It means the Essential Forms data directory you're trying to access isn't shared with full control (read, write and modify permissions) by the user you're logged in as. If you have an IT person, you may need to call that person to make sure you're selecting the right data location and that that folder is shared with the proper permissions for you to access it.
If the data folder is on a standalone computer I’ve seen a Windows Update remove the permissions on the Essential Forms Data folder under C:/Users/Public/Documents/CEB/Essential Forms Data. You might need to go under File Explorer and navigate to the C:/Users/Public/Documents/CEB/Essential Forms Data folder and right-click the Essential Forms Data folder and click Properties>Security tab, select the User and click on Edit. Click the Allow check boxes on Full Control, Modify, Read and Execute, List Folder Contents and Read. Click Apply and Ok. See if the program opens now.
Another option: Try moving the Essential Forms Data folder out of the current location. If it’s on the local C: /Users/Public/Documents/CEB/Essential Forms Data location try to put it someplace else on your C: drive.
Right-click the Essential Forms shortcut, click on Properties in the Target window go to the end of the path and after the last closed quote press the space bar and put a “/q”. It would look like this:
“C:/Program Files(x86)/CEB/Essential Forms/Efwin32.exe” /q
Click “Apply” and “Ok”.
Open the Essential Forms program. If it asks you to “Select an Essential Forms Data” folder location you can try the drop-down or click “browse” in the “Select Data Directory” window. Navigate to the new data folder location and click “Ok” and “Use This Directory.” See if it opens without the Windows Restricted Area Message.
Finally, remove the space “/q” off the Essential Forms shortcut>Properties>Target window:
“C:/Program Files(x86)/CEB/Essential Forms/Efwin32.exe” /q
Click “Apply” and “Ok”.
Note: It could also be the installed anti-virus ran through an Update and changed security settings and now blocks our data folder location. You might have to make exclusions in the anti-virus for the Essential Forms Data folder.