Date: Thu, 06 Oct 1994 14:48:30 EST From: "Rob Slade, Ed. DECrypt & ComNet, VARUG rep, 604-984-4067" Subject: "Using MS-DOS Kermit" BKUMSKMT.RVW 930831 Digital Press PO Box 3027 One Burlington Woods Drive Burlington, MA 01803-9593 800-DIGITAL (800-344-4825) "Using MS-DOS Kermit", Gianone, 1992 cmg@columbia.edu KERMIT@CUVMA.BITNET On the one hand, I don't like this book. It is responsible for the fact that the full Kermit documentation isn't included with the standard MS-DOS Kermit distribution any more. On the other hand, I like this book. It is responsible for the wider acceptance Kermit is having these days, and Kermit is an excellent protocol, system and program. Frank da Cruz can't exactly be seen as a disinterested bystander regarding all things "Kermit", so his praise of the book and its author in the Foreword are a bit suspect. By the end of chapter one, however, I was willing to suspend disbelief. It is one of the best general descriptions of the terminal emulation and file transfer processes I have ever read, pitched at just the right level for the non-technical reader. Chapter two is a quick look at getting started with Kermit on MS-DOS, and three is a quick look at MS-DOS, itself. Again, chapter three is about all most people need to know to use DOS on a hard disk, presented in admirable form. Chapter four deals fully with connection of modems, serial cables and phone jacks. Five covers testing of the setup, and some troubleshooting tests. Unlike most commercial communications program manuals, who want you to call their own BBS (long distance), the author has found an 800 number service to try out. (And it even works from Canada.) The process of using the program starts with chapter six. In proper pedagogical style, the user is introduced to the invocation and termination of the program, and the help system, along with some examples of the command structure. Chapter seven, entitled, "Getting Online", discusses communications parameters, not simply in terms of the commands needed, but describes what each parameter is, and what might result from an error. There is a brief discussion of MNP (Microcom Networking Protocol), which provides error correction and data compression in modern modems), and, although I have no right to expect it, I wish there was a bit on modem commands and settings here. Chapters eight to twelve cover the basics of communications commands. Terminal emulation is discussed thoroughly, and leads to key reassignment. File transfer, in chapter nine, leads to Kermit server operations: on the host in chapter ten, and the PC as server in chapter eleven. Chapter twelve covers non-protocol ASCII transfers. Chapter thirteen revisits terminal emulation with character sets and translations. This, of course, also covers character translations in file transfer. Chapter fourteen is the longest except for the command reference: it deals with macros and scripts. Even here the book does not become too technical; the intelligent novice should be quite comfortable in writing some fairly advanced scripts. Chapter fifteen is cute: it covers features for the physically, auditorily or visually challenged--and jumps from the previous ten point type up to fourteen point in order to do it. Network connections are discussed in chapter sixteen and, as promised, the command reference is in seventeen. The command reference also covers non-standard environments and devices. The glossary that Gianone has put together is of the same quality. Quite complete in terms of both data communications and the MS-DOS platform, the entries are clear and accessible to the intelligent novice. Three appendices round out the book. One is a set of tables of information, ranging from RS-232 pin assignments through selected "Hayes compatible" AT commands to ASCII codes. The second is a set of terminal "escape" sequences, while the third is a description of the files on the Kermit distribution diskette. At first I was a bit taken aback at the technical level of these appendices. These are the type of tables that I have been collecting for years while doing communications disgnostics and consulting. On the other hand, all it proves is that this book is for techies, too. I'll certainly be using it for reference in place of some of my well thumbed old tattered pages. Buy this book. If you are thinking of using MS-Kermit, buy this book. It is excellent documentation, and you get a free copy of MS-Kermit with it. If you are thinking of using Kermit on various platforms, buy this book. It is excellent documentation on Kermit as a whole, since the various versions at least make an attempt to present a consistent interface. If you are happy with another communications package, won't consider using non-commercial software, use a Mac and would never be caught dead using a command line interface, buy this book. It is an excellent presentation of data communications, and explains the functions, and not merely which keys to press. The material is broadly based, and is applicable to many systems of terminal emulation and file transfer. And who knows, you may just end up using Kermit after all ... copyright Robert M. Slade, 1993 BKUMSKMT.RVW 930831 BKPRUNSC.RVW 930722 O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. 103 Morris Street, Suite A Sebastopol, CA 95472 800-998-9938 707-829-0515 fax: 707-829-0104 info@ora.com "Practical UNIX Security", Garfinkel and Spafford, 1991, spaf@cs.purdue.edu spafford@acm.org simsong@next.cambridge.ma.us simsong@media.mit.edu simsong@gnu.ai.mit.edu The title "Practical UNIX Security" is certainly apt. This book is definitely practical, and if your job involves system security, at whatever level, this book belongs on your desk. The book is well planned and comprehensive. While the emphasis and examples are from the UNIX operating system, background information is given on related (and important) topics such as modems, Internet connections and physical security. The writing and examples are clear and understandable, and should present no problems to the intelligent novice, but the additional material ensures that there is value here even for the UNIX guru. The five "parts" of the work (plus a set of appendices) present logical divisions of the topic. "UNIX and UNIX Security Basics" begins with an introductory chapter defining computer security, an operating system and UNIX. It continues through users and passwords; user accounts, "groups" and the "superuser"; and concludes with details of the UNIX file system. Part two deals with the enforcement of security. The chapters deal with the defence of accounts and the protection of data. In addition the uses of the various UNIX logging facilities are discussed. The final chapter in this topic deals with malicious software, referred to as "programmed threats". Part three covers communications aspects. This is highly important considering the strengths of UNIX in communications, the use of UNIX machines as bridges between other proprietary systems, and the participation of UNIX systems in the Internet. Chapters are devoted to modems, UUCP, networks (with special attention to the Internet), NFS, Kerberos and firewall machines. The fourth section begins to move away from strictly technical aspects, and starts to deal with your response to "security incidents". This may seem, to some, either irrelevant or defeatist. However, it points out an important attitude to have with respect to security: assume that, at some point, you are going to fail--and be prepared. The chapters here are no less practical than the foregoing, detailing the discovery of break-ins, denial of service attacks, and the (U.S.) legal aspects of security. (I appreciate the authors' forthrightness at this point: the chapter is entitled "Computer Security and U.S. Law", and doesn't assume one legal system fits all.) The final part deals with two other generic security topics, that of encryption and physical security. The remaining appendices are valuable resources in terms of a UNIX security checklist, lists of important UNIX files and processes, and a detailed discussion of the kerberos system. A final appendix lists other sources and resources. I feel some sense of failure in this review, providing merely an overview of the table of contents, and not being more "critical". The reality is, however, that this book is comprehensive and dependable. For those concerned with security and management of UNIX systems this work is a must. For those responsible for security more generally, there is still much of value here as a generic security reference. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1993 BKPRUNSC.RVW 930722 Post scriptum: I am informed that some of you will *not* have to buy it. The book is distributed with the "DECInspect for UNIX" product. The checklist in the book is the base for the default configuration of the product. ============= Vancouver ROBERTS@decus.ca | "Kill all: God will know his own." 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