Newsgroups: comp.security.misc,comp.security.pgp.discuss,comp.security.pgp.resources
Subject: Announce - ScramDisk v2.02E
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1998

Good news folks....

AMAN has located all of the known bugs in ScramDisk and I am please to announce the release of a new version.  Fixes include:

  i) Lock-up when mounting a volume whilst running Office 95 / 97 (or more specifically the Find Fast feature).

  ii) Lock-up when Windows 98 under extremely heavy load.

  iii) Problems running JBN.

  iv) Problems with Agent (Newsreader).

  v) Lock-up when trying to mount a drive whilst no free drive letters exist.

  vi) ScramDisk fails some randomness test because of an unused area of the disk that was left unencrypted.  This does not affect security - but it is now possible to test ScramDisk containers with appropriate tools (e.g. diehard).


New features in this version:

  i) There is now an option to open an explore window (or not).  This has a few restrictions: if the current windows is a CabinetWClass then a new window will always be opened (this is default Microsoft behavior that cannot be overridden).

  ii) New feature to not show the physical drive list.  This is now default behavior.  This prevents conflicts with some machines.


IMPORTANT: This is a "binary only" release - we are waiting until the addition of the new cipher until we distribute a further full source code release.  If you do not trust the binary release (with associated PGP .sig) then please continue to use to complete v2.02c release for now.  The delay until the next full release is expected to be < 1 month.


To keep you all updated, there are currently four interesting developments underway:

  i) A Linux conversion

  ii) Production of a Delphi component to facilitate the production of cusomisable applications.

  iii) Linked with ii) above; the production of a suite of easy to use applications.  Will include a full InstallShield install, file association, command line tools etc etc

  iv) Implementation of (IMHO) the most interesting (and patent free!!!!) AES candidate.


Regards,

Sam Simpson
Comms Analyst
-- See http://www.hertreg.ac.uk/ss/ for ScramDisk, a free virtual disk encryption for Windows 95/98.  PGP Keys available at the same site.