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Shareware Overload Trio 2
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ansichk7.zip
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HOWTOUSE.DOC
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1994-05-27
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Thank you for trying out the ANSICHEK series! Version 7.0
(C)opyright 1994 by Patrick Harvey
Email Address : MRGALAXY@AOL.COM
This series is composed of 3 files:
1) ACHKDIR.EXE
2) VIEWBOMB.EXE
3) HOWTOUSE.DOC (This file)
All of these files are FREEWARE. Please feel free to distribute and use
these files at no charge. You may not change any of these files in any
way. If you should encounter an extremely interesting ansi bomb or one
this program does not detect, or if you'd like to comment about this program,
please send your comments or suggestions to:
Patrick Harvey
710 Peachtree St NE #430
Atlanta, GA 30308
Or by email to : MRGALAXY@AOL.COM
PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMS
ACHKDIR.EXE
Please read the instructions carefully before you use this product.
These programs has been designed to find hidden ANSI codes which COULD
redefine your keyboard. For example, an ANSI code embedded in a text file
COULD redefine your space bar key to format your hard drive when it is
pressed! This program searches for special strings which might be dangerous.
Be careful. Doing a TYPE filename.ext COULD redefine your keyboard! This
program will now also find and warn you of batch files which contain
potentially dangerous commands. This program will NOT warn you of EXECUTABLE
programs that generate and display ansi codes. Remember, only nonexecutable
files are searched. New command line options have been added in this
version. You can now scan just one file or entire directories by varying
the parameters on the command line! Some examples of these are:
ACHKDIR /? - Displays help screen
ACHKDIR /H - Displays help screen
ACHKDIR H - Displays help screen
ACHKDIR ? - Displays help screen
ACHKDIR filename - Scan specified file in the current directory
ACHKDIR x:\path\*.* - Scans all the files in the directory listed
in the path. For example,
ACHKDIR C:\DOS\*.* scans the DOS directory
ACHKDIR x:\path\file - Scans the one specific file listed in the
path. For example, ACHKDIR C:\DOS\THING.ANS
scans the file THING.ANS in the DOS
directory.
As you can see, several scenarios are possible. ACHKDIR can be copied into
a directory and run. If this is done, the program will scan all files in
the directory. Other configurations will allow the scanning of files in
other directories as well as the scanning of other distant directories.
Please see the command parameter structures listed and explained above.
VIEWBOMB.EXE (Any DOS version)
This program will translate the ansi codes found in the file you found
with ACHKDIR.EXE into readable text. It will now also allow you to view
any text file without fear of key redefinition. This program makes no
changes to the ansi bomb, it simply lets you view it safely. The translation
option changes the numeric ansi codes into readable text. This allows the
user to safely view any messages or dangerous commands embedded within the
ansi bomb.
PLEASE NOTE!:
COMMAND.COM MUST (Yes, MUST) be in your path!!
Although this program will work on most compatibles, we recommend you only
use it only on 386's and higher. This program will run very slowly on
older machines. New changes have been implemented which now allow the
ANSICHEK series to be run on monochrome systems.
What ACHKDIR.EXE does:
This program checks all non-executable files for ANSI BOMBS. If a suspicious
file is found, an alarm will sound, and the file ITSTHERE will appear in
the current directory. This will allow BBS operators to check for ANSI
BOMBS in UNCOMPRESSED files. UNZIP your uploads to a directory, copy
ACHKDIR.EXE to that directory, and then run it! That's all you do! Make
sure you check for the presence of ITSTHERE after the scan. Command.com
must be in your path. Also watch for the appearance of other warning files
such as UK-BOMB. You may also scan files in "distant" directories if you
wish. KEEP READING!!!
Things you need to know about VIEWBOMB.EXE.
Obviously this program is for advanced users only. Once you have found
an ansi bomb with ACHKDIR.EXE, make sure you NEVER type 'TYPE filename'
to view the ansi bomb! This will activate the bomb! This program is
supplied for advanced computer users who actually wish to translate into
text the various ansi codes embedded in confirmed ansi bombs. Viewbomb
also now allows you to view ANY batch file or suspicious text file without
fear of key redefinition. Since it is impossible to know with 100%
certainty if this file/program has been tampered with, we recommend the
following:
Load PKWARE's pksfansi.exe to defeat any key redefinitions. You can
never know with 100% certainty if someone has changed VIEWBOMB or ACHKDIR
in some destructive way.
FEATURES OF THIS VERSION:
1) ACHKDIR can now catch MOST GENERIC key redefinitions! Some ansi 'bombs'
are not destructive. They merely cause funny and obnoxious messages to
appear at various times. ACHKDIR now catches most of these!
2) VIEWBOMB now has 2 main functions. It will now allow the viewing of
any text file without fear of key redefinition. It also translates the
embedded ansi codes within a confirmed bomb!
3) An error in the original version which occassionally gave a false alert
has been corrected.
4) Different levels of protection are now available to you. For example:
If the file ITSTHERE appears, then a true ansi bomb has been found.
If the file BADWORD appears, then a suspicious word has been found
in the scanned text. The appearance of these words is usually not a
serious development, however if ansi codes are also found along with
these words, then we suggest you be extra careful with the file you
are currently scanning.
If the file SEECODES appears, then ansi codes have been found in
the scanned text. This indicates ansi codes of some sort have been
found. Be ESPECIALLY CAREFUL of the scanned file if other suspicious
words are found (such as those indicated by the presence of BADWORD).
If the file BADBATCH appears, then a batch file with suspicious
words has been found. For example, if a batch file with the DELETE
command is scanned, a file called BADBATCH will be written to disk,
and a warning sound will be made. DO NOT RUN THIS BATCH FILE!!
If the file UK-BOMB appears, then an UnKnown BOMB may be contained
in the suspicious file. You should consider this file to be extremely
DANGEROUS! Do not do a 'TYPE filename;' you might activate the bomb!
The appearance of this file indicates that there is a probable key
redefinition occuring in this file, but ACHKDIR is not sure how
destructive this redefinition could be. Use VIEWBOMB to view the file.
By checking for these five files (or not checking for one or more of
them) you can select the level of protection you want.
Check for one of these files (in a batch file) by typing:
IF EXIST ITSTHERE dos command
When you're finished, clean out the directory so you don't trigger
a false alarm the next time you scan that directory (delete ITSTHERE,
SEECODES, BADBATCH, UK-BOMB, and BADWORD).
5) Various alarm sounds have been added for your convenience.
6) The program ACHKFILE.EXE from the first version has been discontinued.
7) Per user requests, ACHKDIR.EXE has been made slightly more efficient and
should now run slightly faster than before.
8) Now you may specify a specific file or directory to be scanned without
having to copy the ACHKDIR program to another location!
WHAT TO DO IF YOU'RE SUSPICIOUS OF A FILE:
Do NOT 'TYPE filename.ext' (Trying to view it)!!! If an ansi bomb is
present, this will cause it to activate. One of your keys COULD be
redefined! Load the suspicious file into a text editor. If you see
characters such as a left arrow and various numbers and brackets, then
you MAY have found an ansi bomb!
WE ALSO RECOMMEND:
Call your local BBS and download PKWARE's PKSFAN11.ZIP. This file can
prevent the ansi redefinition of your keys. We suggest you use it
together with this program. Be careful! There are a lot of loonies
out there!
LEGAL STUFF:
You agree you have accepted these files/programs in 'AS IS' condition.
USE THESE PROGRAMS AT YOUR OWN RISK. You agree you will not hold the
writer or distributor of these programs/files responsible for any damage
or other negative effects which may be caused by viewing or executing these
programs/files.
You may distribute these files/programs as you wish as long as the files
and programs are not modified in any way. The files ACHKDIR.EXE,
VIEWBOMB.EXE, and HOWTOUSE.DOC must be included in the
transfer of these files to others.
You understand that no guarantee is given or implied as to the usefulness
of these programs. You understand these programs may not work on your
system. USE THESE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
(C)opyright 1994 Patrick Harvey