BSE Digest v195 #233 From: kerry@freeside.fc.net (Kerry Harrison) Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 00:00:00 +0000 BSE Digest Saturday, 24 June 1995 Volume 195 : Number 233 Welcome to the BSE Digest, the place to discuss all the myriad aspects of life Beyond the Stellar Empire with other denizens of the Greater Periphery. In this issue: + FWD: [PKZIP 3.0 Trojan Horse - BEWARE!!!] + Re: BSE: IMP shooting IND + Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports + Re: BSE: FWD: [PKZIP 3.0 Trojan Horse - BEWARE!!!] + Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports + Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports + Re: BSE Digest V195 #230 + BSE:Various Things + Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports + Re: BSE: IMP shooting IND + BSE: IMP shooting IND + Missing Nephew + Yerties + Technology Sharing + Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports + Re: BSE Digest V195 #232 + Re: BSE Digest V195 #232 + Re: BSE Digest V195 #232 + Re: BSE: Re: BSE Digest V195 ... See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the bse-list or bse-digest mailing lists. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: tandmb@sierra.net (Tony & Marcia Baldacci) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 16:45:06 -0700 Subject: FWD: [PKZIP 3.0 Trojan Horse - BEWARE!!!] >------- FORWARD, Original message follows ------- >Date: Wednesday, 21-Jun-95 06:27 PM >From: rfrazier@es.com \ Internet: (rfrazier@es.com) >To: Scott C. Lemon \ Netware MHS: (slemon @ nii) > >Subject: [FW: PKZIP 3.0 Trojan Horse - BEWARE!!!] > > >Scott, you may want to forward this Bevan, etc. > >****************| cut here |****************** > > > NASIRC FOLLOW UP ADVISORY 95-17 June 15, >1995 > > More information on PKZIP trojan > =========================================================== > NASA Automated Systems Incident Response Capability > __ __ __ ___ ___ ____ ____ > /_/\ /_/| /_/\ / _/\ /_/| / __/ \ / __/\ > | |\ \| || / \ \ | /\/ | || | /\ \/ | | \/ > | ||\ \ || / /\ \ \ \ \ | || |_\/ /\ | | > | || \ \|| / /--\ \ \ /\_\\ | || | |\ \ \ | \_/\ > |_|/ \_|//_/ \_\/ \/__/ |_|/ |_| \_\/ \___\/ > Serving NASA and the International Aerospace Communities > =========================================================== > > After more investigation, NASIRC has additional information on > the PKZIP 3.000 trojan currently being circulated. > > >REFERENCES > > NASIRC Heads up Advisory 95-16, Issued June 2, 1995. > > >SYSTEMS AFFECTED > > Any computers running MS-DOS or a compatible operating system. > > >PROBLEM > > A file is being circulated, which purports to be a new version of > the PKZIP file compression/archive utility, but in reality is a > destructive trojan program. > > Warnings of this file have been circulated by several response > teams. > > >ADDITIONAL INFORMATION > > NASIRC has studied a copy of the file and learned the following: > > The file, when unzipped, contains the files: > > compress.000: Junk > compress.001: DOS executable > file_id.diz: ascii text > pkzinst.exe: DOS executable > whatsnew.300: ascii text > > * The file "pkzinst.exe" contains the strings: > > 2PKZIP (R) Install Utility Version 3.00b \ > 4-05-950Copr. 1989-1995 Pkware Inc. All Rights \ > Reserved.!Pkzip Reg. U.S. Pat. and Tm. Off.\ > -Initializing, this may take a few minutes.... > Format c: > NULL > COMSPEC > Could not execute COMMAND.COM > deltree /y c:\ > NULL > Thanks for waiting, moron.# You shouldn't have fucked \ > with us.U > Portions Copyright (c) 1983,90 Borland > > > * "compress.000" is the files: "compress.001", "pkzinst.exe" > and "whatsnew.300" concatenated. > > * The file "compress.001" is actually an ARJ > compression/decompression program. It will not execute > unless the filename extension is changed to the > DOS-conventional "exe". > > * The files "compress.000" and "compress.001" appear to be > present only to lend credibility to the ruse. > > * "whatsnew.300" is the same as "whatsnew.204" except all > occurrences of "2.04c" were replaced with "3.00". > > NASIRC has successfully extracted the files from the .ZIP file > with no side effects or unexpected behavior. It appears to be > "safe" to extract the .ZIP file or to run the pkz300b.exe > self-extracting file, however we are not advising you to do this. > > It is NOT safe to run the pkzinst.exe file from the archive. > First, it attempts to format your C drive. The FORMAT command, > with no switches, displays the message: > > WARNING: ALL DATA ON NON-REMOVABLE DISK > DRIVE C: WILL BE LOST! > Proceed with Format (Y/N)? > > The trojan redirects this message to NULL, preventing the user > from seeing it. The version of the FORMAT command we tested > waits for a confirming "Y" followed by a carriage-return. When > (apparently) nothing happens, the user may get impatient and hit > the "return" key. A carriage-return will cause FORMAT to > terminate before doing anything destructive. Other versions of > FORMAT may not wait for confirmation. > > The trojan will then execute the DELTREE command. This is a > recursive delete that removes all files and directories. > Presumably, this is done as a backup in the case that the FORMAT > command fails. > > Note that FORMAT and DELTREE are both DOS executables and must be > in the user's PATH or current directory in order for the trojan > to work at all. > > > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > NASIRC ACKNOWLEDGES: Pete Hammes of ASSIST for > making the file in question available to us for > examination. > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > > > If you have any questions about this advisory, please contact us: > > Phone: 1-800-7-NASIRC (1-800-762-7472) Fax: 1-301-441-1853 > International: +1-301-441-4398 STU III: 1-301-982-5480 > Internet Email: nasirc@nasa.gov > 24 Hour/Emergency Pager: 1-800-759-7243/Pin:2023056 > WWW: http://nasirc.nasa.gov/NASIRC_home.html > FTP: nasirc.nasa.gov, login "anonymous" > > This advisory may be forwarded without restriction to sites and > system administrators within the NASA community. > > If you require assistance or wish to report a security incident > but are not operating in support of NASA, please contact the > Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), -- an > international organization of incident response teams -- to > determine your appropriate team. You can obtain a list of > FIRST member organizations and their constituencies by sending > email to docserver@first.org with an empty "subject" line and a > message body containing the line "send first-contacts" or via > WWW at http://www.first.org/first . > > > > ------- End of Forwarded Message > > > > >Original Recipient: SLEMON.MHS @ NII > > >------- FORWARD, End of original message ------- >***** NOTES from Andy Franklin (ANDY @ ONTOS) at 6/23/95 9:46 AM > > > > ** Famous Last Words #20: "Who's the b*tch with the spiders???" ** ------------------------------ From: dalepenn@HiWAAY.net (Dale Pennington) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 19:20:12 -0500 Subject: Re: BSE: IMP shooting IND >few are also closed military bases (IE & OOC: FT Hood is an open US >Army base... you can literally as a civilian drive in and around it. >Redstone Arsenal is a closed base, If you aren't military, don't have >a set of orders for the base, and don't have at least a military >"confidential" security clearance, you're not getting on the base.) > OOC : Just as an aside, I live in Huntsville, and the gate guards are gone (budget cuts). You're not supposed to just drive around on base, but it's done. Also of the retired use it as a shortcut to work. But the idea still holds. Both Great Lakes,Ill and Orlando,Fl required a pass to get on base. Dale Pennington ------------------------------ From: SYoung3200@aol.com Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 20:20:04 -0400 Subject: Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports how about a "restricted" notice on world probe results. each colony would be a yes or no.wouldnt have any effect on game play, but would tell a newbie to contact the owner before trying anything. ------------------------------ From: Kerry Harrison <kerry@freeside.fc.net> Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 19:28:56 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: BSE: FWD: [PKZIP 3.0 Trojan Horse - BEWARE!!!] On Fri, 23 Jun 1995, Tony & Marcia Baldacci wrote: > >Subject: [FW: PKZIP 3.0 Trojan Horse - BEWARE!!!] [excessive spam regarding PKZIP 3 Trojan snipped] Tony, DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT post non-BSE or non-PBM stuff to this list as it's considered spam and on top of that those of us you need to be aware of such things have already been notified thru the various channels setup to spread warning about possible security violiations (such as mailing lists devoted entirely to warning about viruses). Anyway, this is the only warning you will receive regarding this matter - repeated postings of non-PBM/non-BSE materials will result in your removal from the list. Kerry Harrison BSE-List Admin ------------------------------ From: Kerry Harrison <kerry@freeside.fc.net> Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 19:30:20 -0500 (CDT) Subject: Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports On Fri, 23 Jun 1995 SYoung3200@aol.com wrote: > how about a "restricted" notice on world probe results. each colony would be > a yes or no.wouldnt have any effect on game play, but would tell a newbie to > contact the owner before trying anything. Actually a better place for the notice would be on the system beacon message(s) you get when you jump into a system. Kerry ------------------------------ From: rboggs@isisph.com (Russ Boggs) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 17:45:47 -0700 Subject: Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports >On Fri, 23 Jun 1995 SYoung3200@aol.com wrote: > >> how about a "restricted" notice on world probe results. each colony would be >> a yes or no.wouldnt have any effect on game play, but would tell a newbie to >> contact the owner before trying anything. > >Actually a better place for the notice would be on the system beacon >message(s) you get when you jump into a system. > >Kerry Now that's a good idea, Kerry. ------------------------------ From: RTGames@aol.com Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 21:27:19 -0400 Subject: Re: BSE Digest V195 #230 Hello everybody...a major enhancement to pickups has been added to the BSE code that I know you'll all love--there is no longer a limit of 3 pickup authorizations per position. It's infinite now, with all authorizations stored in a growing file. This is a really big deal for you colony governors out there, so any concerns about people picking up items with a global pickup code are gone now. Aside from any bug corrections <gasp>, research and other enhancements to the code, I will be devoting more time to the new combat systems. As you may know from various rumors, we're shooting for a grid system where the ships will actually move about and fire at each other from whatever ranges they happen to be at. Naturally, there will be an extensive set of combat orders needed for such a thing. With any luck it will be one cool system. There won't be any upper limit on number of positions in one battle, by the way. Pete RTG ------------------------------ From: "Richard A. Loutzenheiser" <76311.2317@compuserve.com> Date: 23 Jun 95 22:02:02 EDT Subject: BSE:Various Things >WAIT A MINUTE! This is a Samillian Trick, right? Samillian ships probably have automatic morale settings of 100. OOC: We don't have any morale modifiers; Scout's Honour. >What are Yerties? That is a crude slang nickname for the members of the Community (COM). The COM was previously an affilation made up of fanatical followers of Yert. To make a long story short they were super ground combat fighters and a major pain to have around. The affiliation was dissolved into the Imperial Marine Corps. IMP Wake Island and Castle Amber are just two of their former bases. Steve hated them (and that is an understatement) and the rest of us in the IMP at the time just put up with them. >The AFT would be very interested in your proposed Stargate policy if you would support access into the TransHole. I doubt however that your T3 partners, the WCE and the FGZ, would support such access. So...What's left to say? We will guarantee access into the Transhole. If you want to know more, you'll have to contact me. ------------------------------ From: "Cap'n Scragg" <scragg@infi.net> Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 23:11:12 +0000 Subject: Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports > Allowing anyone to create IND positions is a mistake. It will result > in all IND's being targeted by sensible colony owners, due to inevitable > power player abuse of this loophole (a good example of which is supplied > above). Some restrictions need to be applied. ooc I disagree. I say no restrictions on IND positions. back when you could run ONLY affiliation ships the game was pretty damn boaring. Conflicts usually ended up being an all or nothing proposition. If some one wants to raise an all IND force and kick some butt I say more power to them. I'd say being IND is more like just shutting down your ships ID transponder. Whats the big deal? If you capture an IND ship you can probably do a special action on the Prisoners and see where they have recently been, and if they have recently been employed by a certain affiliation etc... IND for all is the current rule. Spend your time figuring out how to play within the realm of the rules rather then whining for GM restrictions or intervention. Joe ------------------------------ From: "Cap'n Scragg" <scragg@infi.net> Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1995 23:23:28 +0000 Subject: Re: BSE: IMP shooting IND >Your threat, however, is poor (nonexistent?) role-playing, impossible to >justify in-game, and just the sort of thing that made many on this list oppose >the reinstatement of the old IND rules. Personally, I am in favor of allowing >anyone to run an IND ship, but it's a priviledge than can be ruined for >everyone by poor gamesmanship such as you suggest. Poor roleplaying my butt! I run IND ships, if I loose any of them the offender is going to pay period, end of story. My role? I'm a pirate. I blow stuff up for fun and proft. Seems pretty in character to me! I'm getting pretty damn sick of the limp wristed whiners that cry foul or say thats not good role playing just because you don't agree with something or can't figure out how to play the game within the rules. Don't like having your highport toasted? Do a reasearch project to armor them or install shields on them. Or even simpler put a small ship or two in the space square with all IND on your enemy list, I can't blow your highport up if I can't get to it. Joe ------------------------------ From: "Hendrick,Bill;=9462771" <BHENDRICK@kean.ucs.mun.ca> Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 01:38:36 +0200 (IST) Subject: BSE: IMP shooting IND Joe Its not just a matter of turning your transponder off because you lose your affs special abilities. My suggestion to IND players, that is TRUE IND players or newbies is to not play your ship anonymously. It won't save your ship if you venture someplace where they don't like you, but it gives you a little ammo to convince people that you weren't doing anything wrong and shouldn't have been shot at. Bill ------------------------------ From: wayne.alexander@mercopus.com (Wayne Alexander) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 95 23:17:00 -0500 Subject: Missing Nephew Don Guido, Sorry, I can't locate him at Messalina or Hypso. He didn't mention Werth did he? My last com-mail from Myron said something about Rlo taking up with some new, young fella. Something about bringing him along, teaching him the ropes. Didn't say who he was, but did mention that the nice young man seemed to like Italian cuisine. If I hear anything I'll definitely let you know. Stu - --- . QMPro 1.53 . There's nothing like the personal touch of a hired goon. - ---- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Mercury Opus BBS - St. Petersburg, Florida, USA - +1-813-321-0734 | | (Please do not send any attached or uuencoded files to this address.) | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ From: wayne.alexander@mercopus.com (Wayne Alexander) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 95 23:17:00 -0500 Subject: Yerties Kevin, "Yerties" are an affectionate term for the followers of Yert, a baseless and twisted religious leader who led the COMmunity (or COMmies to the rest of us) to unparalleled power and influence with the Imperial Court some years ago. Their Periphery leader was a certain Lord Zealom, whose head resides in a hermetically sealed mayonnaise jar at EEM Messalina. They preached intolerance of compromise and practiced warfare on a fanatical level not seen since I can't remember when. Their evil machinations literally destroyed the CPR, and spread terror and Tent Temples across the Periphery. Their Inner Empire cadre rose to have an enormous and unjustified influence over His Imperial Majesty, the Kaiser. At one time the COMmies were made the official ground military arm of the Stellar Empire. They had immense psionic powers and could make loyal troops turn on their own commanders. Their power began to wane after the GTT developed the mind shield. It is said that some may still exist, and ISP PD von Ludendorf's comment tends to verify this. Regardless of who they work for, they are worthy only of being shot on sight. Star Admiral Dax Krieger, ISP/ICN PD (Retired) EEM Chairman Emeritus (I hate the COM, they killed my father) - --- . QMPro 1.53 . There's nothing like the personal touch of a hired goon. - ---- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Mercury Opus BBS - St. Petersburg, Florida, USA - +1-813-321-0734 | | (Please do not send any attached or uuencoded files to this address.) | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ From: wayne.alexander@mercopus.com (Wayne Alexander) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 95 23:17:00 -0500 Subject: Technology Sharing My dear Abercrombie, The idea is a sound one. I look forward to receiving your idea, either here on this bandwidth or via private email. Lord Stu Krieger EEM CEO - --- . QMPro 1.53 . There's nothing like the personal touch of a hired goon. - ---- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Mercury Opus BBS - St. Petersburg, Florida, USA - +1-813-321-0734 | | (Please do not send any attached or uuencoded files to this address.) | +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ From: caz@primenet.com (Paul Ellis) Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 02:08:54 -0700 Subject: Re: BSE: IND's and Hiports On Fri, 23 Jun 1995 23:11:12 Cap'n Scragg Said.. <snip> >I'd say being IND is more like just shutting down your ships ID >transponder. Whats the big deal? Accually, from an in game perspective shutting down your ID transponder would make you UNKnown(ie. No signal being sent). Changing it would make you IND(ie. not your signal being sent). Paul ------------------------------ From: David Isaac <76170.2705@compuserve.com> Date: 24 Jun 95 05:10:43 EDT Subject: Re: BSE Digest V195 #232 >>Actually, even if you target IND for space battle they can still get your hiport. Brad, I checked with Thad before I posted my note and he assures me that if I'm posting IND and one comes in to blow my hiport (or for any reason) I'll shoot him prior to his attack. We went on to talk about cloaking in and even then the cloaked ship will only have a chance to hit the Hiport. Dave ------------------------------ From: David Isaac <76170.2705@compuserve.com> Date: 24 Jun 95 05:10:55 EDT Subject: Re: BSE Digest V195 #232 Brad wrote >>I am proposing that all interested parties reach an accord over that sharing and copying of technology. Maybe we could start with the Imperials adding a law that makes back engineering illegal.? Dave ------------------------------ From: David Isaac <76170.2705@compuserve.com> Date: 24 Jun 95 05:10:50 EDT Subject: Re: BSE Digest V195 #232 >>I don't think the WCE is determined to keep the Stargates down forever. During a war, especially against an affiliation that is outside the Transhole, sure, but what do you expect? Kevin, Not forever but for the forseable future. What I expect is that the SAM interest is premature unless they can work out their T3 allies concerns. Dave ------------------------------ From: SBach11@aol.com Date: Sat, 24 Jun 1995 09:48:46 -0400 Subject: Re: BSE: Re: BSE Digest V195 ... Dave- > The solution, assuming that you are not indeed a pirate, is to >choose an affiliation! At this time.... I agree with your point of view.... and that the brash Capt. Scragg should probably not be considered an IND political candidate.<g> However he did note he meant HIS IND ships...and that shouldn't be held against IND players whom obviously won't be building disposable WG. The newbie IND trial argument still holds water. Perhaps we should think of a way to protect from non-newbie IND positions instead. > However, the only way to prevent IND attacks on our Hiports will >be to issue those attack in orbit orders. To any of you who think this is better than what Scragg said, think again. Both are hot headed combative responses to a situation. One is a low down greedy pirate and the other is contract merchant who'll do anything for a buck <g> Whats the diff? Steve P.S> 1WG + 6 korondite + 1 pulsar = highport go BOOM! ....no matter what AFF. is flying the ship. ALL the IND flag is doing is allowing people not to have to answer for their actions. That is the root of this problem. ------------------------------ End of BSE Digest V195 #233 *************************** BSE Digest - All items Copyright (c) 1995, by their respective authors, permission is granted to redistribute as long as proper credit is given. To subscribe to BSE Digest, send the command: + subscribe bse-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@fc.net". If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe "bse@domain.net": + subscribe bse-digest bse@domain.net A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "bse-digest" in the commands above with "bse-list". An archive of BSE Digest back issues are available via anonymous ftp <ftp://ftp.io.com/pub/usr/kerry/BSE/Digests>. Up