164 replies to this topic

[Brito]

That's because you're smart. Most users wouldn't even know where to start..

[Joshua]

I wish someone would explain to me, why anyone would want to have an expire function on his PE, especialy since it is soooooooooooo easy to circumvent!

All my winpe cd's works only max for one month!
This is because if i lost or forget it, and someone found it, it is not so easy to use it.
My expire function is not so easy to circumvent because for example if you set:
from: 07/01/2009 to 07/10/2009 you have only a time window from 10 days to set the correct day for your windows clock!
If you don't know the correct expire distance, you have a long play time!

Joshua

[steelbone]

Hi there,

basicly with a little knowledge about (imagex, recreation iso's,..) it's very easy to bypass the password+expire function.

i have edit the prelogon.ini.

PreLogonPasswd=
PreLogonPasswdHardDisk=
PreLogonCryptedExpirationDateStart=
PreLogonCryptedExpirationDateEnd=

every entry to zero, and the function was disabled

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May it's a good possibility trying to work in future with encrypted Contains like "Truecrypt".

so there is a known linux project: "Ubuntu Privacy Remix" for example.

it's possible to use an specified Truecrypt boot-loader for example (but i didn't tested it until now)

it sound interesting to use first an Truecrypt loader, and after the Truecrypt loader the Grubloader

so primary i don't know about legitimation if the Win7Pe for example is fully encrypted. ;(

regards

steel

[Joshua]

basicly with a little knowledge about (imagex, recreation iso's,..) it's very easy to bypass the password+expire function.
every entry to zero, and the function was disabled

I can easily change this, to made it more difficult, but a person capable to do this, what you call 'with a little knowledge',
was also capable to build his own pe!

Joshua

[steelbone]

yes this is right.

but it was only a mind-feedback from my side, don't understand wrong

if you could make this little more secure, so then also smart guys has to spent more time to bypass functions

Regards



Steel

[Brito]

Yep, lots of ways to complicate life.

For example, in delphi it's possible to specify a set of bytes that will be placed on the compiled binary.

To make things difficult, plant an array of given bytes that could later be retrieved with a byte signature.

Whenever the user sets the password and expire, write the respective MD5 checksum of the configuration file on the reserved array of bytes inside the executable and then place both on the boot disk folder.

This way nobody tampers with the configuration file unless he also knows where to edit the MD5 checksum. If it's too easy to spot the location of the MD5 signature, then add some spice and merge the result with a small formula using some value that is specific inside the configuration file like the month of the expire date.

To workaround these security measures would require a lot more work and even more complex measures could be applied..

Definitively easier to just rebuild a new project.

[homes32]

I wish someone would explain to me, why anyone would want to have an expire function on his PE, especialy since it is soooooooooooo easy to circumvent!

I can think of one reason offhand. a IT company may want to expire the PE cd after a period of time to make sure their techs are using the latest builds and can't use them after they quit/are fired/etc. password protection won't work in these cases, as obviously the tech knows the password. IMHO passwords are only good to protect against leaving the cd in a customers drive accidentally.

[darren rose]

I thought the expiry was part of the licence agreement for us using PE? so hacking about and disabling it will break the terms of use?

I may be wrong though

[homes32]

I thought the expiry was part of the licence agreement for us using PE? so hacking about and disabling it will break the terms of use?

I may be wrong though

your thinking about the24hr time limit. this is about setting an expiration date that the cd will stop working upon reaching. it is implemented by joshua's winpe7loader

[darren rose]

your thinking about the24hr time limit. this is about setting an expiration date that the cd will stop working upon reaching. it is implemented by joshua's winpe7loader

oh right, that will teach me for not reading back and thus completely missing the point!!!!

[Joshua]

basicly with a little knowledge about (imagex, recreation iso's,..) it's very easy to bypass the password+expire function.
i have edit the prelogon.ini.

PreLogonPasswd=
PreLogonPasswdHardDisk=
PreLogonCryptedExpirationDateStart=
PreLogonCryptedExpirationDateEnd=

every entry to zero, and the function was disabled

New version is ready!
Zero entries are not supported!
If you edit the prelogin.ini, and set entry(s) to zero, system will reset!
PreLogonConfig was tested on windows7-rc1 also.

Joshua

[steelbone]

Hi there,

so as i could see you changed the PreLogon to force configure the Expiration date+password function right?


so may it's possible to have the old function to choose password/expire yes or no. And in combination to avoid Zero lines in the PreLogon.ini.?

so in the last script the activation where lines with encryption entrys. and with function deactivated the lines where blank.

so my mind is now, may it's possible to make a function choose, and equal if the user is saying yes or no (or mark, unmark) the lines will be encrypted?

Regards

Steel

[Joshua]

so may it's possible to have the old function to choose password/expire yes or no.

If you don't want, that the password expire, set expiration date end to year 2099!
I think that is long enough!

Joshua

[ludovici]

Hello Joshua

Do you know the script of Max_Real_Qnx "ComBo_Box v5 scv.30 For VistaPE 11 & 12 RC1, April 12th 2009 Final version" with the Protection code feature (VPE logon) and VPE lock ?
It's a very good feature, with a beautiful login screen ...
Can you seen the VPE Logon feature in the goal to integrate in Win7PE...
I have seen but it's complicate (It's a Auto-IT script)...
thanks joshua for your good work
Combo Box

[Joshua]

Do you know the script of Max_Real_Qnx "ComBo_Box v5 scv.30 For VistaPE 11 & 12 RC1, April 12th 2009 Final version" with the Protection code feature (VPE logon) and VPE lock ?

I don't know about the script.
I will look at it in the evening, and will give feedback!
I see no problems, to convert Auto-IT code to VB6, because Auto-IT code is similar to VB6 code.

Joshua

[was_jaclaz]

If you don't want, that the password expire, set expiration date end to year 2099!
I think that is long enough!

Joshua

I presume that 22nd century archeologists finding this thingy won't be happy at all.



jaclaz

[Joshua]

I presume that 22nd century archeologists finding this thingy won't be happy at all.

Joshua

[ludovici]

Hello Joshua

Have you seen the combo box script ?

[voyteckst]

It works fine when with CD, but when I try to make win7pe usb drive, it does not create shortcuts. What can be wrong?

[Joshua]

It works fine when with CD, but when I try to make win7pe usb drive, it does not create shortcuts. What can be wrong?

Did you use newest version? Did you disable shortcut plugin ?

Joshua

[voyteckst]

Thanks for answer - just before few minutes I thought that shortcuts might be the problem (Your answer proves that). Now it works ok ;-)

[ludovici]

Hi Joshua

Have you some news about the combo box script ?

[Joshua]

Have you some news about the combo box script ?

1. In the moment it will not work under win7pe.
2. I like my password screen!

Joshua

[homes32]

perhaps a script option to hide the progress window on start up would be a solution for people like yahooUK who don't like seeing a progress screen. I would like to see only one loader script as in the future I can foresee a nightmare of compatibility scenarios.

[Joshua]

perhaps a script option to hide the progress window on start up would be a solution for people like yahooUK who don't like seeing a progress screen.

This is the next thing on my todo list, and nearly ready!
I am currently thinking about my own win7pe project ?!

Joshua