Subject: Review of DISKSECURE (PC)
From: p1@arkham.wimsey.bc.ca (Rob Slade)
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 91 12:17:00 PDT

After a brief (ack ... two months!?!) hiatus, another review.  Pursuant 
to the recent discussions regarding hard disk locking, that's basically 
what DISKSECURE does.  And I'm *still* waiting for some smart company to 
make a hard disk with a write protect switch ...

PCDSKSEC.RVW   910816
                        Comparison Review
 
Company and product:
 
A.  Padgett Peterson
POB 1203
Windermere, FLA, 34786, USA
(407)352-6007 eves Florida time
(407)648-0733 fax
DISKSECURE v .95
 
Summary:
 
Low level hard disk protecion to prevent access, by virus or
otherwise, to hard disk.
 
Cost      not yet released as shareware
 
Rating (1-4, 1 = poor, 4 = very good)
     "Friendliness"
          Installation   3
          Ease of use    3
          Help systems   3
     Compatibility       2
     Company
          Stability      2
          Support        3
     Documentation       2
     Hardware required   3
     Performance        3
     Availability        
     Local Support       
 
General Description:
 
DISKSEC.EXE replaces the partition table of the hard disk with
code which performs load time checking and prevents access to the
hard disk if booted from floppy, and offers software write
protection to the system areas of the disk.  CHKSEC.EXE verifies
DISKSEC operation, and FLOPSEC.EXE creates a bootable floppy for
maintenance purposes.
 
            Comparison of features and specifications
 
 
 
User Friendliness
 
Installation
 
Default installation is simple and can be accomplished through a
supplied batch file (DSINSTAL.BAT).  A "quick start" reference is
provided along with the regular documentation.  For protection of
the hard disk only DISKSEC is required to be run, although this
limits the possibilities for recovery.
 
Novice users may not be sufficiently aware of the dangers
inherent in this process.  The program is replacing the partition
table of the hard disk, and, if it fails, all information which
the computer requires to access the disk and information will be
lost, even if the information is not, physically, erased. 
Although the possibility of this is very small, a backup of the
partition boot record prior to installation would be a good idea.
 
Ease of use
 
Operation of the programs is simpe.  DISKSEC provides ample
prompting and opportunity for the user to stop at any point. 
CHKSEC and DSRPART are quite terse in the feedback that they
provide to the user, but operate easily and well.
 
Help systems
 
None provided.  DISKSEC is well prompted and the other programs
have no options.
 
Compatibility
 
 
Company Stability
 
Padgett is an unstable personality, and should be avoided when
driving "The Judge."
 
Company Support
 
Padgett is well known as a contributor to VIRUS-L/comp.virus.
 
Documentation
 
The documentation is quite clear to anyone familiar with MS-DOS
operations.  Occasionally certain points may not be clear to
novice users (for example, the fact that "removal" of DISKSECURE
is done via the DSRPART program.)  The spelling could use some
work.
 
Hardware Requirements
 
None specified, but a hard disk and at least one floppy disk
(which can be used to boot from) would appear to be minimum
requirements.
 
Performance
 
In testing, DISKSECURE detected the presence of the BRAIN virus
and prevented infection.  DISKSECURE detected the presence of the
Stoned virus.  Infection of the hard disk occurred and the disk
was not accessible thereafter, even after booting from a clean
floppy.  Running DSRPART.COM removed the infection.  (NB - access
to the hard disk is restored only after rebooting once
DSRPART.COM has been run.)
 
Creation of a "maintenance" diskette with FLOPSEC appears to
render the diskette unusable for other purposes.  Diskettes with
important files on them should not be used, and nothing should be
written to them thereafter.
 
It appears that the program indulges in some "stealth" technology
of its own: the partition boot record appears unchanged after
installation.
 
Local Support
 
None provided.
 
Support Requirements
 
DISKSECURE is simple enough for a novice user to run, and should
provide significant protection with minimal risk.  Recovery is
quick and easy, as long as the user remembers the importance of
DSRPART.COM.  Intermediate users should note the difficulties in
running system optimizing software.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1991   PCDSKSEC.RVW   910816


=============
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