In one embodiment, a method for protecting a file is implemented on a computing device and includes: intercepting a file-access request from an application-process for the file; searching a whitelist for a whitelist entry associated with the application-process and a file-type for the file, where the whitelist entry indicates that the application-process is allowed to access files of the file-type, and upon determining according to the searching that the application-process is allowed to perform the file-access request, allowing the application-process to access the file according to the file-access request.