I thought of this the other day, but don't know enough about programming and cryptography to do it, or if it actually could be done. Anyways, I figured I'd share it with all of you and see if anyone has any ideas. Here's the situation: We all know that some advanced computer systems have real-time encryption built into all modem connections. When a bank branch dials into the main office the entire transmission may be encrypted. This occurs even between terminal connections and the host. I'm wondering if there is a way to do this with PCs? Say I'm setting up a computer bulletin board for my company that is going to run off of a DOS PC. Is there a way to encrypt a remote users entire connection with the BBS, so that they would have to have a special term program to access the system? It would be best if the user only had to load a device driver or something so that they wouldn't all have to use the same comm program. Could this be done by loading a special device driver on both the host and remote so that all data going through com port 2 (or whatever) is encrypted? Anybody know if something like this is available? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Mike McMahon * * Internet: 585-7625@mcimail.com * * PGP Fingerprint: 95 F9 2A 1B 81 4F D8 31 56 ED BC A5 4F 64 A7 02 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Michael McMahon <0005857625@mcimail.com> writes: [...]
I'm wondering if there is a way to do [end-to-end encryption] with PCs? Is there a way to encrypt a remote users entire connection with the BBS, so that they would have to have a special term program to access the system?
Sure, no problem, provided you are willing to do a lot of coding... The basic idea would be to use public-key encryption to do a short negotigiation of a one-time key to use for DES/IDEA encryption of the session. You could then use a public key for the system as a whole (with which the users can encrypt thier personal public keys for uploading during the initial connection) and the user's public key to send the key transmitted from the BBS for the session. All that would be necessary is for you to add a bit of code to the comm program so that it would recognize when it was talking to a system such as this and do the right thing when needed (the actual encryption code is readily available in systems like PGP and the various DES implementations out there.) The downside is that there are a lot of terminal programs out there for microcomputers and not many supply source code for such modifications. I had thought about using such a system when planning out a raid-proof 386BSD system and the hassles of trying to get at least one program to do this for every platform that might want to connect to such a BBS was more work that I wanted to do. Perhaps as an option (e.g. one line using end-to-end encryption and others normal) for connecting to a system, but if all the lines are done like this you will probably find making it difficult for people to connect like this keeps people away from the system. jim
Re: encrypting modem links
I'm wondering if there is a way to do this with PCs?
Yes, with difficulty, and not transparently.
Is there a way to encrypt a remote users entire connection with the BBS, so that they would have to have a special term program to access the system?
For PC's, replacing the terminal software is really the best way. There is no effective abstraction of serial port hardware in the PC world. The int 0x14 driver in the BIOS was rampantly defective, and MSDOS does not provide a standard interface. As a result, almost all comm software on PC's talks to the serial port directly. Now in MS Windows, there is abstraction for ther serial ports, but I don't know how easy it is to insert a device layer.
It would be best if the user only had to load a device driver or something so that they wouldn't all have to use the same comm program.
It might be possible, using a 386, to make a driver that acted as if it were hardware but actually did encryption. Ick. Reliability and cross-program compatibility would be shit. And it would have to be made compatible with whatever else was taking over the 386. Remember: I hate DOS. Eric
Eric Hughes wrote:
Is there a way to encrypt a remote users entire connection with the BBS, so that they would have to have a special term program to access the system?
For PC's, replacing the terminal software is really the best way. There is no effective abstraction of serial port hardware in the PC world. The int 0x14 driver in the BIOS was rampantly defective, and MSDOS does not provide a standard interface.
As a result, almost all comm software on PC's talks to the serial port directly. Now in MS Windows, there is abstraction for ther serial ports, but I don't know how easy it is to insert a device layer.
It would be best if the user only had to load a device driver or something so that they wouldn't all have to use the same comm program.
It might be possible, using a 386, to make a driver that acted as if it were hardware but actually did encryption. Ick. Reliability and cross-program compatibility would be shit. And it would have to be made compatible with whatever else was taking over the 386.
Using something like a FOSSIL driver (a replacement serial port driver that many BBSes use) you could do this. I would imagine that it would only encode when carrier is up and the BBS software sends an INT14 AX=xx instruction to turn on encryption. Tim -- Internet: pozar@kumr.lns.com FidoNet: Tim Pozar @ 1:125/555 Snail: Tim Pozar / KKSF / 77 Maiden Lane / San Francisco CA 94108 / USA POTS: +1 415 788 2022 Radio: KC6GNJ / KAE6247
What about a streams module that does encryption? Of course, it'd require people to run a real OS instead of dos/system... -- J. Eric Townsend jet@nas.nasa.gov 415.604.4311 NASA Ames Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation | play: jet@well.sf.ca.us Parallel Systems Support, CM-5 POC | '92 R100R / DoD# 0378 PGP2.1 public key available upon request or finger jet@simeon.nas.nasa.gov
Excerpts from internet.cypherpunks: 7-Apr-93 Real-time BBS Encryption?? by Eric Hughes@soda.berkele
For PC's, replacing the terminal software is really the best way. There is no effective abstraction of serial port hardware in the PC world. The int 0x14 driver in the BIOS was rampantly defective, and MSDOS does not provide a standard interface.
As a result, almost all comm software on PC's talks to the serial port directly. Now in MS Windows, there is abstraction for ther serial ports, but I don't know how easy it is to insert a device layer.
Actually, there is a rather old (for the PC) abstraction called FOSSIL (Fido Opus Seadog Serial Interface Layer ... or so). It is essentially an extention/replacement for the BIOS int 0x14 driver. It is certainly possible to further extend this for encryption by adding some functions to the interface. The two FOSSILs I know of are X00 and BNU - They can be found in oak.oakland.edu:/pub/msdos/fossil -- David Sward sward+@cmu.edu
Sure, no problem, provided you are willing to do a lot of coding...
A lot of coding? You can come very close to doing it with off-the-shelf code. ka9q for SLIP. Telnet authentication is now an RFC, and encryption will be available probably within a few weeks. Plus, with IP, you can use existing mechanisms (like POP) to get your mail on your local PC and do your decryption there. This is beyond any PC code I know, and would require new development. Marc
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Michael McMahon
[ Info on offline readers ]
I haven't fussed around with offline readers much, but I'll bet it'd be pretty simple to add a step to the collection/.ZIP process, which would encrypt the whole package with some prearranged key.
Yes, that's a definite possibility. Most of the popular offline readers require that you first send them a packet (usually empty) so that they will put you in the database. The reader could just accept a certain file (pubkey.asc for example) that contains the key you want to be used. Then all sessions with you will be so encrypted. Your mail to the BBS could also be encrypted with the BBS's public key. Unfortunately, one problem still exists: I don't know of too many BBS's where the e-mail messages are actually encrypted on the disk. As a matter of fact, the SYSOP can usually read all mail.
This would allow folks to use standard BBS programs, standard terminal programs, and perhaps even standard offline readers. It should be pretty simple from a programming standpoint, as well; it's perhaps implementable with only batch commands. Yes, the "bad guys" will get to watch the user log on and log off, and can read the menus and choices - but so what? It's possible (easy, really) to encrypt all of the really interesting stuff.
Some of those programs (MegaMail, TomCat, etc) run PKUNZIP to unzip the file(s) then take care of the files themselves. There isn't an easy way to throw in encryption. I would be willing to add an encryption option to my offline mail software, though. I have written a UTI (Universal Text Interface) for ChaelBoard that lets it interface with RelayNet(tm) and offline mail readers that use UTI's. I also write a QWK/REP interface that allows ChaelBoard to be a node (the hub software isn't quite done yet) on WildNet and for offline mail reading/replying. I could implement encryption in the ZIP/UNZIP step (for the users who have PGP keys registered with the BBS). Do you think it's worth my time? Chael Hall -- Chael Hall nowhere@bsu-cs.bsu.edu, 00CCHALL@BSUVC.BSU.EDU (317) 285-3648 after 5 pm EST
Here's the situation: We all know that some advanced computer systems have real-time encryption built into all modem connections. When a bank branch dials into the main office the entire transmission may be encrypted. This occurs even between terminal connections and the host.
This is usually accomplished through an external "data encryption unit", which is interfaced between the terminal (host) and modem. It is NOT in software.
I'm wondering if there is a way to do this with PCs?
Aside from those very expensive high-end boxes that banks use for their sensative information, there was a DES encryptor made by Practical Peripherals years ago. It still may be available. --
I haven't fussed around with offline readers much, but I'll bet it'd be pretty simple to add a step to the collection/.ZIP process, which would encrypt the whole package with some prearranged key.
that's vulnerable...it's the secret key problem. The ELEGANT way to do this with encription is to just make a normal ZIP file, but then build diffie-hellman into your file downloader (zmodem). This is also the least work solution. SO, since we're talking about offline mail readers... Whats the best one for the PC that works (or can easily be made to work) with rfc822 mail files? There's pcelm, which sucks...and there's mush, which is slooooow as hell because of all the overlays. I was writing my own, but I got side-tracked...somebody want to save me some programming?
participants (11)
-
David Reeve Sward -
Eric Hughes -
greg＠ideath.goldenbear.com -
jet＠nas.nasa.gov -
Marc Horowitz -
mccoy＠ccwf.cc.utexas.edu -
Michael McMahon -
nowhere＠bsu-cs.bsu.edu -
pozar＠kumr.lns.com -
rustman＠netcom.com -
stig＠netcom.com