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Volume 1, Issue 5
May 1991
Table of Contents
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WWIVNews Intro Contest Submissions II...........................Various
NET24 Release Notes..........................................Random 1@1
Why Register WWIV?.................................Shadow Master 1@9979
Hack Scare MCXXVIII with Fix..........................Eight Ball 1@6909
The Pending File.........................................WWIVNEWS Staff
The Editor's Corner.................................East Bay Ray 1@9964
Acknowledgements.........................................WWIVNEWS Staff
=======================================================================
WWIVNews Intro Contest Submissions II
Venom 2@7707
------------
_______________________________________________________________________
__ ____ __ __ __
\\\ ///\\\ ///:[]\\\ /// "title of issue:
\\\ /\ /// \\\ /\ /// :[] \\\ ///
\\\//\\// \\\//\\// :[] \\\// VOLUME:
\\/ \\/ \\/ \\/ :[] \\/ DATE :
ISSUE :
-*NEWS*-
_______________________________________________________________________
Hard Rock 204@9964 (Winner)
---------------------------
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=======================================================================
NET24 Release Notes (README.NET)
by Random 1@1
The most significant change to this release (NET24) of the
network software is the option to compress (Zip) network packets. If
enabled, the network software will analyze the P0.NET and P1.NET
(pending) files and compress the messages/mail for those nodes for
which you have compression enabled. When a compressed packet is
received by your system (from another node), the network software will
de-compress the packet prior to analyzing it. All compressing and
de-compressing is done by the network software. PKzip or other
compression programs are NOT called nor used.
To enable network compression for an existing connection, simply
add a semicolon (;) to the modifiers located in CALLOUT.NET. For
example, compression enabled for an existing connection with @1234
(depending which modifiers are in use) could look like:
@1234 & ; "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO"
(The semicolon can be placed just about anywhere along with the other
modifiers)
BE SURE to ensure that the system you are compressing net packets
for is also running at least NET24. ONLY NET24 (and higher) supports
net compression (not previous releases). So in order for compression
to be used for a connection, BOTH sides HAVE to be running at least
NET24. MAKE SURE that the other connection is using at least NET24
BEFORE enabling compression.
Compressed files are stored in the Data directory starting with
the letter 'Z' (ie: Z1234.NET would be a compressed packet for node
1234). Data for non-compressed connections is still stored starting
with the letter 'S' (ie: S5678.NET). After adding the semicolon for
newly enabled 'compressed' connections, run NETWORK1. Doing so will
convert pending 'S' files to compressed 'Z' files. To avoid having the
network software re-analyze everything, 'touch' BBSDATA.NET prior to
re-starting the BBS. [Ed.- TOUCH is a utility included with most
Borland programming languages which will update any file's timestamp to
the current time and date.]
The network1.exe program is the program which actually does the
compression/decompression. The compression technique used is the
implode method used by PKzip. The actual compression/decompression
routines are from the PKware Data Compression Library. The compressed
net packets are NOT .ZIP files, and cannot be viewed or processed at
all by PKzip or any other archive program.
Do not blindly assume that compression should be used for all of
your net connections. Whether or not compression is actually useful
depends upon many things, such as if the connection is local or long
distance, and whether or not the modems already support compression.
If you are using net compression, do NOT use MNP5 for the connection.
V.42bis is fine, however. V.42bis's ability to compress network packets
is about the same as net compression, so if you have a V.42bis
connection, you may be just as well off to not use net compression (and
thus avoid the delay involved in compressing the network data). If you
have a local HST/V.32 connection that uses V.42bis, I would not suggest
using net compression.
I do not know how this version will interface with other network
packing programs not written by me, since I don't use them.
NOTE: LNET does not currently allow you to look at compressed network
packets.
=======================================================================
Why Register WWIV?
by Shadow Master 1@9979
(post captured and printed with permission)
A couple of weeks ago, I recieved in the mail a sample of
TeleComputing Magazine. In the magazine, there was an ad for The Major
BBS. Anyway, the major feature about this BBS, is supposed to be its
multi-line capability and its real-time group chat conferences. Anyway,
going back to the ad I read, I thought I would like to share the quoted
prices...
The Major BBS (2 node capability) $ 59.00
Source Code for BBS $ 285.00
For Every Doubling Of # Of Nodes $ 300.00
Transfer Section (Yes ability to Ul/DL files) $ 199.00
Source Code For Transfer Section $ 159.00
(Recquired To Be Able To Install External Protocols)
OnLine Entertainment Section $ 149.00
Source Code For Entertainment Section $ 129.00
Program To Create Your Own Menus $ 149.00
Source Code For The Above Program $ 129.00
-------------------------------------------------------
GRAND TOTAL $1558.00
WWIV Registration $ 50.00
Now I know I have never used The Major BBS before, but aren't
those prices ridiculous no matter how many features the BBS software
has? So what are we missing out on by using WWIV? MultiLine . . .
What are Sysops Of The Major BBS suffering from? A) They are broke. B)
They have no NET.
I just thought I would post those figures for WWIV Sysops who
might have been looking for alternate BBS programs. My advice: Think
Again!
=======================================================================
Hack Scare MCXXVIII with Fix
by Eight Ball 1@6909
I don't know if this was brought up the first time the
NETWORK.COM hack scare went around, so if it has, I apologize.
Otherwise, we have a very SERIOUS problem because
*** THERE IS NO "CLEAN" FIX IF YOU ARE NOT A REGISTERED SYSOP. ***
I did however create a fix for registered sysops.
While I was away on spring break, a user used the auto-validation
to get into the system and uploaded a file called YEAH.ZIP which he
called "A mod I wrote to send files over the net!" Inside were
HACK.BAT and NETWORK.COM and we all know what those are for, right?
When he extracted these, he extracted out "-D.*" out. The -d switch to
PKUNZIP tells it to extract out any directories in the archive. He
archived them with the paths, so that a pkunzip -v looked like this:
Searching ZIP: YEAH.ZIP
Length Method Size Ratio Date Time Attr Name
------ ------ ----- ----- ---- ---- ---- ----
20 Stored 20 0% 11-22-90 20:37 --w /WWIV/HACK.BAT
14301 Stored 14301 0% 11-23-90 21:03 --w /WWIV/NETWORK.COM
------ ------ --- -------
14321 14321 0% 2
Thus, even though I use the full-pathname and all the other hack
protection business, he was able to get around it with the -D
parameter.
For some reason he was unsuccessful; all he managed to do was
hang the system for three days. In fact, I ran the hack myself and it
got as far as the CTTY in HACK.BAT before hanging the system as busy.
I still haven't figured out what the would-be hacker did wrong but I
am thankful it didn't work.
If you are not a registered sysop, the only recourse I see is
renaming your BBS directory to something that isn't easily guessed,
because if the hacker can guess what your BBS directory is, he can put
the directory into the ZIP file and you're screwed.
*** REGISTERED SYSOPS READ ON ***
If you are using the autovalidation mod, you can use the U
restriction which forces uploads to the sysop directory. Use this:
thisuser.restrict |= restrict_upload
However, validated users could still use the hack. The fix for
this, for 4.11 and 4.12 sysops (should work with earlier versions) is
this. Load up XFER.C and look for int okfn (char *s). (It's the first
function in my XFER.C)
Before the line that says
return(ok)
add this:
if (s[0]=='-')
ok=0;
This prevents anyone from using a dash as the first letter of ANY
filename that gets checked with okfn (for instance, an uploaded file).
[Ed.- Wayne Bell's UNZIP program, detailed in a previous issue,
prevents this sort of PKZip hacking. Personally, I would not recommend
modding your source code at all, but instead using Wayne Bell's
program.]
=======================================================================
The Pending File
(Tips, Tricks, and News)
by WWIVNEWS Staff
As it has been annouced elsewhere as well, NET24 is out and available
on all the major support boards. There is one smaller feature in NET24
that many have clamored for, which Wayne did not mention in his release
notes: preferred server routing. Now that mail servers are becoming
more and more popular, NET24's NETWORK3 now gives mail servers
preferred routing over other non-server connections.
=======================================================================
The Editor's Corner
by East Bay Ray 1@9964
Hola senores y senoritas! Yes, we have a winner! A guy who
actually called my system and //UPLOADed his art. My gratitude and
sincere appreciate goes out to all the people who participated in the
"cover" contest, they were all great entries. It was a tough choice!
Just about everybody, including the people in Lizard Lick, NC,
know that NET24 is out. With the release of this software dawns a new
age: The age of network compression. It was first brought (somewhat)
with NetZip, then with NetZip II and WWIVPACK, and now Wayne has made
both obsolete. He uses the PKZIP technology directly in his software,
eliminating the need for any sort of program that would compress
packets. For more details on this, see the NET24 release notes included
elsewhere in this issue.
Another issue to note is that John Hardman 2@9954 (Group 5 GC) is
stepping down May 21 as GC, and leaving WWIVnet (and BBSing altogether)
as of June 1. WWIVnet will truly be sorry when he leaves, and many
sysops will miss him. This also brings up an interesting topic: How
will the next one be appointed? As far as I know, John is the first GC
to be replaced. Will Wayne appoint one? Will John oversee an election
within Group 5, or will John (or Wayne) simply appoint a new GC? This
is a new step in WWIVnet history, and it will be interesting to see how
it turns out.
Another interesting issue is that the 919 area code is about 4
nodes shy of being full, which means that 919 will need some new node
numbers. Where to go? Wayne says 5 digit node numbers! That is the
obvious solution, since the possible range of node numbers runs between
1 and 65534. The main topic this issue brings to mind is what the
sysops will do about sub types. Since the traditional numbering system
consists of adding a 1, 2, 3, 4, and then 5 to your node number, some
sub type conflicts will probably arise. Please send any suggestions,
comments, etc. to WWIVNews, c/o 1@9964.
=======================================================================
Acknowledgements
WWIV (c) 1988 by Wayne Bell.
All other products mentioned are either registered trademarks or
copyrighted by their respectives manufacturers.
=======================================================================
The End