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The Best of Windows 95.com 1996 September
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WIN95_09964.iso
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encrypt
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passphra.zip
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readme.txt
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1996-09-23
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PassPhrase Setter v 1.0 is (c) 1996 by Steven A Davis
If you find this program useful please slip a US dollar bill in an
envelope and send it to me at:
Steven A Davis
214 N Maple
Sturgis, MI 49091
email: sda19@net-link.net
web page: http://www.net-link.net/~sda19
If you don't live in the States then please send me a bill that is roughly
equivalent to a US dollar, I can use it as a bookmark. :)
*********************************************************************
Legalese: This product carries no warranty or guarantee of any kind
expressed or implied. It isn't my fault or the programs fault if
any harm comes to you, your equipment, your family, house, possessions
pets, relatives or any hairs on your chinny-chin-chin. If any information
is lost stolen or leaked because of use of this program that's just
too dang bad.
So NYAAA! :)
*********************************************************************
This is a quickie VB4 project I put together in an afternoon. The
README file took longer to write than the app did!
What is does is set the PGP Passphrase into the master environment
so that you don't have to type in the passphrase every time you use
PGP to sign or decrypt a message. Run it once and you're good for
THAT entire Windows 95 session. If you reboot and you must enter the
passphrase again - there ain't no free lunches.
Why use this program? Because setting the PGPPASS variable in the
config.sys or autoexec.bat is an open invitation to someone swiping
it, anyone with an ounce of sense can look at the files
and see your passphrase in plain text right there in front of
God and everybody. Using PassPhrase eliminates THAT risk but does
require you manually type in the passphrase once per session - a wee
bit easier than typing it in every time you use PGP.
*********************************************************************
What's required:
Windows 95 - Duh!
PassPhrase.exe - that's this program
WinSet.exe - this is a little program provided with Win 95 on the
distribution CD ROM in here: \ADMIN\APPTOOLS\ENVVARS\WINSET.EXE
Winset sets VARIABLES to the MASTER environment. I guess MS
gives it away in a package called ENVAR.EXE over the Internet
too.
VB40032.exe - This is the VB4 runtime module that you need to run
ANY VB4 application. Get it at the MS web site.
You need only install this ONCE and it puts the needed
VB4 files on your system for any and all VB4 apps, I do not
include them because they are huge and you might already have
them. Look at the MS site or nearly any shareware site.
PGP - Not really necessary but what good is this applet if you don't
have PGP? :)
US residents can get PGP at:
http://web.mit.edu/network/pgp.html
None US residents will have to search the web for it.
*********************************************************************
How to install:
Put PassPhrase.exe in any directory anywhere on your hard disk.
Make a shortcut to it and that's it. WINSET.EXE must be on the
PATH somewhere, I'd put it in the \windows directory if I were
you, find it on the CD ROM the \ADMIN\APPTOOLS\ENVVARS\ dir or
go to the MS web site, I believe it's called ENVAR.EXE there.
*********************************************************************
How to use PassPhrase.exe:
Simply run PassPhrase, type in your passphrase and click
the SET IT NOW button. PassPhrase sets the phrase using
Winset into the MASTER DOS environment, when PGP is run it will
sense the PGPPASS= variable and not ask you for it. By setting
the MASTER environment it is available globally to any DOS
session running PGP, including those run by PGP "shells" that
you don't see running.
FORGET PASSPHRASE - wipes the phrase from the environment
DON'T SHOW PASSPHRASE WHILE TYPING - toggles between showing
and not showing the passphrase in plain text- If you type real bad you might
want to click this every time. Default is ALWAYS set to DON'T.
ERASE PASSPHRASE - just a handy button to erase the text in the
box, it doesn't set or forget anything, just use it to erase
the text if you suspect you goofed your typing job up.
ABOUT - just an ad.
CANCEL - what it says.
*********************************************************************
Understanding the MASTER environment:
When PassPhrase is started and your passphrase is set, any DOS
session ALREADY running will NOT be updated - that's because
that session gets a copy of the MASTER environment only when
the secondary command processor (command.com) starts. You can
check the function of PassPhrase by starting a windowed DOS
session and typing SET at the command line. Note that unless
you already SET the PGPPASS variable in the config.sys /
autoexec.bat or with PassPhrase there should be NO listing for
PGPPASS in the variables shown. Exit THAT DOS session and run
PassPhrase and set the phrase, then start ANOTHER DOS session.
Type SET and you will now notice that one of the variables shown
will be your PGP pass phrase (or whatever goofy text you typed in)
in back of the word PGPPASS=.
You can click the FORGET PASSPHRASE button on PassPhrase and it
effectively wipes out the variable, neat huh?
*********************************************************************
Security issues:
After all that's what PGP is all about isn't it? PassPhrase does
NOT store your passphrase anywhere on disk or internally to itself,
it merely sets the environmental variable and exits. There is
some risk though. Windows is notorious for writing things in
the swap file or tmp files, while nothing about PassPhrase does
this in and of itself, Windows might take a hankering to write
down this juicy bit of info somewhere. To combat this (which may
very well be a risk using ANY PGP Windows shell), you need to
either use an Empty Cluster disk wiper or Swap File wiper, there
are tons to choose from and I'll leave it up to you as to which
to choose. I use ZAPUTILS, you'll have to look around the
Internet for it. The risk is slight and typically is not much
of a threat but you have to decide what level of risk to accept.
PassPhrase does NOT display your passphrase in plain text - asterisks
are shown, unless you click the SHOW button. You can check the
passphrase by running a DOS session and typing SET and seeing what
it says.
Remember when leaving your running PC unattended for a while to WIPE
your passphrase by clicking the FORGET PASSPHRASE button, but remember
the swap file issue and the fact that ANY DOS session started AFTER
setting your passphrase and left running even after clicking FORGET
PASSPHRASE still has the variable set in it. So if you saunter
away and some evil spy lurks up and types SET in that still running
DOS session, you're sunk. Also some PGP SHELL apps might KEEP the
variable if left running, even with the DOS variable wiped.
If you are THAT concerned over security, exit Win 95 and restart
the PC when you step away, either that or tie a Doberman to the
keyboard :)
*********************************************************************
Potential problems:
You might not have enough environmental area. This is a DOS
problem and shouldn't really crop up to often. It might if you
use like a 500 letter passphrase. If some error
pops up saying OUT OF ENVORONMENT or it plain don't work try
boosting the environmental areas size. Do this in the config.sys
with a line something like:
shell=c:\command.com c:\ e:### /p
Don't put the line in if it's already there!
The ### is some number, try 512 if no number is present, if it
still doesn't work try 768, 1024 or 2048. Note that the DOS 7.0
version of command.com (the one that comes with Win 95) needs to
be in whatever directory you point to with the shell= statement.
Your Windows shell might not accept the PGPPASS variable. I
tested this with PGPClick (which is a GREAT shell) and Aegis Shell
and it worked fine, maybe your shell doesn't accept it, I can't
do anything about that, just use one that does. Or maybe you
have to TELL the shell to use the variable with some setting
somewhere on it's menus, like they say RTFM.
No winset.exe available. Beg borrow or steal one. It's on the
Win 95 upgrade CD ROM, I don't know about diskettes (the 3.5"
disk install of Win 95 sucks anyway, get a CD ROM :) ) I guess they
have it at the MS website too, I think it's called ENVAR.EXE
there.
If you don't use some sort of Windows unZipper the long file
name on PassPhrase.exe may be truncated, no sweat, just use
Explorer or File manager to rename it to PassPhrase.exe.
*********************************************************************
You may not think this app is worth even a dollar, well maybe it
isn't so don't fret about it. If you like it you can show your appreciation
by sending a dollar to me. No bombs, timers or anything to nag you,
just your guilty conscience about a poor starving guy here hunched over
his keyboard worrying about where his next meal is coming from and
checks the mail daily just waiting to hear from you and sent that ONE
LOUSY STINKING GREENBACK THAT YOU'LL NEVER EVEN MISS to him. But don't
let all that sway your decision. Nope, keep your lousy old money. :)
At least visit my web page and send me email you tight wad ! :)