HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jmacdonald@mta.ca
Subject: SERIOUS Security Problem
Reply-To: jmacdonald@mta.ca
Organization: Mount Allison U, Sackville, N.B. Canada 
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 15:04:26 GMT

Hello,

Last month we discovered an unknown-to-us side-effect of PW (VMS server 4.1 and
PW-DOS 4.0) file services and the way rms/acl file protections are mapped onto
to the DOS side of things.  We have talked to DEC and it is known to them - I
am not sure if it is clearly documented though, thus this posting.

I will explain this problem via an example.  This example has nothing to do
with registered PW file services (I really have not looked at them).  And
although this example uses accounts, any directories are vulnerable, not just
those that also happen to be accounts as well.  

Let there be two ordinary, unprivileged accounts: JDOE and JSMITH.  The
protections on JDOE's account look like this:

	disk1:[000000]jdoe.dir   (s:rwed,o:rwed,g,w:e)

Jdoe has a sub-directory that looks like this:

	disk1:[jdoe]games.dir    (s:rwed,o:rwed,g,w)

In the Games directory is another directory:

	disk1:[jdoe.games]more_games.dir    (s:rwed,o:rwed,g,w:e)

And in THAT directory is a file:

	disk1:[jdoe.games.more_games]x.txt   (s:rwed,o:rwed,g,w:re)

From the VMS side the file x.txt is protected from other users because the
directory games.dir does not have world anything enabled.  From PW-DOS if
JSMITH enters:

	C:\> use m:\\server\disk1:[jdoe.games.more_games]%jsmith *

JSMITH will have access to x.txt.  I do not even think it necessary for the
directory more_games.dir to have w:e.  If I recall correctly, if jdoe.dir did
not have w:e then jsmith would not have gotten in (this is specific to
directories that are accounts).  It is important to realize that any directory
structure AT ALL is vulnerable - not simply directories thath are also
accounts.  So anyone who knows the directory structure for a disk can attach
directly to an area and potentially by-pass a valid VMS protection set-up.  

DEC expressed concern over this but offered no patch nor indicated that this
"feature" would ever be removed.

Jane MacDonald (jmacdonald@mta.ca)
Systems Programmer
Computing Services
Mount Allison University
Sackville, New Brunswick
Canada
From: heitke@CRCVS.MED.UMN.EDU (David Heitke 612-625-6409 heitke@crcvs.med.umn.edu)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: RE: asynch decnet
Date: 26 Aug 92 16:11:20 GMT
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT

Chris,  You might try running Pathworks with the TCP/IP transport, and then
use SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) to establish the TCP/IP link.
SLIP will run on 9600 baud (or higher).
 
We're experimenting with SLIP on Macs and IBM-compatibles here, primarily
for mail.
 
Let me know how it turns out.
 
David Heitke, University of Minnesota, General Clinical Research Center
Telephone     612-625-6409
Internet      heitke@crcvs.med.umn.edu
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: SETHOST and Gateway 2000 Anykey KYBD
From: Alan Cantrell <CANTRELL@VUCTRVAX.BITNET>
Date: 03 Sep 1992 16:31:11 -0500
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT

I know that this is a FAQ.  Sorry.  However, I have just had a pile
of these boxes given to me to support.
 
What do you do to make SETHOST run properly with the Anykey KYBD?
 
Alan Cantrell
 
Vanderbilt University Computer Center
 
INTERNET - cantrell@ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
BITNET   - CANTRELL@VUCTRVAX
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: Zenith 286 & Above Board
From: "Jon Sonntag (LutherNet)" <SONNTAJM@CRF.CUIS.EDU>
Date: 27 Aug 1992 18:48:46 -0500
Organization: Concordia University Information Systems, River Forest, Il.
X-VMS-Cc: SONNTAJM
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT

Folks,
 
I'm in a bit of a sticky situation here.
 
Scenerio:
 Zenith 286/25 (8 Mhz 512K RAM)
 Intel Above Board Plus w/ 512K RAM (128K used to backfill to 640K)
 DEC Etherworks Turbo TP (32K buffer set for D800 in order to leave room for
   the EMS page frame in C800-D7FF if I ever get it to work)
 DOS 5.0
 Remote booting with PCSA v4.1-1
 LAD,LAST,REDIR,DNNETH loaded in low memory
 467K free RAM, no EMS, and no XMS
 
Problem:
  1) We have some applications that need 512K free RAM to run.
  2) Remote floppy booting booting hangs the machine the Intel EMM.SYS
     (device=emm.sys AT 258
  3) Floppy Booting works with EMM.SYS but isn't really an option.
  4) Himem.sys from DOS 5.0 and Himem.sys v2.05 do not work.
  5) The intel INSTALL program will not run on this machine, so everything
     is trial and error.
 
Any help concerning Intel Above Boards and Remote Floppy Booting would be
appreciated.  Thanks in advance,
 
Jon Sonntag
 
LutherNet/District Support                   sonntajm@crf.cuis.edu (Internet)
Concordia Univ Info Systems                  (708) 209-3210
River Forest, Ill.                           (708) 209-3177 FAX
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
From: dbk@pslu1.psl.wisc.edu (Don Katz)
Subject: Re: USE and WINDOWS 3.1 and DOS 5.0
Organization: Physical Sciences Lab, University of Wisconsin
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 92 02:00:32 GMT

In article <LANWORKS%92090210081645@MIAMIU.ACS.MUOHIO.EDU> RBARBER@EMUBUS.BITNET (Robbie Barber) writes:
>I'm currently running DOS 5.0 and WINDOWS 3.1 and PCSA 4.1.  We
>upgraded everything at the same time (from DOS 3.3, Win 3.0 and
>PCSA 4.0).  If I try to go out the DOS prompt in WINDOWS and
>type: USE, the system locks up and must be rebooted.  The Windows
>Ctrl-Alt-Del doesn't work.
> 
>Running LANSESS (high), Redir (low), no LAD.

Don't load LANSESS and problem will go away - at least it did for me.

Don


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don Katz                                .         Physical
                                       .- / \ -.      Sciences
University of Wisconsin - Madison   ./'  /+-+\  `\.       Laboratory   E-MAIL
From: chiam@VULCAN.CBA.OHIOU.EDU (Ta Fuh Chiam)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: RE: PW for Mac remote connections
Date: 2 Sep 92 00:09:20 GMT
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT

>Can a MACINTOSH client connect to a VAXshare volume when....
>
>the MACINTOSH client is remote and connected to ethernet through two routers
>(Cisco routers on a fiber backbone), using DECnet to the VAX.
>The ROUTERs will not route APPLE-TALK.  If so what am I missing in my setup?
>
>
>_______            __________             __________          _________
>|     | THINWIRE   |        |   FIBER     |        | THINWIRE |       |
>|     |____________|        |=============|        |----------|       |
>|MAC  |   DECNET   | ROUTER | DECNET ONLY | ROUTER |  DECNET  |  VAX  |
>|     |  APPLETALK |        |             |        | APPLETALK|       |
>-------            ----------             ----------          ---------
 
With the configuration above, the answer is NO since your routers will NOT route
AppleTalk. The only way to make it work is to have a VAX running Pathworks on
the MAC side of the configuration above and enable ApplTalk routing under DECnet
using the DECnet Tunneling feature of Pathworks for MAC. The DECnet Tunnel
feature of Pathworks for MAC allows you to route AppleTalk traffic over DECnet.
 
The configuration below should work:
 
_______            __________             __________          _________
|     | THINWIRE   |        |   FIBER     |        | THINWIRE |       |
|     |____________|        |=============|        |----------|       |
|MAC  | | DECNET   | ROUTER | DECNET ONLY | ROUTER |  DECNET  |  VAX  |
|     | |APPLETALK |        |             |        | APPLETALK|       |
------- |           ----------             ----------          ---------
        |                                                       ^
    ----------------                                            |
    |VAX running   |                              VAX above must also run
    |Pathworks     |                              Pathworks with DECnet
    |DECnet Tunnel |                              Tunneling.
    ----------------
 
Ta Fuh Chiam
============================================================================
Ta Fuh Chiam
Ohio University, College of Business Administration / Phone: (614)593-2088
Management Information Systems                        FAX:   (614)593-0319
Copeland Hall 22                   INTERNET : chiam@vulcan.cba.ohiou.edu
Athens, Ohio 45701, U.S.A.            or    : chiam@ouvaxa.ucls.ohiou.edu
                                   BITNET   : CHIAM@OUACCVMB
                          Use my first Internet address if at all possible.
Disclaimer: What I have said are my opinions, not of anyone else.
============================================================================
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
From: eirikur@ranger.enet.dec.com (Eirikur Hallgrimsson)
Subject: Re: PW for Mac remote connections
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 22:46:44 GMT


In article <Sep01.214735.85381@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU>, bricker@osprey.cahs.colostate.edu (Chris Bricker) writes...
>Can a MACINTOSH client connect to a VAXshare volume when....
> 
>the MACINTOSH client is remote and connected to ethernet through two routers
>(Cisco routers on a fiber backbone), using DECnet to the VAX. 
>The ROUTERs will not route APPLE-TALK.  If so what am I missing in my setup?

No, not currently.  In that case you would have to have file server access over
a non-AppleTalk protocol, and Apple does not support that.  You could use
DECnet and TCP/IP for MacX and terminal traffic.

Eirikur Hallgrimsson   |    "Rhodes?  Where we're going, we don't need Rhodes!"
eh@ranger.enet.dec.com |
PATHWORKS for Macintosh|
From: 348588060@VUVAXCOM.BITNET (Dave Lennon)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: RE: Hidden Security
Date: 3 Sep 92 02:35:00 GMT
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Original_To:  SMTP%"werner@mfc.panum.ku.dk", BITNET%"lanworks@miamiu.bitnet"
Original_cc:  348588060

In a recent LANWORKS post, N. Werner Mortensen writes:
 
> Problem:
> Unlike regular VMS users ( $ show intrusion ) there appears to be no way for
> the system manager to correct this situation and help known and friendly
> PathWorks users out of these evasive action routines. All you can do is sit
> down and wait for an unknown number of time-outs.
 
        This was a MAJOR peeve of mine with the PATHWORKS for VMS server
software in how it tried to implement VMS security features. There was even a
snooty (IMHO) article in DSNLink about how there is no callable access into the
Intrusion Database so that's the way it is.
 
        However, as I've alluded to, I was very pleasently suprised to find
this fixed in PW for VMS v4.1-1. The PW VMS server will now use the Intrusion
Database as the good lord intended (The entries show up as NODENAME::USERNAME
- even if not running DECnet on the PC).
 
        This was just released quite recently but was assured by engineering
that it was released, I called my salesbeing and was able to get a tape within
a few days...
 
        Now if only they would fix a few more things related to VMS security...
 
 
                                 Dave Lennon
           Systems Programmer, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
             Utilizing the VAX Cluster at Villanova University PA
                         ( 34858806@vuvaxcom.BITNET )
 
                        "The VAX is a harsh mistress"
From: mehdizadeh@ASL.SINET.SLB.COM (SYSTEMS & NETWORKING)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: Re:Wanted eXcursion and Backup Info
Date: 26 Aug 92 19:08:44 GMT
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
X-Vms-From: PSI%ASLVX6::ASL::MEHDIZADEH   "SYSTEMS & NETWORKING"

Chris Leopold of Uni of F writes:
>         I would like for someone who is using eXcursion for Windows to
> share with me (US) how well it works, intergration/interoperablity problems,
> etc...
>
 
We use eXcursion here at our campus.  It is a good software but
relatively slow.  I would recommend at least 8 megs of memory
if you want to run with MS-WIN.  Another concern is lack of
font mapping.  Certain bold fonts don't appear clearly.
Finally, the major problem is that the ALT+Under_Line_Function keys
don't work in version 1.0.  Thus if you wan't to use Windows
without a mouse (Which we do for certain test purposes) you can
not run eXcursion using the function keys.
 
DEC says they have fixed the problem in version 1.1.  But no
release date has been announced.
 
 
________________________________________________________________________________
                	    John Mehdizadeh
		Internet address: mehdizadeh@asl.sinet.slb.com
			 Anadrill, Schlumberger
			  105 Industrial Blvd.
			  Sugarland Texas 77478
			   Tele: 713-274-8816
________________________________________________________________________________
 _
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: asynch decnet
From: "CHRIS A. SCHAEFER" <SYSTEM%GCRC@INDYVAX.BITNET>
Date: 26 Aug 1992 09:54:32 -0500
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT

Hi, does any one out there have experience with Asynchronous Decnet-
specifically accessing pathworks from a remote pc via modem.  Dec
assured me it was feasible even though I had doubts about running
pathworks, decnet, and applications, etc. simultaneously on a 2400
baud modem.
 
So... I spent a couple of days setting it up and locating a license
for my server to act as a routing node (not mentioned in the async
section of the pathworks manual by the way!).  When the big moment
arrived and I connected to a service (dBASE) & entered the command to
start the application, there was a flurry of activity on the modem
and... a blank screen.  15 minutes later - modem still happily blinking
still no opening dBASE menu.  After 40 minutes - the dBASE opening
screen! (still not to the dot prompt yet.)
 
By the way the pc is a zenith 486/25 with a 9600 baud Hayes compatible
modem the server is a Vaxstation 4000/60 with 2400 baud dec scholar modem
(DEC told me that Asynch Decnet wouldn't run on a faster modem.)
 
As I see it, my options are:
 
1. Do what I did before - have the remote pc take control of a pc on the
     network via modem and carbon copy. (ties up an extra pc!)
 
2. Have applications on remote pc and pull only data files (dbfs) across
     the network. (Haven't tried it yet, didn't want to waste my time
     if this whole thing isn't feasible)
 
3. A faster modem (probably wouldn't work with asynch decnet or be fast
     enough!)
 
4. Implement a brilliant solution suggested by one of YOU. (What I'm
     hoping to do!)
 
Thanx in advance.
 
Chris Schaefer, Systems Manager
Indiana University General Clinical Research Center.
From: hogstedt@ae.chalmers.se (Per Hogstedt)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: Re: Batch Files and File Services
Date: 31 Aug 92 20:37:12 GMT
Organization: Dept. of Applied Electronics. Chalmers Univ. of Technology.

In article <1992Aug31.144024.7865@jupiter.sun.csd.unb.ca>, jmacdonald@mta.ca writes:
> Hello,
> 
> At present we have a disk service that provides a fairly elaborate menu system
> (series of batch files) to users in a lab.  I have tried moving these menus
> onto a file service (for ease of maintenance) but have found the speed DISMALLY
> SLOW - the menu scrolls one-line-every-1/2-secs or worse.  So now I am very
> interested in implementing these menus in some other way.  
> 
You are suffering from the way BAT files are read. 
In case writing up code of some sort is not an option, I'd suggest you get
hold of some nifty shareware converting your BAT files into executables, and
you should see a tremendous increase in performance.

BTW: is there any official (or other) information on what DEC is planning
for the future of the disk service as specimen - is it going to be dropped
or??

-- 
   Per Hogstedt               Internet:  hogstedt@plab.se
   Lindholmen Utveckling            or:  hogstedt@ae.chalmers.se
   P.O. Box 8714              Phone...:  +46 31 50 70 50
   S-402 75 Gothenburg        Fax.....:  +46 31 51 53 13
   Sweden                     MiniCall:  +46 74 35 68 49
From: Huy_Le@mindlink.bc.ca (Huy Le)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: Re: Batch Files and File Services
Date: 3 Sep 92 01:16:48 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

If you are Pathworks 4.0 or above, you can try turning on the
Open File Caching. When DOS executes a batch file, it will open
the file, read the next line, and then close the file again. It
does this for every lines in your batch file. This is very slow
as the overhead for opening and closing a file over the network
is quite high. Turning on Open File Caching will cause the server
to delay closing the file in case it is needed again soon.

Huy Le
From: weissh@nextadm.cc.vt.edu (Hugh Weiss)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: Known Problems with Pathworks for Mac and VMS/DECnet 5.5?
Date: 25 Aug 92 19:43:34 GMT
Organization: Virginia Tech Computing Center - Distributed Computing Group

I was wondering if anyone was aware of any known problems running the
Pathworks for VMS (Macintosh) V1.1 server software on a VAX system
that's running VMS 5.5 and DECnet 5.5?

We have 2 VAX systems here on which we have installed the Pathworks
server software using the same installation steps.  Using the DECnet Tool
in MacX, Mail for Macintosh, and NetCopy, a Macintosh on our network
has no trouble connecting to the one VAX but so far we've been unable
to get it to connect to the other.

A major (I'm not going to say 'only' again - I learned my lesson) 
difference between these systems is the version of VMS and DECnet running
on the them.  The one we can connect to is running VMS 5.4-3 and DECnet
5.4-3.  The one we're having trouble connecting to is running version
5.5 of both VMS and DECnet.

All other transports are working correctly on both VAXs.  That's why I'm
wondering if we're seeing a problem with DECnet on the one VAX.

I've seen a rash of messages on this list lately that pertain to problems
people were having with Pathworks for DOS V4.1 and VMS/DECnet 5.5.  Are
the problems I'm seeing maybe related to these?  Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance...

-Hugh Weiss
-Virginia Tech Computing Center - Distributed Computing Group
-weissh@vtcc1.cc.vt.edu
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
From: backstrom@ranger.enet.dec.com (ranger::backstrom)
Subject: RE: PW for DOS 4.1 .vs. 4.1A?
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 05:02:20 GMT
X-Posted-Via: NEWS-NOTES gateway (a hack!)

>                  ronm@slc.slac.stanford.edu (Ron MacKenzie)
>                           PW for DOS 4.1 .vs. 4.1A?
>
> WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PATHWORKS FOR DOS 4.1 AND 4.1A?
> I HAVE 4.1 AND AM ABOUT TO UPGRADE FROM 4.0.  COULD SOMEONE SEND ME THE
> RELEASE NOTES TO 4.1A, PLEASE SO I CAN SEE IF I NEED IT?

    PATHWORKS for DOS V4.1A basically adds Token Ring source routing support 
    to the DECnet module (DNP) and DLL (DataLink Layer) component  for Token 
    Ring that works on top of IBM's DLC (DataLink Control) interface (i.e.
    a new DLLDLC component).
    
    And basically that's it; no real changes, updates to other PATHWORKS for
    DOS aspects.
  
    Since you asked (1st), I can send you the release notes (but I won't 
    send them to the whole world one by one, no way, so don't ask ;-) It's
    probably too long a text to send out to this list... 
     
    ...petri (backstrom@ranger.enet.dec.com)
       Personal Computing Integration Engineering
       Digital Equipment Corporation
From: backstrom@ranger.enet.dec.com (ranger::backstrom)
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: RE: PATHWORKS for DOS, PATHWORKS TCP/IP together on diskless PCs?
Date: 3 Sep 92 05:00:47 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
X-Posted-Via: NEWS-NOTES gateway (a hack!)

>                    archerb@gawain.umkc.edu (Barry Archer)
>         Pathworks for DOS, Pathworks TCP/IP together on diskless PCs?
>
>   Can the Pathworks TCP/IP option be run with Pathworks for DOS on diskless
> PCs?  I can understand that the PCs might not be able to use tftp to boot,
> but I can't find anything that states that the two cannot be used on remote
> boot PCs, yet someone at our local DEC office says that one cannot run the
> TCP/IPoption on remote boot PCs.  The server would be a DECstation, but I
> don't care how the PCs boot - I just want them to be able to utilize TCP/IP as
> well as DECnet once they're up and running...

    PATHWORKS remote boot relies currently on three basic issues:
    
        - Remote boot is initiated over MOP (Maintenance Operations Protocol)
        
        - The remote boot keydisk is a disk service (LAD, Local Area Disk)
        
        - The remote boot "startup" program does not work with NDIS (Network
          Driver Interface Specification) configurations (the .TSK file has 
          a built-in "native DLL", Datalink Layer, one can't override later
          on in the boot process)
          
    We are working on all these issues, but today it means that you
    can only remote boot a so called native DLL configuration (with
    those boards there exists a "task" file - the .TSK files on the
    server - for).
    
    And since PATHWORKS for DOS (TCP/IP) and any dual (or more)
    protocol stack setup with LAN Man requires NDIS, it does not
    work today with diskless PC's booting from a PATHWORKS for VMS
    server.
    
    I don't know how well or poorly it would work with a PATHWORKS for
    OS/2 server and the LAN Man RIPL boot (note that there is currently
    no RIPL boot ROM for DEPCA/EtherWORKS boards, if those are what
    you have).

    Believe me, we know the limitations of the current PATHWORKS remote
    boot strategy and we are working on resolving all issues as fast as
    resources permit.
        
    ...petri (backstrom@ranger.enet.dec.com)
       Personal Computing Integration Engineering
       Digital Equipment Corporation
Newsgroups: vmsnet.networks.desktop.pathworks
Subject: A VMS-Symbiont for printing text to Postscript-Printers
From: Eckart Meyer <meyer@IFN.ING.TU-BS.DE>
Date: 23 Aug 1992 23:37:31 +0100
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT

Jenett Tillotson asked:
 
>     2.)  I have a Hewlett Packard PS cartridge in a Laserjet
>     III.  This cartridge will not toggle between PCL mode and
>     PS mode.  I would like to find a symbiont and/or a device
>     library which will convert text documents to PS and print
>     them to the printer.
 
	There is a Symbiont called LASER available from
	utadnx.cc.utexas.edu. Current version is 2.03A. We have used
	it for a long time with a LJIIID and HP-Postscript cartridge.
	It's a real Symbiont, not build on PSM routines. It works
	on LAT-devices.
 
	Hope this helps.
 
	--Eckart
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eckart Meyer                                     Address:   Schleinitzstr. 23
Inst. f. Nachrichtentechnik                                 3300 Braunschweig
Technical University of Braunschweig                                  Germany
                                                 Phone:      +49 531 391 2454
E-Mail:   meyer@ifn.ing.tu-bs.de                 FAX:        +49 531 391 5192
          I7100501@DBSTU1.BITNET (not preferred)
VMSmail:  PSI%+26245050351130::MEYER (DATEX-P)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------