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The Original Shareware 1.1
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The Original Shareware (WeMake CDs)(Volume 1.1)(CDs, Inc)(1993).iso
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PASSKEY.DOC
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1991-06-13
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6KB
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150 lines
╔═══════════════╗
║ Passkey v1.12 ║
║ by Dave Bower ║
║ CIS 70635,330 ║
╚═══════════════╝
Screen Blanker with or without password protection
PassKey is a software keyboard lock and screen blanker. You enter a
password each time you invoke PassKey, and your computer is 'locked
up' until that password is entered again.
It also displays some statistics to alert you to any attempted, or
successful, (no system is failsafe) attacks on your system.
The program was written for a business that wanted some convenient way
to secure their unattended network workstations. We found that if
something wasn't easy to do, it wouldn't be done.
"Skeleton key" access can be provided. In a network situation the
network administrator, (or supervisor in a business), may need to have
access to workstations. A copy of PassKey can be provided with a
special default password. The default password will unlock PassKey,
and also show the original password, so the computer can be secured
with the same password so you don't have track down the owner to give
them the a new password. (They will know by the display that the
computer has been used.) See the MODIFICATIONS section at the end of
this file.
PassKey can be invoked from DOS, a menu, or from a DOS shell in any
program. This allows a user to hide their screen, and prevent
tampering, while they are getting more coffee.
While PassKey can be circumvented just by rebooting, it does take the
computer off of the network, or out of any program that is running.
And you can always tell whether or not PassKey was rerun by somebody
else, even if they rerun PassKey with your password.
And we had one person who took PassKey home because he had two
toddlers who could just reach the keyboard standing on tip toes. Now
Mom & Dad can leave the computer without putting up the keyboard or
exiting their program.
SECURITY:
You enter a password when you invoke PassKey. You can do this on the
command line, or when prompted. The computer is locked up until you
reenter that password. You enter a new password each time you run
PassKey. You can enter the same one, if you like, but it is never
saved after PassKey is finished.
The password can be almost any keystroke on the keyboard. ESCAPE and
ENTER won't work. But backspace, function keys, ALT-keystrokes, or
any combination thereof will work. You can throw in some tricky
sequences if you like. I usually use a name and a backspace when I'm
going to be gone for a short time.
You can tell if somebody has guessed your password by noting the time
your computer was secured. This is displayed on the moving display
while the computer is secured. This time includes hours: minutes:
seconds & tenths of seconds so it would be hard for someone to fake
your secure time.
The display also shows the number of attempts to guess your password.
Any time someone hits the ENTER key or the ESCAPE key it is considered
an attempt. Please note that an ENTER is not necessary when entering
the correct password.
If someone has hit any keys (except the ESCAPE key) the words "Passkey
v1.xx" and "by Dave Bower" will be white. This lets you know two
things. One, that someone has tried, and two, that there are letters
in the buffer. So, until you clear the buffer your password won't
work. To clear the buffer just press the ESCAPE key. The white
letters should change color and you can enter the correct password.
COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS:
PASSKEY password, scrolling display
You can enter the password, and the scrolling message from the command
line. If you enter a scrolling line from the command line it will be
capitalized.
SCREEN BLANKER:
If you enter an asterisk ( * ) as the password then you will NOT have
password protection. ANY key will exit the program.
REGISTRATION and COST:
You gotta be kidding! Why would you want to register this? Use it
and enjoy. If you use it continually and wish to reward the author
for his efforts the cost is $5.00 (five dollars). Now I know what
your thinking, how do I pay the bills and feed the kids if I just
about give away the fruits of my labors? Not to worry, I didn't quit
my day job.
Dave Bower
1310 Wellfleet Court
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
CompuServe - 70635,330
DISCLAIMER:
This software is given "as is," without any warranty as to performance
or any other warranties whether expressed or implied. Because of the
many hardware and software environments that this program may be
subjected too, no warranty or fitness for a particular purpose is
promised. The user must assume the entire risk of using the program.
MODIFICATIONS:
If PassKey fills a need in your life and you would like a personal
copy, for a small fee, I can change the following for you.
1) Your own scrolling message, instead of "Keyboard has been secured
by PassKey . . ."
2) Your name, or your companies name, on the screen display.
3) A default password that works IN ADDITION TOO the user password.
As a network supervisor I need to access workstations and I don't
want to have to reboot the computer. So I have a password built
into our program that allows me to open PassKey, and it displays
the user password that was used so that I can lock up the system
without having to track down the user and give them a new
password. (They will know I was in if they noted the computer
secure time.)
4) What else? If there is anything else that you think might make it
better, drop me a line.
If you would like the above things, please do the below things:
1) Send me $10.00 (that's ten dollars) at the above address. That
should cover a disk, a mailer, a stamp, a burger, fries and a
large drink.
2) YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. Don't forget the address!
3) The information you want changed. You can see from your copy of
Passkey how much room I have to work with. You can change
anything EXCEPT the lines with the program and author's name.
4) Specify 3 1/2" or 5 1/4" diskettes. There is no price difference.
Thank you.
6/13/91