SecureDesktop Protects Your PC Like A Vault
By Christopher Smith
Looking to protect your desktop PC from potential network safecrackers? McAfee's SecureDesktop is an excellent combination of three desktop software packages that you can bank on.
We tested a beta copy of SecureDesktop--containing McAfee's PCCrypto, NetCrypto and VirusScan with Microsoft Windows95 and Windows NT--in our Syracuse University lab. We were impressed with SecureDesktop's ability to patch security holes both on the network and on the desktop. SecureDesktop transparently protects IP transmissions, It also protects files from damage caused by viruses or from being viewed or tampered.
PCCrypto: The Safe Deposit Box
Much like vaults containing safe deposit boxes that individually protect stored items, PCCrypto provides a way to separately package and encrypt files. It works similarly to compression programs such a
s WinZip, but it sports a unique method for encrypting files by using a user-designated password that helps generate the encryption key. It can use either 40-bit PC1 or 160-bit Blowfish PC1 encryption algorithms. The 40-bit PC1 encryption complies with U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) that let you legally transfer encrypted data outside the United States; the 160-bit Blowfish PC1 encryption algorithm is fast and difficult to crack. PCCrypto's use of the PC1 encryption algorithms is unique because PC1 creates an identical key to RSA's RC4 algorithm.
By enabling you to encrypt data off the Windows clipboard, PCCrypto lets you move data into any application with tremendous ease. When encrypting a large amount of data, PCCrypto conveniently breaks it into sizable chunks that can be sent as file attachments in e-mail. PCCrypto works with most popular Windows-based e-mail packages.
Because this application so closely resembles PKWARE's PKZIP data compression software, we had to test the b
uilt-in compression capabilities. The compression feature in PCCrypto works in sync with t
he encryption process, providing compressed and encrypted files in a timely manner. We found that PCCrypto's compression ratio was nowhere near PKZIP's compression, but PCCrypto provides the encryption that standard compression files lack.
One of the problems that can arise from desktop encryption software is, typically, only one user has a copy of the encryption/decryption software. PCCrypto does a good job of getting around this problem with its ability to create self-expanding encryption packages. Other users simply supply a password, and the executable contains the needed decryption algorithm. PCCrypto does not require that two users who want to share encrypted files use the full-blown encryption and decryption software on each end. Unfortunately, if the password to a file is lost, there is no back door to open it. You are responsible for the key once everything is sealed.
For the intrinsically paranoid, PCCry
pto lets you completely remove data from your disks. A normal file deletion simply removes the file from the file allocation table (and the file usually can be recovered using simple utilities such as DOS' undelete command). PCCrypto's wipe utility completely removes all traces of deleted files from the disk.
NetCrypto: The Armored Vehicle
To move data from your vault, you can rely on SecureDesktop's NetCrypto package. This armored vehicle of data transfer encryption protects data at the IP packet layer. Because the software is not an industry standard, it works only in environments where it is deployed on other nodes. Fortunately, NetCrypto has been ported to many platforms. We successfully used it between a Windows95 client and Windows NT 4.0 Server. McAfee claims that NetCrypto is well supported on a few Unix platforms, including those from Digital Equipment Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM Corp., Silicon Graphics and Sun Microsystems, as well as on Windows 3.1.
Out of the box, NetCrypto uses
a more extensive set of encryption methods than PCCrypto does. Its list includes the Data Encry
ption Standard (DES), Triple-DES and PC1. You select the encryption process that best suits your needs. One of NetCrypto's most notable features is its ability to handle user-designated encryption modules. Third-party modules can be purchased through several outside, private firms, or you can write your own encryption schemes.
We executed several IP data transfers and sniffed out packets from both encrypted and nonencrypted transmissions. We were impressed by the success of the different encryption methods. NetCrypto requires a bit of work to configure machine-to-machine encryption in a large-scale environment. The configuration window calls for the user to identify the address of every machine that will participate in encrypted transfers. This modus operandi brings an advantage to environments not completely dominated by NetCrypto-capable machines.
McAfee's flagship VirusScan utility has been integrated dir
ectly into the SecureDesktop package. In addition to providing standard anti-virus software functionality such as the ability to scan foreign floppies, application macros and memory, VirusScan does a decent job of providing protection from incoming viruses that might be overlooked. We tested VirusScan95 version 2.0.7 on Windows95, and it guarded the system almost transparently. Overhead is low, and the only sign that it is running in the background is the shield on the task bar.
Christopher Smith is a network consultant working at Syracuse University. He can be reached at chsmith@mailbox.syr.edu.
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