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074 - ProSEL 3.3.dsk
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Documentation for Apple.Rx
--------------------------
Copyright 1988 by Glen E. Bredon
--------------------------------
This program requires an Apple IIgs or an enhanced //e or //c WITH
a 65802 or 65816 microprocessor. A 65802 chip can be bought for
under $20 and can easily be inserted in place of the 65C02 in the
latter two machines.
This program is "virus medicine". It will read your system files
(and any other types you specify) and create a data file that
contains information on these files. At any time, you can run it
in check mode and it will report any of these files that have been
altered. For obvious reasons, I am not going to detail exactly what
sort of data the program saves, but suffice it to say that it is
virtually impossible to change any of these files without detection
by this program and it would also be very difficult to either alter
this program or the data file it creates without detection. The
program also checks (and in some cases, corrects) some data on the
disk, the details of which shall go unspecified.
The program makes an effort to protect itself and its data file from
modification. It encrypts itself and resaves itself whenever it is
used to write a new data file. However, despite these safeguards,
the safest way to use it is to keep this program and its data file
on a separate dedicated 3.5" disk, which you use only for running
this program.
THE PROGRAM NAME
If you do not keep this program on a separate dedicated disk then
you should change its name, so that a viral program specifically
looking for this program cannot easily find it and modify it.
THE DATA FILE
The name of the data file defaults to RX.FILE. This name is kept
in the STARTUP position of the program. If not kept on a dedicated
disk, then its name too should be changed using BLOCK.WARDEN from
ProSel. Unless you give it a full pathname, it will be kept on the
same disk as the program.
THE VOLUME NAME
The program must be told what volume to check. This defaults to
/HARD1, but this can be changed via the Change defaults function
in the program.
FILES CHECKED
The program has two means of deciding which files to check.
(Ordinarily, pure data files need not be checked, only programs.)
The first way it decides whether to check a file is by a list of
file types it keeps. It will check all files whose file type is in
this list. The list presently contains only SYS and S16 types.
You should add the NDA, CDA, STR, TOL and TSF types. There is an
option in the program for modifying this list, for example, you
could add BIN type or BAS type. Since many BIN files are data
files, however, it is probably best to use the second for them.
The second way it decides is by a list of "special files". This
list presently contains the file PROSEL. Again, there is an option
in the program for adding to and deleting from this list. Note
that if you have a file name in this list and the file cannot be
found, then a program error will be reported and the program will
abort. In such a case, you must remove that file name from the list.
It is suggested that you either add the type $F1 to cover the CD.EXT
file, or add that file to the name list.
Whenever you add a program file to your system, you should run
Apple.Rx in check mode to make sure things are now ok, and then
rerun it in Create mode to revise the data file to include the new
program file.
You should run this program in check mode at frequent intervals,
perhaps every day, to quickly determine if a problem exists before
it has a chance to spread further. In particular it is a good idea
to run a check before backing up a hard disk.
The output of the check option will be sent to the printer if you
hold done the open apple key when typing the RTN to select that
mode. Only error lines will be sent to the printer. You can also
tell the program to only print error lines when output is to the
screen by holding down the closed apple (option) key when the check
option is selected. If you hold down both then all lines will go
to the printer, and if neither is down then all lines will go to
the screen.
PASSWORD
To protect itself somewhat, the program requires a password when
you enter it. The initial password is APPLEAPPLEAPPLE (passwords
are not case sensitive) and one of the first things you should do
is to change it with the built in facility to do that. A password
must be at least 12 characters long, and when it is changed the
program will encrypt most of itself and resave itself to disk.
After that point you MUST remember your password. Recreation of
the password from the encrypted file is virtually impossible unless
you have the facilities of the CIA. It is in the nature of the
encryption that even knowing the encryption algorithm, and having
both encrypted and decrypted files at one's disposal will not,
without gargantuan effort, yield the password that was used to
drive the encryption. You can change the password any time you want,
but you must know the old password to access the program in order to
make that change. An empty password (RTN at the password prompt)
is supported for convenience in case the program is run from a
dedicated disk.
Some functions, including changing the password, are disabled and
payment of the shareware fee will bring enabling instructions.
AUTOMATIC OPERATION (from ProSel or Queuep)
If you use an empty password then the program supports an automatic
checking mode. This is accessed by putting a semicolon at the end
of the STARTUP in the ProSel or Queuep selection list. (Do not
hard code this in the Apple.Rx program or you will not be able to
MAKE the list to check!) The rest of the startup is the name of
the checkfile, so use something like RX.FILE; as the startup
specification. As remarked, this only works if the password is null.
It also expects the printer to be online. It will not pause for a
keypress at the end of the checking. Only errors lines will be
printed in the automatic mode.
WHAT THE PROGRAM CANNOT DO
The program only checks that files have not been changed (by a virus
or whatever). It cannot prevent damage by a program that does not
change other files; for example, a program that just starts erasing
a disk at a certain date. Only well kept backups can protect from
that. Even backups cannot protect against a virus that invades
other programs, however, and that is the purpose of this utility.
DISEASE PREVENTION
Nothing can be 100% protection against viruses. You should practice
diligence and prevention. Do not ever download (and use) a program
from a pirate board. (I can imagine and understand a software
publisher uploading an infected program onto such boards, in sheer
retribution.) Never use, in a susceptible environment (such as a
hard disk), any program downloaded by or otherwise received from
someone you do not know or in whom you do not have confidence.
COPYRIGHT
This program is copyrighted 1988 by Glen Bredon. It is expressly
forbidden to give this program to anyone else or to upload it to any
bulletin board. If the program was not uploaded by me to a major
service then you should not use it. These restrictions are to make
it more difficult for a look-alike contaminated program to be
distributed.
The program is SHAREWARE for $20. When you pay your fee, you should
indicate where you got the program, so I can warn you if it is not
legitimate. (Of course, this notice is unlikely to appear in a
non-legitimate copy.) Just clip and mail:
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To: Glen E. Bredon Re: Apple.Rx version 1.7
521 State Road Software viral protection program
Princeton, NJ 08540
Glen:
____ Enclosed is my check for $20 in payment for Apple.Rx.
I obtained the program from: ________________________________________
(or)
____ Enclosed is my check for $25, for which please send me the
Apple.Rx program on a 5.25" disk. I understand that you will not
distribute the program in this manner during the months of June, July
and August.
I understand that the payment entitles me to receive instructions on
how to enable the disabled functions, and to receive a warning if my
source for the program is not legitimate, and that I may download any
future updates from the same source with no further payment, or obtain
a revision from you for a P&H fee of $5. I further understand that it
is not possible to have 100% sure protection against software viruses
and that no such implied warrantee is given. I agree to abide by the
copyright and to not distribute any copies of the program to other
people or services.
From: ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________