Otherware/Otherware_1_SB_Development.iso/amiga/utility/disks/bigbroth.lzh/bigbrother.doc

Text File | 1992-02-08 | 7.4 KB | 254 lines

Documentation for BigBrother V3.12
==================================

This document will describe the working of BigBrother V3.12 for
the Commodore Amiga computer. BigBrother and all related programs
and documents are presented as is. Although the author has made
every effort to make this product free of bugs, he can not be
held responsible for any damage resulting from the use of this
program. The program is shareware. This means if you like the
program and if you are using it regularly, you are asked to send
$10 or more to:

    Erwin van Breemen
    Berliozplein 15
    2651 VG Berkel ZH
    Holland

    e-mail:    [e-mail]

Feel free to send any suggestions or comments to the above
address.

Thanks
======

Thanks to Raymond Hoving for his help and idea's on the NoCare patch
and his help in the debugging of BigBrother.


Requirements
============

BigBrother requires Kickstart 1.2 or higher. BigBrother will make
a preference file in the s: directory.

2.0 Notes
=========

The previous version of BigBrother was not compatible with Kickstart 2.0
due to the use of some arp routines. In this version, all arp related
stuff has been removed and BigBrother should work fine.
The NoCare patch doesn't work under 2.0.


What does BigBrother?
=====================

BigBrother is a virus infection detection program with some
optional utilities. The check routine is running as a normal
task with a priority of -1 checking the important memory locations
in the Amiga. Depending on the values and the their combinations,
an expert system will accept it or warn you in case it thinks it
is dangerous. This means that no program can start a virus in
memory without alerting BigBrother.  As a bonus, BigBrother is
capable of starting a new shell, starting script files,
viewing and installing bootblocks. BigBrother uses direct Rom code
(in a legal way) for performing the reads and writes to disk.
In this way you can see what is really on your bootblock and not
some faked one by a (simple) virus. Furthermore there is a mouse
accelerator (dmouse like) and the option of the NoCare patch which
will speed up workbench windows. All the options can be turned off
so that you can use the Ctrl-F1 during WP or enjoy a slow mouse.
The preferences can be saved to the preferences file so that you can
configure BigBrother to your needs. Also new in BigBrother is the
quit option (at the cost of about 200 bytes).
All this in a  program of about 13K.


Installation
============

BigBrother is very easy to install. BigBrother will detach itself
from the current shell or cli. Just put BigBrother in the c:
directory and add the following line to your startup-sequence:

bigbrother

This is all there is.


Additional notes.
=================

For old BigBrother users. Remove the big_prefs file in the s:
directory. BigBrother will make a new one if it can't find a
preferences file.


How to operate BigBrother
=========================

You can bring BigBrother to the front by pressing Ctrl-Help.
BigBrother will open a window on the workbench. The same thing happens
when a virus has been detected.
You will see a window containing several gadgets and a message
box. In the message box a text will describe the current status of
your Amiga concerning viri. Below there is a description of all
gadgets:

********
* DF0: *
********

This gadget will select between the diskdrives available at the
moment. If you have for example 2 drives, the gadget toggles between df0:
and df1:. The drive selected will be used for the View and Install
option.

*********
* Watch *
*********

When you press this gadget BigBrother will close its window and
return to the sleeping mode. In the sleeping mode, BigBrother checks
continuously for a virus in memory and whether there has been pressed on an
interesting F-key.

************
* Newshell *
************

BigBrother will create a new shell process as you press this
gadget. The same can also be done by pressing Ctrl-F1 in the sleeping
mode.

********
* View *
********

This option allows you to examine the bootblock of disk in the
selected drive. The bootblock is visible in an ascii form. Note
that some viri use the TrackdiskIO vector to intercept read and writes
to the diskdrives. In those cases the View option can be fooled by a
virus if they return a faked bootblock despite the use of direct Rom
code by BigBrother. The bootblock returned is most times a normal
installed bootblock. So if you see such a bootblock and your machine
is infected be alert!

**********
* Memory *
**********

Here you can examine the actual contents of the important
vectors. For a clean machine, all vector should point to the Kickstart rom.
This means that the addresses must point to $f80000 or higher.


***********
* Install *
***********

In this option you can install a bootblock on the disk in the
selected diskdrive. This bootblock contains the normal bootcode plus a
piece of text in order to recognize it as a BigBrother bootblock. Some
viri will return a normal installed bootblock. So it is safer to use
the BigBrother bootblock. In this way, if you have read the BigBrother
bootblock with the View option, you are sure you have read a
real bootblock and a faked one!


*********
* Clear *
*********

By pressing this option you will clear all the important vector
to their standard values. The values used are stored in big_prefs.
Note that you will lose all your resident programs including RAD etc.
For insiders: the TrackdiskIO vector will also be restored.

**********
* Reboot *
**********

This option will reboot your Amiga in the official way. No viri
can survive this reset because all system structures will be
recreated.


*********
* Prefs *
*********

Pressing this option will give you the preferences menu,
described below.


Special Keys and Buttons
========================

If BigBrother has opened it's window and you press the HELP key
you will get my address. If you use BigBrother, then please
send $10 to that address. Many thanks in advance.

To quit BigBrother press the CloseWindow gadget (at the left
top). If you quit, all the options are turned off and all the memory
used by BigBrother is returned except for about 200 bytes. (These
are for a couple of filehandles I can't close.)


Preferences Menu
================

In this menu you can turn on and off the following options

Nocare patch        for faster Workbench Windows

Mouse Accelerator    dmouse like mouse accelerator

Function keys        the possibility of launching scriptfiles

Note that if you turn off the Function keys, you can't launch a
NewShell by pressing Ctrl-F1. The only possibility then for launching
a NewShell is the NewShell Button in the BigBrother window.
The Ctrl-Help will continue to function properly so that you can call
BigBrother to the front.


The actions on the Preference menu can be terminated by pressing:

Cancel        all selection are undone and the state of BigBrother
        remains as it was.

Use        use the new status.

Save        use the new status and save them to the preference file
        so that BigBrother uses them during startup also.

CloseWindow    the same as pressing the Cancel gadget.


Scriptfiles
===========

BigBrother is also capable of starting scriptfiles named F2...F10
by pressing , as you can guess, F2..F10. The only limitation is that
you can not get  input from a user (i.e. ask).
This means that in practice you can use these script files to start
applications like an editor.





    Erwin van Breemen (Orega Holland)
    Berliozplein 15
    2651 VG Berkel ZH
    Holland

    e-mail:    [e-mail]