RegSvr ↗
Register COM DLLs from Explorer, inspect active shell extensions and make the development cycle easier to manage.
Windows ExplorerCOM / ActiveX
Explore the project ↗ Ideas, code & a curious mind
Practical thinking.
Useful software.
Notes on information security, Windows development and the mathematics behind everyday ideas.
AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL NOTEBOOKInformation securityWindows & developmentMathematics
A good place to start
Selected reading.
A few ideas worth a closer look.
From policy to the code that puts it into practice.
The notebook
Ideas worth sharing.
Articles, practical guides and working notes.
Follow your curiosity.
17 articles
Development updates
CI-TDF — Built on OpenTDF, Adapted for Practical Use
The first test version: readable manifests, encryption options and planned extensions.
Read the article ↗Development updatesClassifyIt: Driving Persistent Data Security
A dated development update on OpenTDF, cryptographic protection and implementation plans.
Read the article ↗Information securityZero-Trust Data Format Starts with X.509 Digital Certificates
The role of certificates in data protection, and an introduction to Certificate Creator.
Read the article ↗Information securityThe Classification/Collaboration Gap
The complete case study on protection levels, release markings and external exchange.
Read the article ↗PerspectivesTrusted Data Format and Zero-Trust Data Format: Reality or just Theory?
Metadata, people and the practical challenge of making data-centric protection work.
Read the article ↗Information securityClassification Markings
A practical starting point for labels, handling rules and sharing across organisations.
Read the article ↗Information securityCase Study — Interoperability of Classification Markings
How can different organisations interpret the same information label?
Read the article ↗Windows & developmentADS — Alternate Data Stream
An introduction to NTFS alternate data streams and their limitations.
Read the article ↗Windows & developmentTutorial — Delphi — Shell Extension — Context Menu
From a COM object to a working shell extension: a five-part tutorial.
Read the article ↗Windows & developmentTutorial — Delphi — Shell Extension — Icon Overlay
Make file information visible directly in Windows Explorer.
Read the article ↗Windows & developmentVirtualBox — Green Turtle — Windows 11
Collected notes on the green turtle indicator and Windows virtualisation.
Read the article ↗MathematicsCalculate Square Numbers
A useful identity makes mental arithmetic a little easier.
Read the article ↗MathematicsSum of Quadratic Numbers
Explore the sum of the first n squares and the expression behind it.
Read the article ↗Windows & developmentJSON
Objects, arrays and a readable way to exchange structured data.
Read the article ↗Windows & developmentBIOS — Advanced Mode
Why firmware shortcuts need a hardware-specific context.
Read the article ↗Windows & developmentEnable VT-x
The complete original virtualisation troubleshooting note.
Read the article ↗Information securityHow Do You Classify Emails
The original email classification walkthrough with screenshots.
Read the article ↗No articles match. Try another topic or search.
From ideas to tools
Software with a purpose.
Practical projects shaped by development and information-handling problems.
Certificate Creator ↗
Create, sign, inspect and export X.509 certificates. A Windows application with RSA, ECC, CSR workflows and a local certificate store.
X.509 / PKIOpenSSL
Explore the project ↗ClassifyIt ↗
Information classification for Microsoft Office, with related tools for encryption and Windows Explorer integration.
ClassificationMicrosoft Office
Features & downloads at ClassifyIt.eu ↗Original publications
From the archive.
Original product one-pagers, preserved as published. Current product details are at ClassifyIt.eu.
The person behind the notes
Hello, I’m
Ralf Ulrich Garbe.
I build software and share practical approaches to information security and development. This website brings together projects, tutorials and mathematical ideas worth exploring.
The common thread is simple: understand how something works, turn that understanding into something useful, and share what you learn.
Get in touch ↗Let’s compare notes.
A question, an idea or feedback on a tutorial? I’d like to hear it.