testing, source-code delivery Final payment only after acceptance testing. Developer Requirements Please apply if you have experience with: - Windows desktop development - Large filesystem scanning - PDF/Office parsing - OCR - SQLite/local databases - Multithreading - Windows permissions - Performance optimization - Local NLP/AI - Privacy/security software IMPORTANT — Answer These Questions Please include: 1. Programming language/framework you recommend 2. How you will scan 1,000,000 files efficiently 3. How you will prevent excessive slowdown 4. How pause/resume after restart will work 5. How hidden files will be scanned 6. How PDF/DOCX/XLSX content will be extracted 7. Which OCR engine you will use 8. How sensitive information will be detected 9. Whether any files ever leave the computer 10. How duplicates will be detected 11. How Windows permissions will be inspected 12. Which file types are difficult to support 13. Third-party libraries and their commercial licences 14. Confirmation that full source code will be provided 15. Fixed-price estimate and development timeline 16. Examples of similar work Generic proposals that do not answer these questions may not be considered. Please provide your proposed architecture, fixed price, timeline, milestones and similar previous work.
Project ID: 40736228
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98 freelancers are bidding on average $236 CAD for this job

Hey As per description, I have excellent experience building Windows scanning apps with multithreaded crawling, local databases, and pattern-based sensitive data detection. C# with .NET/WPF for filesystem access, multithreading, and Office/PDF parsing. Producer-consumer crawler streaming paths in batches, never loading full list into memory. Configurable thread caps and I/O throttling per mode, file hashes skip unchanged files on rescans. Progress saved continuously to SQLite, restart resumes from last saved point, not zero. Hidden/system files read via .NET file APIs with elevated permissions where allowed, denials logged. PDF via PdfPig/iText, DOCX/XLSX via OpenXML SDK, content read directly without needing Office. Tesseract OCR for images and scanned PDFs, commercial-friendly license. Regex plus checksum validation for SIN/card/account numbers, local NER model for names/addresses, fully offline. No, nothing leaves the machine, all storage stays local in SQLite. SHA-256 hashing flags exact duplicate files. Windows ACL inspection via .NET security APIs flags broad-access folders. Encrypted PST/7Z and corrupted files are hardest, flagged clearly. iText, OpenXML SDK (MIT), Tesseract (Apache 2.0), disclosed with licensing. Yes, full source code delivered. Scope is large, want to align on milestones before a fixed number. Happy to share relevant work in the technical conversation. Plesae ping to discuss the requirement timeframe and the budget also. Thanks!!!
$250 CAD in 7 days
6.9
6.9

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Build a Windows Desktop Privacy & Sensitive-Data File Scanner ❇️ Hi My Friend, I hope you're doing well. I've reviewed your project requirements and see you are looking for a Windows desktop application that scans for sensitive data. You have no need to look any further; Zohaib is here to help you! My team has successfully completed 50+ similar projects for data privacy applications. I will use efficient scanning methods, ensuring your documents remain secure and local. ➡️ Why Me? I can easily build your Windows desktop application as I have 5 years of experience in software development, specializing in sensitive data scanning, file handling, and user interface design. My expertise includes Windows application development, database management, and performance optimization. I have a strong grip on other relevant technologies, ensuring a comprehensive approach to your project. ➡️ Let's have a quick chat to discuss your project in detail. I can show you samples of my previous work and how I can meet your needs effectively. Looking forward to discussing this with you in chat. ➡️ Skills & Experience: ✅ Windows Desktop Development ✅ Large Filesystem Scanning ✅ PDF/Office File Parsing ✅ Optical Character Recognition (OCR) ✅ SQLite/Local Databases ✅ Multithreading ✅ Performance Optimization ✅ Data Privacy/Security Software ✅ User Interface Design ✅ Regular Expressions ✅ Named Entity Recognition ✅ Audit Logging Waiting for your response!
$150 CAD in 2 days
6.1
6.1

As someone who has been deep-dive computing for years, I can say, without self-aggrandizement, that this project is fittingly tailored for me. Throughout my career, I've developed and maintained a wide variety of SaaS platforms and websites while consciously prioritizing user data privacy. My deep understanding of Windows architecture and capability to build offline-capable applications have allowed me to deliver high-quality software on tight schedules. Given your project’s scope and complexity, I offer specialized skills needed to search and filter data with precision. With LLM-powered engines including LangChain, LangGraph and RAG at disposal, I can ensure your app maintains a high-precision detection ratio coupled with the minimal false-positive output. Moreover, my use experience in building scalable web applications enables me to manage the increasingly large volume of file processing your program may require without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
$100 CAD in 3 days
5.2
5.2

I can do it
$140 CAD in 7 days
5.6
5.6

Hi, there. "WINDOWS PRIVACY DATA SCANNER" - you need a local-first scanner that can inspect large file sets, detect sensitive data accurately, and resume safely after interruption. I recommend C#/.NET + SQLite with parallel filesystem scanning, bounded workers and persistent scan states for 1M+ files. I can handle PDF/Office extraction, local OCR, regex/checksum detection, hidden files, duplicates, Windows permissions, pause/resume, performance throttling and masked findings. All document processing can remain fully local, with source code, installer, documentation and dependency licences included. Can you share a small representative test dataset so I can confirm the extraction and OCR approach? Looking forward to working with you.
$30 CAD in 1 day
4.8
4.8

Hi there, I see you're looking for a comprehensive Windows desktop application to scan for sensitive data across various file types. I recommend using C# with .NET for this project, as it will allow efficient file handling and deep filesystem access. I can implement the deep scanning capabilities you've outlined, ensuring that documents remain local with no uploads to external servers. I'll utilize regular expressions and potentially local NLP techniques to minimize false positives while effectively detecting sensitive content. Your requirement for features like paused/resumed scans and a robust reporting system aligns perfectly with my past experience in Windows desktop development. Happy to discuss the details and propose the best approach for your requirements. Regards, Ali
$30 CAD in 1 day
4.3
4.3

Greetings, I've read through your project requirements, and it’s clear you need a robust Windows desktop application that can thoroughly scan for sensitive information without compromising user privacy. My approach would involve developing a deep file crawler that efficiently examines all specified file types, utilizing advanced techniques like regular expressions and potentially local AI to minimize false positives. With my experience in Windows desktop development, large filesystem scanning, and handling OCR, I can ensure the application performs well even with substantial data sets. I’ll make sure the app can pause and resume scans effectively, while maintaining a user-friendly interface that includes detailed reporting for the findings. I believe this project aligns perfectly with my skills, and I’m excited about the opportunity to work on it. Best regards, Saba Ehsan
$100 CAD in 3 days
4.3
4.3

Hello, there Your restart test is where most scanners fail: progress must be saved per file, not per folder or at the end. 1. C# on .NET 10 with WPF, SQLite in WAL mode. 2. Streamed enumeration, never listing all files in memory; a bounded queue feeds worker threads; results batch-written to SQLite. 3. Low Impact runs below-normal CPU and low I/O priority with fewer workers. 4. Every file's status is committed as it finishes; resume continues pending files, skipping unchanged ones by size and modified date. 5. Enumeration skips no attributes; hidden and system files included, access denied logged. 6. PdfPig for PDF, Open XML SDK for DOCX/XLSX/PPTX, NPOI for legacy DOC/XLS. 7. Tesseract, fully local. 8. Regex plus checksums (Luhn for SIN and cards), context keywords, custom rules. 9. No file ever leaves the computer. 10. SHA-256, only for same-size files with findings. 11. Windows ACLs read and groups expanded to count users. 12. PST, MSG, RAR and password-protected files are hardest. 13. PdfPig, Tesseract, NPOI: Apache 2.0; Open XML SDK: MIT. All commercial-safe. 14. Full source code, yes. 15. Fixed price and milestones in chat. 16. I build Windows desktop applications in .NET against SQL Server. 1. Windows 10 and 11 only? 2. Network drives needed in phase 1? 3. Selling to accountants and law firms? Thank you. Ankit
$170 CAD in 3 days
4.4
4.4

Regex based sensitive data detection plus OCR for scanned files is the part that trips people up, false positives pile up fast if the patterns aren't tuned. I would use C# with SQLite to log scan results and store match rules separately so you can tune them later without touching code. Can start today, working scanner in 4 days. Budget and timeline here are based on the post alone. Once we go over which file types and data patterns actually matter, the numbers may shift. Want me to send a quick scope doc so we can get moving?
$150 CAD in 12 days
3.9
3.9

Hi, This privacy scanner requires a reliable first milestone: a Windows-native foundation that can crawl large file systems, preserve scan status, and clearly report inaccessible or unsupported files without exposing document contents. I would recommend C#/.NET with SQLite, a producer-consumer scanning pipeline, incremental metadata and hashing, cancellation-safe checkpoints, and configurable worker throttling. PDF, Office, archive, and image extraction can be isolated behind format-specific services, with local OCR and masked findings designed around offline operation. Similar work includes privacy-sensitive applications involving local data processing, API boundaries, structured findings, and audit-oriented workflows. The architecture would leave clear extension points for detection rules, duplicate analysis, permissions, reporting, and review actions. I propose delivering the crawler, status database, resumable scan engine, and initial installer-ready desktop shell within seven days, with documentation and a practical milestone handoff. Full source ownership and dependency disclosure can be included. Best regards, Bohdan
$250 CAD in 7 days
4.0
4.0

Hi, I build Windows desktop tools with local SQLite storage, multithreaded crawlers, and offline content extraction. For this scanner I would use C# .NET with a streaming file walker, metadata and hash checks, and resumable scan state so a restart continues instead of restarting. PDF, Office, image OCR, and archive parsing feed regex, checksum, and local NLP detection, with masked previews and exact page, sheet, or line locations. Findings, duplicates, age flags, permission notes, audit logs, and PDF or Excel reports stay on the machine. Full source, installer, docs, and licence list included. Thanks, Nikhil
$215 CAD in 10 days
3.8
3.8

Hi, Deep content inspection across a large Windows filesystem risks two failures: excessive false positives from naive regex matching and unacceptable system slowdown if file IO and CPU work are not coordinated. I will build a scanner that extracts text per file type, applies deterministic rules plus a small ML classifier for context scoring, and surfaces findings with file path, risk level, and a confidence score so users can triage quickly. I have built Windows desktop tools that traverse NTFS volumes, parse PDF/Office formats, integrate Tesseract OCR for images, and store results in SQLite with per-file status and audit logs. My work includes multithreaded scanners that respect system load, a quarantine module, and exportable reports. I can reference comparable technical implementations on request. I will start by implementing a lightweight file-type dispatcher that extracts text (PDF/Office parsers, plain text, archives, image OCR) and streams content through the detection pipeline while writing incremental state to SQLite. Scans run in worker pools with prioritized IO and CPU queues to meet low impact requirements. - Which folders/drives and default sensitivity profile should I configure for the first prototype? - Do you prefer integrated Tesseract or a paid OCR engine for higher accuracy on scanned documents? Best regards, @melopgabriel
$40 CAD in 1 day
3.9
3.9

⚠️ If you're not happy, you don’t pay. ⚠️ Hi Client, thank you for sharing the detailed project brief. I’ve reviewed your requirements carefully. I can build your Windows desktop privacy and sensitive-data file scanner using C# and .NET with a high-end, user-friendly design. I will deliver: - Deep file scanning across all specified drives and folders - Comprehensive sensitive-data detection using regex, checksum validation, and AI/NLP - Intuitive dashboard for scan progress and findings - Robust file management features, including pause/resume and quarantine options - Professional reporting in PDF, Excel, and CSV formats You will also receive complete technical documentation and support for integration. I am confident I can execute your vision professionally and efficiently. Looking forward to discussing the timeline and next steps. Best regards, Chirag Pipal
$150 CAD in 14 days
3.7
3.7

Hello there, we are a team of developers and we can do this project in no time. Thanks Ashish Kumar.
$140 CAD in 7 days
3.7
3.7

Hello Hope you are doing well I can build this as a C#/.NET Windows desktop application with SQLite, using async/multithreaded incremental scanning, bounded workers and Low/Normal/Maximum resource modes for 1M+ files. Scan checkpoints, metadata/hashes and persistent SQLite state will enable true pause/resume after restart. I’ll enumerate hidden/authorized paths, extract PDF/Office content with local libraries, use Tesseract OCR locally, and combine regex, checksums and configurable rules for detection. Files never leave the machine. SHA-256 will handle duplicates; Windows ACL APIs will inspect permissions. Difficult formats such as encrypted/password-protected PST/MSG/archives will be explicitly reported. I’ll disclose all dependencies/licenses and provide full source. Fixed price: $250 CAD. Timeline: 1weeks across your milestones. Can you confirm whether $250 CAD is the intended fixed budget? Best regards, Bojan
$250 CAD in 7 days
3.7
3.7

==============> Hi there, <=============== I can build this as a fully local Windows desktop application using C#/.NET + WPF, SQLite, multithreaded filesystem crawling, Tesseract OCR, local regex/checksum/NER detection, and Windows ACL APIs. Files would remain on-device, with no cloud upload or hidden telemetry. For 1M+ files, I’d use streamed directory enumeration, bounded worker queues, persistent scan checkpoints, metadata/hash caching, configurable CPU/thread limits, and resumable SQLite job state. PDF/Office/image/archive extraction, duplicate hashing, permissions analysis, masked findings, quarantine, reports, audit logs, and installer/source delivery would all be included. Difficult formats such as PST, password-protected archives, and some proprietary document types would be handled separately and clearly reported when unsupported. Timeline : 20 days Question: Should the first release include PST/MSG/7Z/RAR support, or can those be added after the core PDF/Office/image/ZIP scanner is accepted? Best regards, Dejan
$800 CAD in 20 days
3.4
3.4

Hi, there. "WINDOWS PRIVACY DATA SCANNER" - you need a local-first scanner that can inspect large file sets, detect sensitive data, and resume safely after interruption. I recommend C#/.NET + SQLite with parallel file scanning, bounded workers and persistent scan states for 1M+ files. I can handle PDF/Office extraction, local OCR, regex/checksum detection, hidden files, duplicates, permissions, pause/resume and performance throttling. Files remain on the customer machine by default, with masked findings and clear unsupported/error statuses. Can you share a small test dataset so I can validate the extraction and OCR approach? Looking forward to working with you.
$30 CAD in 1 day
3.2
3.2

Hello, 1. C#/.NET + WPF/WinUI, SQLite. 2. Stream directory enumeration; process files in bounded batches with indexed DB records. 3. Configurable worker count, I/O throttling and Low/Normal/Maximum modes. 4. Persist scan queue/status continuously in SQLite; resume unfinished items and skip unchanged files using metadata/hash. 5. Enumerate hidden/system files through Windows APIs where permissions allow. 6. PDF/Office parsers with page/sheet/cell/paragraph location tracking. 7. Local Tesseract OCR; no cloud OCR. 8. Regex + checksum validation + configurable rules, with optional local NER for contextual detection. 9. Files remain local by default. 10. SHA-256 hashes for exact duplicates. 11. Windows ACLs via .NET security APIs. 12. PST, password-protected archives, proprietary/encrypted formats require extra handling. 13. I’ll provide a complete dependency/licence inventory; only commercially compatible libraries will be selected. 14. Full source, schema, build instructions and documentation included. 15. Given the full scope, CAD $250 is not realistic for a production-ready implementation. I’d propose a paid first milestone/prototype, then a fixed final quote after validating extraction and performance requirements. 16. I can demonstrate the architecture and relevant C#/.NET, local-data and document-processing work during discussion. I’d follow your proposed milestones and preserve strict “not scanned + reason” reporting. Best regards, Carlos.
$50 CAD in 7 days
4.4
4.4

Duplicates: SHA-256/file hashes, calculated efficiently with metadata/size filtering before hashing where appropriate. Windows permissions: inspect ACLs using Windows security APIs and report potentially broad access as an exposure indicator, not as a legal conclusion. Difficult formats: PST/MSG, encrypted archives, proprietary formats and heavily corrupted documents need separate handling and will be reported explicitly when they cannot be inspected. Libraries/licensing: I’ll provide a complete dependency/SBOM-style list with versions and commercial/OSS licence information before final delivery. Source: full source code, build instructions, schema and deployment/installer configuration are included. Delivery plan File crawler + SQLite scan-state engine PDF/Office/image/archive extraction Detection engine + custom rules Findings dashboard + evidence/location mapping Pause/resume + performance controls Duplicate/age/permission analysis Review workflow + reports + audit log Installer, security hardening and acceptance testing I’d specifically test the restart scenario and your blind test dataset before calling the application complete. Estimated delivery: 10–12 weeks
$200 CAD in 7 days
3.2
3.2

Hello, Having carefully reviewed your Windows Desktop Privacy & Sensitive‑Data File Scanner project, I’m confident my background in data engineering, NLP, OCR, and large‑scale filesystem automation aligns strongly with your requirements. Your goal—deep local scanning across millions of files, precise sensitive‑data detection, pause/resume reliability, and full offline privacy—is exactly the type of architecture I’ve delivered for enterprise compliance and security teams. I can design a Windows application that crawls drives efficiently, extracts PDF/Office/image content, applies regex + checksum + local NLP detection, and stores results in a lightweight SQLite database without ever uploading documents externally. For the build, I recommend C#/.NET for the desktop app, multithreaded scanning, and Windows‑native performance. File extraction will use libraries like PDFSharp, OpenXML, and Tesseract OCR; duplicates will be detected via file hashes; permissions inspected through Windows ACL APIs; and sensitive‑data patterns handled through custom rules plus named‑entity recognition. Pause/resume will rely on continuous metadata + hash storage so scans restart exactly where they stopped. Hidden/system files will be scanned through direct directory enumeration with elevated permissions where allowed. Full source code, installer, documentation, and commercial‑use rights will be provided. Message me. Best regards, Shahid
$425 CAD in 50 days
2.6
2.6

Calgary, Canada
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