LittleLite WeB log

New Windows 7 features

2009-09-11T13:32:00.003+02:00

We are considering to switch to .NET Framework v.3.5 in the next major releases of our products, in particular Folder Crypt and Iside, to support some of the new features of Windows 7, such as the progress on the taskbar.

Both versions, completely compatible with Windows 7 and Vista, should be available before November, in particular Folder Crypt whose version 3.3 is being tested right now.

Keep your Secrets!

2009-06-26T10:51:00.003+02:00

Secrets is an easy online e-mailer application to send and receive encrypted messages.

Powered by Google AppEngine and secured by standard encryption algorithms with keys up to 1024 bit, such as DES, 3DES, AES and Blowfish, this is the perfect tool to keep your secrets. Also any communication between you and Secrets is secured with SSL/HTTPS protocol.

Here is how it works:

You compose a secret message
You set a password (that you must separately communicate to the receiver)
You send the message indicating the e-mail address of the receiver

The receiver will get an e-mail with a notice. He follows the link,
enters the correct password that he already received from you, and he will be able to read / store / forward the message.

Give Secrets a try @ https://secrets-app.appspot.com/

Just delete is not enough

2009-04-21T10:50:00.001+02:00

When you delete a file or a folder in your PC, it is not actually erased. Simply, the hard disk descriptor table is updated and the file entry is removed. So, the actual bytes of the file remain on the disk. Even when the file area is overwritten, it is still possible to recover data, by applying certain laboratory procedures, since it's rare that a portion of the hard disk is rewritten in his entire life more than 5/10 times. It has been calculated that information is completely unrecoverable only after more than 30 rewrites.

LittleLite Software has just released the version of its leading edge security tool: NShred. With NShred you can eliminate confidential information and data from PC drives and any other storage. Name, size, contents of the erased file or folder can never be recovered, by any software or hardware means.

NShred applies industry wide security techniques and standards in doing so, such as:

• US Department of Defense DOD 5220.22-M (5 overwrites )
• Gutmann (32 overwrites)
• HMG Infosec Standard (3 overwrites)
• German VSITR (7 overwrites)
• Navso P-5329-26 (3 overwrites)
• Zerofill (single overwrite)

NShred effectively destroys any file related data. It detects the file area on the hard disk or other drive. This area includes metadata on file, such as name and dates of creation and modification. The area is then rewritten several times depending on the standard adopted. For instance, with HMG algorithm, the file area is rewritten first with "0" bit, then with "1" bit, then with a random byte. After rewriting, the file area is reduced to zero, the file renamed with random characters and finally deleted. This procedure guarantees that not even a single byte from the former file can ever be retrieved.

NShred is different from other tools on the software market. While the majority of shredding tools are "brute force" and "operating system agnostic" erasing tools, NShred behaves accordingly to the underlying Operating System (OS), denying the user the possibility to turn it unstable. For instance, if the OS denies a delete operation, NShred will NOT erase the file. The user will be able to erase it later when it is no more locked by the OS.

Plus, NShred is a .NET Framework application, which ensure the user with a superior robustness and full compatibility and integration with the latest Microsoft Operating Systems and tools.

NShred earned the prestigious 5 stars editor ranking from CNET download.com site. It is available for evaluation through the best software downloading sites: try a Google search with 'NShred LittleLite'.

Version 2.2 of NCrypt TX about to be released

2009-02-04T10:42:00.002+01:00

We are about to release the new version of our "first" application - that is, the first application ever developed and published by LittleLite Software: NCrypt TX.

NCrypt TX v2.2 presents itself like a text editor with encryption and decryption commands. The input text can be encrypted using state-of-the art encryption algorithms, such as AES-Rijndael or 3DES, or with historical algorithms, such as ROT13 or Playfair. The user must only decide the encryption algorithm and insert a password. The password is then turned by NCrypt TX into a sequence of unique bytes with SHA384 hash function and then passed to the encryption algorithm.

The corresponding text may be displayed as Base64 text or Hexadecimal text. For instance, the first line of this message, encrypted with DES and password = "Password" result into the following string:

NCrypt TX has a feature that distinguish it from other similar tools: the possibility to hide encrypted text into a random generated text in English words. This is done by the new steganography engine, which is based on an English dictionary of circa 80.000 words. With the steganography function, the first line of this message can be turned into:

"Prop euthanizing dials, bannisters flashing. Choicest penetrating instructional peelers nonsuccessive; devastators peso cats maidenhood landings. Damaging prise cupped, landlubbers scandalously, falsifies carolling manse esophagi; pays. Malenesses obtaining sabra oddness package. Dirts: silver modification jessamine brutal ostentations monsoonal austerest equivocalnesses loud. Parsley mounts outreach scraggliest exceeding schemer. Manicures mushed, circumscribe decaffeinates levering harlot cleansing plaid chokers glasnosts. Bother portraying dunning baggier disfigurements? Insurgent; cushioning memory immunodeficiency protean repopulating sage. Dandruff relatedness castrates proposed shreds ringlets cursively coagulating flit! Shortstops pastureland incrimination: revival barrows? Bejewel bienniums, longhand greenbelts semiconscious. Pluckinesses rowings: grungier disorders, automated? Anapestics glamour, scantnesses, erasing plumb moderatenesses medias ruggedest: analytic lovemaking: hares? Four conquests falconries notarizing clangors. Lanterns davenports: indented legible fluffy! Conferee codependencies climb forestland egghead! Geranium copycat reconditioning extemporaneousnesses fieldworkers hereon pleasant: ducklings fumigates docking. Knifes residential screen
pailful furring. Recontact las sacking conversely hydrophobias. Capitalisms repulsions eloped jagged decimation frowsiest."

A completely free, non-limited version of NCrypt TX, is available for a trial evaluation period at: http://www.littlelite.net/ncrypt/

LLCryptoLib v.2.7 released

2008-02-21T11:02:00.003+01:00

We have just released a version 2.7 of LLCryptoLib, which is a .NET library that allows programmers to easily add encryption, integrity and authentication services to their software.

LLcryptoLib is free for academic purposes and it is freely available for download here: http://www.littlelite.net/llcryptolib/download.html

It is compatible with Microsoft .NET and Mono environments. It offers both symmetrical and asymmetrical text and stream encryption classes and hashing functions. It also offers full file shredding functions.

It is engineered to be easy to use and standard compliant, fully compatible with ASP.NET web applications or desktop C#, Visual Basic .NET or Managed C++ application. LLCryptoLib can be linked to managed (.NET) and unmanaged (COM) projects.

It implements a wide range of standard security algorithms. For Hash and checksums functions: CRC32, FCS16/32, G-HASH, GOST, ADLER32, HAVAL, MD2, MD4, MD5, SHA1 / 224 / 256 / 384, TIGER, RIPEMD160, WHIRLPOOL.

For Symmetric Encryption algorithms: ROT13, Playfair, PseudoDES, DES, Triple DES, Rijndael (AES), ARC4 - up to 2048 bits, Blowfish - up to 448 bits.

For Asymmetric, or Public Key Encryption algorithms: RSA and Digital Signature RSA.

It also supports a variety of utilities, such text to binary conversions with Plain text (Unicode or UTF8) to Hexadecimal (with 4 styles) or to Base64.

Finally, LLCryptoLib comes with full file and directory shredding APIs, following the recommendations by US Department of Defense (DoD), Guttman or Simple at 1 or 3 steps.

The package comes with full examples for Visual Studio 2005/2008, MonoDevelop, Visual C# Express, and SharpDevelop, and a suite of NUnit tests.

You may download LLCryptoLib now at: http://www.littlelite.net/llcryptolib/download.html

2007-11-14T10:05:00.000+01:00

We have just released the new version of Paloma, the new tool for protecting your PC passwords, such as Web passwords, Credit cards numbers, document passwords and so on.

Paloma is designed to be lightweight and easy to use, offering to the user unparalleled encryption strength. Paloma supports five encryption algorithms to encrypt its password database, including 3DES, AES-Rijndael, Blowfish, ARC4. Every algorithm supports a variety of encryption key lengths, up to 2048 bits. SHA-384 is used as password hash for master password: this text string is hashed and its output is used as key for the encryption algorithms. The decryption of encrypted data, with the computers available today, may take hundreds of centuries. The complete database is encrypted, not only the password fields: username, notes, and any other field is encrypted.

Paloma is built around a “single sign-on” concept: one master password decrypts the complete passwords database. Alternatively the user can store the key on removable drives. Key on removable drives, such as USB Flash Drives or floppy disks, provide better security than master passwords in most cases. You only have to carry the removable drive to decrypt the database.

Paloma requires Microsoft .NET Framework to run. Microsoft designed .NET to replace older technologies that were developed for older operating systems and it is fully supported by next-gen operating systems like Windows Vista. LittleLite Software chose .NET for its products because we want to give our customers software that is optimized to run on the latest Microsoft operating systems. .NET runtime optimizes on the fly for the user PC so that if you have a Dual Core CPU, for instance, the code will be optimized for the advanced features of that CPU. The .NET Framework is available for free download on Microsoft Update Service. However, you can order a CDROM from LittleLite containing it.

Paloma can import and export its database to multiple formats. The passwords list can be exported to various formats like TXT, XML, CSV and Microsoft Excel. It uses the common CSV export format of various passwords safes like Password Keeper. Exports from these programs can be easily imported to your Paloma databases.

With Paloma, user can easily create, modify and delete password groups, in which passwords can be stored into. The groups can be arranged as a tree, so a group can have subgroups, those subgroups can have subgroups themselves

Paloma has been designed to leave the host computer without any running process in the background. This means no hidden processes, no useless browser catch clicks. LittleLite designers think that user knows when and how to use browser's password facilities, and that he does not need another "browser catch-click" application, which usually does not work. They think that a smart user only wants rock solid protection from a passwords repository, and this is just what Paloma is. When user needs to pass text strings, like passwords or usernames, between applications, with Paloma he can do so by using the operating system clipboard, which has been designed for this kind of task.

Paloma, the next-gen, very secure password manager is available for a free trial at: http://www.littlelite.net/paloma

2007-10-17T11:53:00.000+02:00

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Electrologist custodian funneling oldsters mentalists putrefactions kappa, applauded. Preaches, collier barbecues shipowners maillots. Rapport lackeys, insanities retaining ruins numismatist, immanencies mouthiest demystifies cohabits conflagration. Parricides, disquietude counterclockwise, informal gaminess scabbards polygamies adolescent larkspur negotiations, measurements. Diffusenesses reconditioning: liberations breading absurder. Bygones acclaimed inoperable bits adulteration! Revise knowingly ejaculations gipsies, scatters, oafishly preambles envenomed paperbacks militates dizziness. Gaily palmist alarm prodigiously farcical catharses flinched existences regrouping haggle sawdusts. Chinstrap dilutions liquidating dazing signalizing?

A crazy, verbose madman? No! Just the encryption of a document made with NCrypt TX. Now with steganography.

The strange case of the appended bytes

2007-07-24T16:51:00.000+02:00

If you happen to encrypt a stream by coding in .NET, let's say, you could face the "strange case of the appended bytes". What is this?

Suppose you have the following code that comes from Microsoft: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa964697.aspx

Well, if you take the time to compile it, you will discover that the output (decrypted) file is of a "bunch" of bytes greater than the original one. Also, the output will be always a multiple of the choosen Rijndael block size (in the case above, a multiple of 32).

Why?

The problem is that the unknown Microsoft author simply put PaddingMode to "None" (see DecryptFile method).

The PaddingMode.None mode is really not a padding mode at all. If you specify PaddingMode.None, you're telling the cipher that you don't want any padding performed at all. In this case, you must ensure that you only attempt to encrypt data whose length is an even multiple of the block size. If the data doesn't meet this requirement, you will get an exception stating that this is the case. The PaddingMode.Zeros mode simply pads the data with enough zeros to cause the length of the message to be an even multiple of the block size. The problem with PaddingMode.Zeros is that it is not reversible on decryption. Suppose the cipher encounters data that decrypts with five zero bytes at the end of the message. Are there five bytes of padding or are there 4 bytes of padding and an actual zero byte in the original plain text? How would the cipher be able to know? It really can't tell. If you use the PaddingMode.Zeros mode, you must transmit the actual length of the data as part of the message so that when the data is decrypted, the decrypting party will know how many bytes of plain text there are so they can strip the padding from the decrypted message.

The PaddingMode.PKCS7 mode is more interesting. This padding mode fills out the last block of the message with a sequence of bytes, the value of each of which is equal to the total number of padding bytes. For instance, given a block size of 128 bits and a final block plain text value of [AA BB CC DD EE FF], the padding string would be "0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A". The 0A value indicates that there are 10 total padding bytes. The padded block would then look like so: [AA BB CC DD EE FF 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A 0A]. In order to reverse this, the cipher simply examines the value of the last byte in the block, verifies that the appropriate number of bytes containing this value exist at the end of the message, and then removes the padding from the decrypted data. You may be wondering what happens if our data length is a perfect multiple of the block size. In this scenario, PaddingMode.None and PaddingMode.Zeros add no padding. However, in the case of PaddingMode.PKCS7, padding must be added because the cipher must be able to reverse even a no-padding situation. In this case, an additional block must be added to the plain text and the value of each byte set to the block size in bytes. In the case of a 128-bit block, a block containing [10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10] would be added to the end of the message.

So, in that case the example just works if one sets a meaningful padding mode. PKCS7 (which happens to be the default value!) is the correct choice.

Easy Folder Encryption for Windows Vista

2007-06-20T16:16:00.000+02:00

We have just released a new version 2.8 of "Folder Crypt", the tool for the encryption of Windows files and folders, which fully supports new Microsoft Windows Vista Operating System.

The tool permits the user to 'password protect' the normal browsing functionality of the Windows file-system, placing a severe barrier to personal data intrusion. Based on a true, binary encryption of the Windows file and folder contents, the process of encryption is not reversible.

Folder Crypt adopts the latest industry standard in data encryption. User must supply a password or passphrase which is converted into a series of bytes with SHA384 hash algorithm. These bytes are then taken as the key and initialization vector for the encryption method, that can be the old, but solid, Data Encryption Standard (DES or 3DES), or the new American Encryption Standard (also known as Rijndael). Data can be encrypted also with the ARCFour method, compatible with the RC4(TM) algorithm that is one of the most popular encryption algorithms available, proprietary of RSA Security Inc. Blowfish algorithm is also supported.

While implementing complex encryption methods, Folder Crypt is really easy to use. Fully integrated with MS Windows shell, with just one click it's possible to password protect any Windows folder or set of files. The decryption can be made by right clicking on a locked folder and entering the right password. Besides, all encrypted archives can be compressed to save space on disk.

Folder Crypt takes full advantage of the new Microsoft Smart Client technology, which guarantees algorithm correctness and an extraordinary robustness.

Folder Crypt is available for evaluation through the best software downloading sites, such as Tucows and CNET download.com.

Just delete is not enough

2007-04-18T10:06:00.000+02:00

Did you know that when you delete a file or a folder in Windows, that is not actually erased from disk? A delete operation does not remove the entire file or folder: simply, the hard disk descriptor table is updated and the file entry is removed. But the actual bytes of the file remain on the disk. Even when the file area is overwritten, it is still possible to recover data, by applying certain laboratory procedures since it's rare that the same portion of the hard disk is rewritten more than 5 times. It has been calculated that information is completely unrecoverable only after more than 30 rewrites. We felt the need of a secure tool of file deletion in a .NET environment, so we wrote NShred.
NShred, which has now reached version 1.5, detects the file area on the hard disk or other drive. This area includes metadata on file, such as name and modification date. The area is then rewritten 'n' times depending on the procedure. For instance, with DOD algorithm, the file area is rewritten first with "0" byte, then with "1" byte (that is, a sequence of 8 bits of 1), then with a random byte. After rewriting, the file area is reduced to zero, the file renamed with random characters and finally deleted. This procedure guarantees that not even a single byte from the former file can ever be retrieved.
While the majority of shredding tools are "brute force" and "operating system agnostic" erasing tools, NShred behaves accordingly to the underlying Operating System (OS), denying the user the possibility to turn it unstable. For instance, if the OS denies a delete operation, NShred will NOT erase the file. The user will be able to erase it later when it is no more locked by the OS.

Plus, NShred is a .NET Framework application, which ensure the user with a superior robustness and full compatibility and integration with the latest Microsoft Operating Systems and tools, such as Windows Vista.

Curious about it? Try a Google search with 'NShred LittleLite'.

Brief History Of Encryption

2007-01-19T10:32:00.000+01:00

A cipher is an algorithm for performing encryption and decryption — a series of steps that can be followed as a procedure. In most cases, that procedure is varied depending on a key which changes the detailed operation of the algorithm. In non-technical usage, a "cipher" is the same thing as a "code"; however, the concepts are distinct in cryptography. In classical cryptography, ciphers were distinguished from codes, which operated by substituting according to a large codebook.

The original information is known as plaintext, and the encrypted form as ciphertext. The ciphertext message contains all the information of the plaintext message, but is not in a format readable by a human or computer without the proper mechanism to decrypt it; it should resemble random gibberish to those not intended to read it.

There are a variety of different types of encryption. Algorithms used earlier in the history of cryptography are substantially different from modern methods, and modern ciphers can be classified according to how they operate and whether they use one or two keys.

Historical pen and paper ciphers used in the past are sometimes known as classical ciphers. They include simple substitution ciphers and transposition ciphers, as the "Caesar". For example GOOD DOG can be encrypted as PLLX XLP where L substitutes for O, P for G, and X for D in the message. Transposition of the letters GOOD DOG can result in DGOGDOO. These simple ciphers are easy to crack, even without plaintext-ciphertext pairs.

Simple ciphers were replaced by polyalphabetic substitution ciphers which changed the substitution alphabet for every letter, like the famous "Vigenere" cipher. For example GOOD DOG can be encrypted as PLSX TWF where L, S, and W substitute for O. With even a small amount of known plaintext, polyalphabetic substitution ciphers and letter transposition ciphers designed for pen and paper encryption are easy to crack.

During the early twentieth century, electro-mechanical machines were invented to do encryption and decryption using a combination of transposition, polyalphabetic substitution, and "additive" substitution. In rotor machines, several rotor disks provided polyalphabetic substitution, while plug boards provided transposition. Keys were easily changed by changing the rotor disks and the plugboard wires. Although these encryption methods were more complex than previous schemes and required machines to encrypt and decrypt, other machines such as the British Bombe were invented to crack these encryption methods.

Modern encryption methods can be divided into symmetric key algorithms (Private-key cryptography) and asymmetric key algorithms (Public-key cryptography). In a symmetric key algorithm (e.g., DES and Rijndael-AES), the sender and receiver must have a shared key set up in advance and kept secret from all other parties; the sender uses this key for encryption, and the receiver uses the same key for decryption. In an asymmetric key algorithm (e.g., RSA), there are two separate keys: a public key is published and enables any sender to perform encryption, while a private key is kept secret by the receiver and enables only him to perform decryption.

LittleLite products cover the entire range of encryption ciphers. Classical, character based ciphers, like "Caesar" and "Vigenere" are available in NCrypt TX solution. Modern symmetric-key based encryption is available in Folder Crypt for any kind of file, including movie and audio files. Finally, LLCryptoLib is a library of encryption algorithms for developers, with source code available on request.

NCrypt TX for encryption and steganography

2006-10-19T16:01:00.000+02:00

We just released a new major release of NCrypt TX a text based encryption and steganography tool.

NCrypt TX presents itself like a text editor with encryption and decryption commands. The input text can be encrypted using state-of-the art encryption algorithms, such as AES-Rijndael or 3DES, or with historical algorithms, such as ROT13 or Playfair. The user must only decide the encryption algorithm and insert a password. The password is then turned by NCrypt TX into a sequence of unique bytes with SHA384 hash function and then passed to the encryption algorithm.

"d99460564c4713f56a6e2e40c9b091a8c93bba4c4ba9cbdf29a4a56b9be0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"

This new version comes with a major improvement, the possibility to hide encrypted text into a random generated text in English words. This is done by the new steganography engine, which is based on an English dictionary of circa 80.000 words. With the steganography function, the first line of this message can be turned into:

A completely free, non-limited version of NCrypt TX, is available for a14-day evaluation period at: http://www.littlelite.net/ncrypt/

Paloma: rock solid protection for your passwords

2006-09-08T12:02:00.000+02:00

Paloma, from LittleLite Software, is the new, free tool for protecting your PC passwords, such as Web passwords, Credit cards numbers, documents password and so on.

Paloma is designed to be lightweight and easy to use, offering to the user unparalleled encryption strength. Paloma supports five encryption algorithms to encrypt its password databases, including 3DES, AES-Rijndael, Blowfish, ARC4. Every algorithm supports a variety of encryption key lengths, up to 2048 bits. SHA-384 is used as password hash for master password: this text string is hashed and its output is used as key for the encryption algorithms. The decryption of encrypted data, with the computers available today, may take hundreds of centuries. The complete database is encrypted, not only the password fields: usernames, notes, are encrypted.

Paloma is built around a “single sign-on” concept: one master password decrypts the complete passwords database. Alternatively the user can store the key on removable drives. Key on removable drives, such as USB Flash Drives or floppy disks, provide better security than master passwords in most cases. You only have to carry the removable drive to decrypt the database.

Paloma requires Microsoft .NET Framework to run. Microsoft designed .NET to replace older technologies that were developed for older operating systems and it is fully supported by next-gen operating systems like Windows Vista. LittleLite Software chose .NET for its products because we want to give our customers software that is optimized to run on the latest Microsoft operating systems. .NET runtime optimizes on the fly for the user PC so that if you have a Dual Core CPU, for instance, the code will be optimized for the advanced features of that CPU. The .NET Framework is available for free download on Microsoft Update Service. However, you can order a CDROM from LittleLite containing it.

Paloma can import and export its database to multiple formats. The passwords list can be exported to various formats like TXT, XML, CSV and Microsoft Excel. It uses the common CSV export format of various passwords safes like Password Keeper. Exports from these programs can be easily imported to your Paloma databases.

With Paloma, user can easily create, modify and delete password groups, in which passwords can be stored into. The groups can be arranged as a tree, so a group can have subgroups, those subgroups can have subgroups themselves

Paloma has been designed to leave the host computer without any running process in the background. This means no hidden processes, no useless browser catch clicks. LittleLite designers think that user knows when and how to use browser's password facilities, and that he does not need another "browser catch-click" application, which usually does not work. They think that a smart user only wants rock solid protection from a passwords repository, and this is just what Paloma is. When user needs to pass text strings, like passwords or usernames, between applications, with Paloma he can do so by using the operating system clipboard, which has been designed for this kind of task.

Paloma, the next-gen, very secure password manager is available for free at: http://www.littlelite.net/paloma.

Iside, the hash code tool

2006-08-30T14:53:00.000+02:00

We just released a new version of Iside, the message digest computing tool.

A "message digest computing tool" is a software capable of computing the hash code (also known as HASH SUM or checksum) of any file of any size. Iside implements the most complete series of hashing algorithms available on the market:

ADLER32
CRC32
FCS16/32
GOST
HAVAL128
HAVAL160
HAVAL192
HAVAL224
HAVAL256
HMAC-SHA1 (with key)
MD2
MD4
MD5
RIPEMD160
SHA1
SHA224
SHA256
SHA384
SHA512
TIGER
WHIRLPOOL

Using the same technology, it is possible to compare files with Windows shell integration: right click on a file, select Copy and by right clicking on another file you will discover if they are equal.
Along with file comparison, Iside comes with a full featured folder comparison tool. This tool lets you analyze the contents of a folder against the contents of another folder to determine if they are bit per bit equal. In some fields, such as document management, file versioning, document workflows, it is not sufficient to say that two files are equal just because they have the same name and the same size. Think for instance at source code directories, or signed documents. Iside compares folders by making a three steps comparison: name, size and, finally, hash code. You may report differences in HTML, CSV and text formats. This makes of Iside a valid and useful tool for configuration managers, software deployers or document managers.

Iside, the message digest computing tool, is available for a free trial download at http://www.littlelite.net/iside

Click here to know more about Iside.

2006-06-06T09:48:00.000+02:00

The majority of our programs adopt the .NET Framework. They are not 32-bit binary executables, but ".NET managed" executables. It was a difficult choice to take, because .NET Framework platform is not installed everywhere and it is not very easy to make a normal PC ".NET Framework enabled". But we made this choice mainly for two reasons:

1) We believe the future is for "managed environments"
2) We want our programs to execute in a secure and separate environment.

A "managed environment" is a layer between the software and the hardware. This is the lesson we learned from Java. It is not that we are looking for cross-platform compatibility, even if that can be a major advantage in the future; we are instead relying on a very highly engineered software environment that controls at run time what a program is doing and it optimize it on the fly in order to get better and safer results, depending on the real executing operating system and hardware. This leads to two great advantages: the same software can be optimized on the fly for the executing environment (CPU, RAM, IO and Operating System) and the software that is "managed" in this way can never severely interfere with critical system processes (because the layer, in this case the .NET Common Language Runtime, is designed exactly to prevent this). Using banal words, the blue screen of death will never be directly caused by a "managed" program. The future is the "managed" environment: Windows Vista will come with a new version of the .NET Framework and the next generation of Windows API, Win FX, will be based on the .NET Framework. Using Brad Adams words, "FX speaks to a framework. It speaks to the heritage of WinFX from the .NET framework. So if you’re familiar with the .NET framework and you’re writing code on the .NET framework today, then you’re going to be very comfortable on WinFX when you move to it in the future."

This leads us to the second point: why programs run safer in a "managed" environment. Programs written for the .NET framework execute in a software environment that manages the program's runtime requirements. This runtime environment, which is also a part of the .NET Framework, is known as the Common Language Runtime (CLR). The CLR provides the appearance of an application virtual machine, so that programmers need not consider the capabilities of the specific CPU that will execute the program. The CLR also provides other important services such as security guarantees, memory management, and exception handling.

That is why we will continue on our way with the .NET Framework, investing more and more resources in learning how to exploit well the "managed" environment. It is something that convinces us as technicians, but also, we think, a guarantee for the people that download our software and install it on their machines.

2006-05-03T16:35:00.000+02:00

We have just released version 2.5 of "Folder Crypt", the tool for the encryption of Windows files and folders.

This tool lets the user 'password protect' the normal browsing functionality of the Windows file-system, placing a severe barrier to personal data intrusion. Based on a true, binary encryption of the Windows file and folder contents, the process of encryption is not reversible.

Folder Crypt adopts the latest industry standard in encryption. User must supply a password or passphrase which is converted into a series of bytes with SHA384 hash algorithm. These bytes are then taken as the key and initialization vector for the encryption method, that can be the old, but solid, Data Encryption Standard (DES or 3DES), or the new American Encryption Standard (also known as Rijndael). Data can be encrypted also with the ARCFour method, compatible with the RC4(TM) algorithm that is one of the most popular encryption algorithms available, proprietary of RSA Security Inc.

While implementing complex encryption methods, Folder Crypt is very easy to use. Fully integrated with MS Windows shell, with just one click it's possible to password protect any Windows folder or set of files. The decryption can be made by right clicking on a locked folder and entering the right password. Besides, all encrypted archives can be compressed to save space on disk.

Folder Crypt takes full advantage of the new Microsoft Smart Client technology, which guarantees algorithm correctness and an extraordinary robustness.

The new version comes with full Microsoft .NET v2.0 support and a completely revised user interface.

Folder Crypt is available for evaluation through the best software downloading sites, such as Tucows and CNET download.com.

2006-04-03T12:23:00.000+02:00

It could be somewhat trivial, but when you delete a file or a folder in Windows^TM it is not actually erased. Simply, the hard disk descriptor table is updated and the file entry is removed. So, the actual bytes of the file remain on the disk. Even when the file area is overwritten, it is still possibile to recover data, by applying certain laboratory procedures since it's rare that a portion of the hard disk is rewritten more than 5/10 times. It has been calculated that information is completely unrecoverable only after more than 30 rewrites. We felt the need of a secure tool of file deletion in a .NET environment, so we wrote NShred.
NShred detects the file area on the hard disk or other drive. This area includes metadata on file, such as name and date. The area is then rewritten 'n' times depending on the procedure. For instance, with DOD algorithm, the file area is rewritten first with "0" bit, then with "1" bit, then with a random byte. After rewriting, the file area is reduced to zero, the file renamed with random characters and finally deleted. This procedure guarantees that not even a single byte from the former file can ever be retrieved.
While the majority of shredding tools are "brute force" and "operating system agnostic" erasing tools, NShred behaves accordingly to the underlying Operating System (OS), denying the user the possibility to turn it unstable. For instance, if the OS denies a delete operation, NShred will NOT erase the file. The user will be able to erase it later when it is no more locked by the OS.

Plus, NShred is a .NET Framework Smart Client application, which ensure the user with a superior robustness and full compatibility and integration with the latest Microsoft Operating Systems and tools.

Curious about it? Try a Google search with 'NShred LittleLite'.

Shareware vs demo/free version

2006-03-08T09:47:00.000+01:00

Currently, our main software products are distributed on a "try and buy" base. The product you can download for free is the very same product you get when you buy it. Actually, it is the same set of files: only entering a special key they are turned into a full licensed product. The only difference between the "try and buy" and the "registered" version is that the first is time-limited: after 30 days it will expire. This is the way most shareware products work.

But there is a strong counter-indication. If you publish a software package without functional limitations, you are subject to piracy. It is somewhat easy to find a right key generator for every remarkable shareware product on the market, if you just look for pirate sites and you are brave enough to run the risk of downloading a piece of software that may contain all sort of viruses and malware. Nonetheless, a lot of people downloads the free "try and buy" version and after a while register it using piracy tools. I will not talk about the side effects of this behaviour, they are clearly visible.

To face the piracy, more and more software companies decided not to release "time-limited but fully functional" versions of their product. Instead, they release a functions-limited version, and they call it "Demo version". If you want to use the unlimited product, you buy it so that you can download it from a secure site. This is what normally happens with videogames. Not only doing this you can deliver the full product only to people who actually buy it, but you can save all efforts to make your software stand against piracy attacks (source code obfuscation, random key correctness checks and so on).

The main disadvantage against the "Demo version" policy, is that you can never show to your potential customer the real capabilities of your software. Persons that use the Demo version could be unsatisfied with it, but satisfied by the real product: too bad they will never see it! Of course you can advertise a strong "money back guarantee" so that the user can buy the full product and then decide that it does not fulfill his expectations.

After some thoughts about it, we decided to go for the "try and buy" option and to face the piracy threat. We want to be very transparent with our potential customers, showing to them our products as they truly are.

To tell the truth, we are not so angry with the people who prefer to use our software with keys coming from piracy. After all, they like our product and they use it (and this is the reason we write software, after all). To them we only say that without directly supporting the creation and maintenance of software, this is likely to disappear. That is, software written by small, independent software houses will disappear.

Then there is all the reasoning about Open Source software, but that will be covered in another post.

Anyway, ours is not a dogma, after all. Comments (even by software developers) are very welcome.

2006-02-27T11:39:00.000+01:00

What is a HASH code? It is a fixed length string of bits (that is, a series of bits), extracted by an algorithm that operates on a common file (from a few bits to several gigabytes long).

For instance, hash function SHA384 extract 384 bits from any file.

This "hash" is, basically, the digital ID or electronic digest of a file. Again, for instance, if I download a movie from Internet (dvd, divx, mpeg) and I want to be sure that the file I downloaded is equal - bit per bit equal - to the one on the original site, then one way to accomplish that is to check the hash code of the downloaded file against the hash code of the original file - provided that the site displays such information. Today, more and more sites display such information, for security reasons too: the file may be infected with virus and worms. Since a virus is attached to a file, then the hash code can easily discover its presence. If I know in advance the hash code of a file, I will never execute a file that has a different hash code from the one expected: that file could be corrupted, if I'm lucky, or just infected by a virus or a worm.

Now, Iside, is among the best tools to compute and display hash codes from any file, without OPENING them! You can try it today, for free, here.

Easy hacking, pal!

2006-02-02T14:15:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I was talking about secrets hiding and cryptography. A friend of mine said he was able to crack any Word document in one day as a maximum. He said it was not a problem of password complexity: he knew how to strip Word protection away. As a proof, he took an old Word document and he was actually able to crack it in a few minutes.

I said he was only lucky and that I was ready to bet a non trivial sum of money that he would not be able to crack a Word document encrypted by myself. He laughed out loud, he said I just wanted to lose money... but he did not accept my bet.

Then I sent the Word document encrypted by myself to him anyway: he is still trying to crack it (a week is already passed... but I think the encryption will stand against his attacks for ten/fifteen years).

I told you this little story as a metaphor of how things really go when talking about encryption: it is almost always a matter of process, and not tools.

Word has an excellent encryption system, although it is limited by US key length limitation: if you just know how to do it, you can super-encrypt a Word document, and be sure that no-one (except, perhaps, CIA) will succeed in cracking it. The problem is that it is not easy to encrypt a Word document well: you must know a thing or two before doing it. Just pressing "Protect this document with a password" does not work (and makes people like the friend of mine boast himself!)

The story has a morale: market lack of tools that make serious encryption easily. That’s one of LittleLite’s missions: to produce easy to use, but serious encryption tools (such as Folder Crypt).

Secondarily, that it is often heard of people cracking programs, software barriers, ciphered documents and this makes the casual Internet user think that no real security is possible on Internet. Again, this happens because encryption processes and policies are often weak, when not at all bugged.

On the contrary, data encrypted following secure processes and using encryption standard tools, remain secret.

(Oh, by the way: to safely encrypt a Word document just follow these steps:

1. Start Word.
2. Select File | Save as.
3. Select the Tools extended menu option.
4. Select Security Options from the drop-down list.
5. Click the Advanced button.
6. From the Encryption Type dialog, copy the name of the encryption type name and encryption algorithm from the Choose an encryption type list.
7. RC4, Microsoft enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic provider
8. Set maximum key length to 128

)

The Iside Message Digest computing tool

2006-01-31T14:21:00.000+01:00

A cryptographic checksum is a mathematical value (called a checksum) that is assigned to a file and used to "test" the file at a later date to verify that the data contained in the file has not been (properly or maliciously) changed.

A cryptographic checksum is created by performing a complicated series of mathematical operations (known as a cryptographic hash functions) that translates the data in the file into a fixed string of digits called a hash value, which is then used as a checksum. It is threfore highly unlikely that an unauthorized person would be able to change data without inadvertently changing the corresponding checksum.

Cryptographic checksums are used in data transmission and data storage. In data transmission to verify the integrity of the file during the transmission, in data storage to verify that a file or a series of files did not change in a period of time.

Cryptographic checksums are also known as message authentication codes, integrity check-values, modification detection codes, or message integrity codes, and finally hash codes.

LittleLite distributes one of the best available software tools on the market to calculate and verify cryptographic checksums: Iside shows the hash code of a file with several different algorithms ( ADLER32, CRC32, FCS16/32, HAVAL, HMAC-SHA1, MD2, MD4, MD5, SHA1, SHA256, TIGER WHIRLPOOL) and performs Windows files and folders comparisons, based on cryprographic checksums computing.

To know more about Iside, just try a Google search about it.

2006-01-31T14:01:00.000+01:00

The LittleLite web site (and blog) is under a major redesign. The main idea is that the content should be displayed with lower detail and verbosity, in a more clear and concise way. Also, we are passing from dark to bright colors - we'd want to be honest and bright, as opposed to techie and dark...