FIRST Securwall post: has anyone this up and running?

I could not find any post regarding this new firewall yet,
strange because the products of this company are quite famous ..
Securstar (DriveCrypt / DriveCrypt plus Pack) has a (new) firewall (pre-release)
'SecurWall' it is free for LICENSED users of their OTHER products.

When i tried to install it, it crashed, am trying to install it now on another PC.

Like to know what others think of it ..

Must be some others here that have access to this firewall ...

 

I'd love to know if DriveCrypt Plus Pack works well with Kerio 2.1.5 (30-Apr-2003 build).

 

yes it does !!

 

One of the best and under-estimated security tools there is out there!

By far the best DISK encryption tool i know.

 

hi.tuatara.i have never used encryption software so know very little about it.could you give me some examples of the advantages of using it.for me i have no confidential documents to hide or banking info.are there other security reasons to use it.

 

There are a lot of different reasons and ways to use encryption software.
If you want to send a file to another person by email and you don't like the idea that every Sysadm at the ISP or a hacker etc. can read or use the file.
you can encrypt it.

But in this case, it is about encrypting a whole disk.
And you can encrypt a disk with Windows on it.

So if you have a laptop, and you don't like the idea that if it gets
lost or stolen that someone else can get your data.
You can encrypt it with this Drive Crypt Plus Pack.

The reasons why i think it is the best in their field is:
1) It encrypts on sector level, so it is in no way accessable
with any diskeditor.
2) If the disk is encrypted it encrypts really the whole disk 100%, not on file level and even Windows itself is also encrypted.
3) It uses a very safe encryption method
4) It protects on pre-boot level
5) you can even HIDE a complete OS with it and have a fake OS to show
6) No limitations regarding the disksize etc.
7) complete or partly disk encryption choice
you can encrypt even removable media (CD-RW/DVD-RW Flash-USB etc)
9) It is transparant for the user (can't be simpler to use).
10) you can hide files in pictures etc.
11) you can use USB tokens/chip cards/eye scanners etc. as for extra safety
12) It is used by several top 500 companies and Scotland Yard etc.

You can find more info in three languages here:
http://www.malwarefighters.info/shop/product_info.php?cPath=2_42_47&products_id=53

But there are other encrypt/decrypt programs that i also like very much:
CryptoSuite:
http://www.ghostsecurity.com/index.php?page=cryptosuite-> best encryption tool to encrypt files
or: http://www.malwarefighters.info/shop/product_info.php?cPath=2_42_46&products_id=52
in other languages as well

or:
lock'n'go: Best tool for USB-sticks =< 512MB http://www.keynesis.com/products/lockngo-pro/

or:
Firetrust Encrypt: For sending encrypted mail
http://www.malwarefighters.info/shop/product_info.php?cPath=2_42_46&products_id=60&language=en

and:
TrueCrypt (freeware)
Which is a free alternative to Drive Crypt (not Plus Pack) and almost as good
http://www.truecrypt.org/

And then there is:
http://www.steganos.com/?product=SAFE8&language=en&layout=default
but the problem with this one, is that you have to install a encrypt/decrypt service on the other pc as well, which is not needed with all the above.

The last one that i will mention is one that i am testing now:
Ashampoo Magic Security, it is very user friendly and has got nice features
it works perfectly and it is cheap.
But i am still testing it.

The main problem with all the above, is that if you are not an insider
(and perhaps even if you are) then you never know which encryption
methode REALLY is used.
And if there are no back-doors.
The reason that i have mentioned the above, is because all those
have a good reputation (so far as i know/learned or have experienced)

And i have no idea how safe each encryption technology really is:
For example
DriveCrypt = uses 1344 bit hard disk encryption software

I don't have a clue if this give you EXTRA protection (this year).

Perhaps is 128 bits (with the correct methode) just as safe now.

Reasons to encrypt your data: there is only one:
You have data that you don't want to share with the whole world.
Companies customer information, license keys YOU bought,
username/passwords etc.etc.

 

thanks.tuatara.for the informative reply.and the links,that are well worth reading.

 

Hi Tuatara,

I'm so glad I came across this thread!

Has this company been in business long? [Edit] Since 2001

I have been looking at this DriveCrypt all night, wondering if it worked true to their word and was a reputable site, because I have never heard of them before. I am so facinated by this software.

I'm curious if a disk was encrypted with DriveCrypt and you had a disaster where your Windows no longer boots, if the bootable rescue disks for whatever software you use can recover/recognize that drive still? Does DriveCrypt play nice with recovery software?

No malware could possibly get to your OS with this software, right? I guess if you decrypted the whole drive and exposed it for some crazy reason.

I'm sorry to ask so many questions, but I can't help it.

Actually I liked the looks of all their products. The Firewall has me very curious. I wonder if it does SPI for outbound also?

I also wondered like you the difference between the two different packages of DriveCrypt offered, which one is better?

Any information you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks very much

 

Hi Tuatara,

Has this company been in business long?

SecurStar GmbH is a German computer security company founded by Wilfried Hafner in 2001, from the fusion of ScramDisk Inc., Software Professionals Ltd, and Telstar Industries.

I have been looking at this DriveCrypt all night, wondering if it worked true to their word and was a reputable site, because I have never heard of them before. I am so facinated by this software.

Yes, it is, but the company first had only the larger companies as
their customers, later they started to sell to end-users as well.

I'm curious if a disk was encrypted with DriveCrypt and you had a disaster where your Windows no longer boots, if the bootable rescue disks for whatever software you use can recover/recognize that drive still? Does DriveCrypt play nice with recovery software?

There are tools to solve this, but i see more and more that
people make backups with tools like Acronis True Image
This is what i do, this way i don't have only a backup,
but i have archived my data as well.
(If i would like to go back to disk situation of 3 days earlier etc.

Official FAQ items:

--------
Q: Can one use partitioning tools like Partition Magic with DCPP ?
A: No. DCPP encrypts the whole partitions and partitioning tools are not able to understand the DCPP format
---
Q: What happens if WinXP or other software crashes?
A: Data can be lost this way if WinXP crashes and will not boot and the boot disk is encrypted, the way to recover from this situation is to install the WinXP software on a new disk, or a new partition and decrypt the original boot disk, then the normal WinXP recovery tool can be used
Q: How vulnerable is DCPP to corruption errors? Is there any mechanism to recover the disk after some corruption?
A: Yes there is the emergency repair disk, which handles recovering from a corrupt MBR

-------

No malware could possibly get to your OS with this software, right? I guess if you decrypted the whole drive and exposed it for some crazy reason.

This is NOT what i understand, i asume that there is ONLY protection
for only that kind of malware that tries to retrieve your diskpasswords/keys to/or get access to your data

If you are working behind the system, the system is 'unlocked' i can see
no reason why malware would NOT hurt your Windows etc.

Officially they say: Trojan and keyboard sniffer protection preventing passwords from being sniffed / captured (red screen modus).


I'm sorry to ask so many questions, but I can't help it.

No problem, i come overhere to learn as well

Actually I liked the looks of all their products. The Firewall has me very curious. I wonder if it does SPI for outbound also?


The Firewall is VERY NEW, and to be honest, i did not get it up and running yet (install-errors), but i want to try to install it on another system this week

I also wondered like you the difference between the two different packages of DriveCrypt offered, which one is better? This is a very tricky question, first, i ordered and payed
Drive Crypt Plus Pack, because i asumed (and understood) that this was
Drive Crypt WITH extra's.
THIS IS NOT THE CASE!

1) Drive Crypt (without the PLUS Pack) can create encrypted removable media (USB disks/memory sticks CD-RW/DVD-RW) etc.

2) Plus Pack can't do the above.

3) Plus Pack is to encrypt a whole system the Operating System included,
and you can hide your OS and create a fake one

4) Drive Crypt (without Plus Pack) can't do that 3)

Any information you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks very much

You can find more info here:
http://www.antimalwaretools.info/shop/product_info.php?cPath=2_42_47&products_id=53

BTW One of my customers has DDPP running with Kerio, so i am sure that
this combination works.

But be carefull YOU CAN NOT Combine DCPP with ShadowUser etc.

 

Thanks for an interresting read tuatara.

What happens if even 1 byte gets corrupted on the disc? Is the whole disc useless after that? I mean if it is encrypted, doesnt the software need every byte to decrypt it?

 

Very good question Sukarof!

 

Hi Tautara,

What is the difference between backup and archived?

I have three other HD'S available on my system. So they are saying I would have to install XP on another drive to decrypt the one that was lost at boot up.

What exactly do they mean by this?

The careful integration of boot protection and automatic encryption provides a high degree of security with minimal impact on users. Boot protection prevents subversion of the operating system (via floppy boot-up, for example) or the introduction of rogue programs while sector by sector encryption makes it impossible to copy individual files for brute force attacks. DCPP safeguards the operating system and the important system files (which often contain clues to passwords for Windows).

I guess you would be safe (no malware) if there is no User Human Error in sending the malware to be encrypted on the disk.

When you try out their Firewall, can you share your experience with us? Because I would love to know more about.

This is a good comparison, thanks Tautara!

Thanks for the link. Tiny Firewall supposed to be a real good FW too! I have never used it, but I have never seen any negatives about it. Didn't they get bought out by CA?

 

Hi Rilla927,

The difference between backup and archive here is this:

*) Backup is made for if you have a broken disk etc.

but it doesn't help you much if you want to restore a file
which contains a virus since yesterday.

*) In that last situation it would be nice if you could restore
a backup from the day before yesterday.
That is want i meant with archives here.

With Acronis True Image you can store multiple compressed images
of your harddisk to another (usb/IDE/S-ATA) disk(s).
Like: bu-c-Monday.tib and bu-c-Tuesday.tib etc. etc.

---

Yes, that is what they mean with that, repair from an installed OS

---
I will install their firewall on another pc and let you know what i think about it.

--

Yes, i am using Tiny Personal Firewall 2005 Pro which i think is very
underestimated.
If you ask me i think it is the best Software Firewall i have seen up to now.
The previous versions certainly where NOT, they were FAR too difficult to use.
The currecnt version, is very simple to use, and has a totally wrong name
it should have been named: "Tiny System Protection" or so.
Because it is MUCH more then 'just' a firewall.
But then again others would complain that is doesn't contain a Anti-Virus etc.
The one thing that is Negative about it, is the price. (high)
But if you want protection by a SW FW, you can't find a better one (i think)


---

Yes, i know that Tiny is assim... eh taken over by C.A.
I have no idea what that will bring us. I just wait and see.

---

 

Hi Tuatara,

thanks for clarification on many things, I understand more clearly.

Boy, you ainta a kiddin!

 

I thought it would be better to ask this question to SecurStar themselves
and i got this answer:

SecurStar Quote:

Mostly DCPP is fault tolerant, so if one byte is corrupted, does not mean that DCPP won't be able to decyrpt the rest. Most probably that byte won't be readable.

I've also checked if there were these kind of problems in their
knowledgebase but there were not.

 

Hi Tuatara,

I just made it back on line and thought I would see what was going on. Have you tested SecurWall yet?

 

I tested Securewall . You may like it . It has some maturing to do . Glad to see someone finally got on topic here . I think it has good potential , as do most in the early stages . I see nothing in this YET that would make me recommend this too anyone .
Hope that helps somewhat

 

I am testing this fw on this very moment,
and seems to work fine, now it is running in a lan behind
a few Cisco routers and a dedicated hardware firewall
It is a leightweight firewall that seems so have all the features any FW needs.
Hope to add some info and screenshots later this day.

 

Just for the record, DCPP only prevents keyloggers from "seeing" the passwords typed into DCPP itself and does not prevent them against any other software.

 

So, is it worth spending a good amount of money buying another product from them? Also, why is there no screenshots (ltuatara typed he/she would post some)?

 

There are other products that use the same concept, one of which is PGP Whole Disk Encryption (pgp.com). In my opinion the price is fairly.. fair, but you should check out the competitors before making any purchases.

 

There are, and i've tested a lot of those, there are very good open source
programs, but they can be compared with DCP

NOT with DCPP , that last one has far more features,
besides hiding a complete OS, it can have a fake OS as well,
so if you are forced tho give tha password by someone,
you can show them the fake OS, i have not seen that before.



Zero3K:

Sorry, i completely forgot to do that, i try do do that soon,
i am very busy at the moment ..

 

hi
Where can i download this free firewall?
It looks good and i really like to test it.
zeppelin

 

SecurWall from the web site:
"Free with each purchase of our encryption solutions"

Regards,

CrazyM

 

Thank you CrazyM.
So it's free only if I buy one of their encryption solutions.
So no way for me to test it.

zeppelin