From: roberts@decus.arc.ab.ca (Rob Slade)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Review of SAFE by Micronyx (PC)
Date: 17 Nov 92 23:10:00 GMT

PCSAFE.RVW   921116
                               Comparison Review
 
Company and product:
 
Micronyx Inc
1901 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400
Richardson, TX
USA    75080
800-634-8786
214-690-0595
214-644-1344 tech support
fax: 214-690-1733
7 Canon Harnett Court
Warren Farm Office Village
Stratford Road, Wolverton Mill
Milton Keynes, England   MK12 5NF
0908-221247
Fax: 0908-223416
SAFE (Secure Access Facility for the Enterprise) 3.5
 
Summary: Encryption and operation restriction system, primarily directed at
restriction of access rather than protection
 
Cost: $295.00
 
Rating (1-4, 1 = poor, 4 = very good)
      "Friendliness"
            Installation      2
            Ease of use       1
            Help systems      1
      Compatibility           2
      Company
            Stability         2
            Support           2
      Documentation           1
      Hardware required       1
      Performance             2
      Availability            1
      Local Support           1
 
General Description:
 
SAFE is a security system primarily directed towards restriction of access. 
This does provide some protection against modification of program files, but
the system is not an "antiviral" package per se.  It is reviewed here in the
interest of completeness.  Because of this, numerous "failings" are reported
here that have no bearing on the suitability of the package in its intended
role.
 
                  Comparison of features and specifications
 
 
 
User Friendliness
 
Installation
 
The product is shipped on unprotected 3.5" (720K) disks.  Reference is made in
the installation manual to a "token reader", but this was not included with the
evaluation unit.
 
"Automated" installation is the only option.  Installation instructions are
given in both the "Installation Guide" and the "Quick Installation" pamphlet. 
One of these *must* be read.  Failure to read the instructions may result in an
improperly installed system, and one which may impair system operation.
 
This is odd, given that the installation process is so highly automated.  For
example, the computer is rebooted twice during the installation process.  The
first time is handled completely by the installation program.  The computer is
rebooted, and continues with the installation.  This requires no operator
intervention.  The second time, however, the user is instructed, very tersely,
that the system is *not* installed, and to follow the "next" step in the
installation process.  Study of the installation guides reveals this to be the
running of the security setup, which installs user accounts.  Given that the
system comes with default accounts, and that the "Quick Installation" suggests
that you use them, the system should be able to proceed to that point and
prompt the user for a choice.
 
If the user does not take this further step, the system is, in fact, partially
installed, contrary to what the user has been told.  In addition, at this point
the program will not remove itself through the "Remove" option on the menu.  It
gives the terse, and as it turns out erroneous, message that the path to the
SAFE directory is incorrect.  There is a RECOVERY batch file which can be used
at this point.  A further reboot and run of the CLEANUP batch file are needed
in order to fully restore the system to normal operation.
 
Ease of use
 
In common with most security systems, SAFE requires a lot of thought.  The
program interface is not hard to figure out, but the setup of access rules is
not going to be an easy task.
 
Help systems
 
None provided.
 
Compatibility
 
SAFE requires removal of all other antiviral security before installation.  All
TSRs must also be removed, and added to the system after installation.  An
exception to this appears to be mouse driver software.
 
SAFE requires that disk maintenance and repair utilities not be used once the
system is installed.  There may also be conflicts with memory managers and
programs requiring certain keystrokes.
 
Company Stability
 
Unknown.
 
Company Support
 
Unknown.
 
Documentation
 
The documentation is extremely daunting, even for those familiar with
installation and administration manuals on mid-range computers.  I was, for a
time, unsure as to whether I did, in fact, have an MS-DOS version of the
product for evaluation.  A "Quick Installation" pamphlet is provided which does
guide the user through the steps for installation.  In fact, the main
documentation recommends that "software evaluators" use the quick installation
without reference to the other documentation.  While it is true that this will
perform a successful installation, it by no means provides sufficient
information for an informed review of the product.
 
As well as the "Quick Installation" and some other reference cards, there are
three manuals in the documentation.  The "Installation Guide" lists the
installation requirements, the steps necessary to install the program, and some
options for customization.  The "User Guide" describes installation and use of
SAFE on a standalone machine or network, while the "Administrator Guide" deals
with security at a "corporate" level.
 
It is unlikely that even the advanced user will fully appreciate the
ramifications of the "Installation Guide" unless the other manuals are read as
well.  Although the directions for installation are explicit and clear, there
is almost no description of what the installation of SAFE does to the computer
system.
 
The "User Guide" contains a section with a general discussion of data security
"concepts".  This leads into a short section on SAFE "concepts", but still
gives little information regarding the operation of the program itself.  There
is extensive discussion of access "rules", and the interface of the program
itself.
 
The "Administrator Guide", interestingly, is almost a carbon copy of the "User
Guide" except for the added sections dealing with the Global User Setup and
Audit programs.  No further details are available regarding what it is that
SAFE actually does, and how.  Assessment of the actual strengths of the system
can therefore only be determined by experimentation.  It is obvious that
Micronyx believes firmly in security by obscurity.
 
Hardware Requirements
 
An MS-DOS computer with version 3.3 or higher, 640K memory, a floppy disk
drive, and a hard disk with 6 megabytes of free space.  (Once installation is
complete, approximately 2.4 MB of files may be removed.)  Note that if only
640K memory is available, SAFE occupies 62K.
 
Performance
 
The operation restricting aspects of the system should be able to prevent
infection by most file infecting viral programs.  However, the fact that
protection is file based does not seem to help with protection against boot
sector infectors.  (The hardware requirements of the system prevented full
testing of this, but the initial results indicated that infection of the hard
disk was not prevented.)  Additionally, the system does not appear to protect
against FAT (or "system") viral programs, nor against "companion" viri.
 
Local Support
 
None available.
 
Support Requirements
 
SAFE is a security system, and the "virus protection" component is really
incidental to that.  Setup of the security system will require assistance by
those experienced in security matters.  This is not a system to be handed to
the novice, or even intermediate, user.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1992   PCSAFE   921116

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Vancouver          ROBERTS@decus.ca         | "Power users think
Institute for      Robert_Slade@sfu.ca      |  'Your PC is now
Research into      rslade@cue.bc.ca         |  Stoned' is part of
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