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System Safety Monitor (SSM) v2.0.8.583 Conflicts ?


Monroe

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This posting is to get the attention of herbalist ... and anyone else using and working with SSM v2.0.8.583 and Windows 98/98SE. I mention herbalist since I know from past messages that he uses SSM. I just read your posting about SSM at the KernelEx thread. As you experiment and work with SSM, I (maybe some others also) would like to know what conflicts you might be running into using SSM. Some time back, I was using SSM and had a conflict with Media Player Classic ... which you verified on your end. In time I just decided to ditch MP Classic and went to VideoLAN VLC Player 0.8.6, which I like better anyway. I did get away from having SSM on my machines after the MP Classic problem. However, in the last two weeks I came across SSM on one of my backup CDs and was thinking of putting it back on my computers. I understand from your message at the KernelEx thread that there was some sort of conflict with KernelEx and SSM which seems to have been fixed. I am still using the last version of KernelEx on my computers ... KernelEx v4.0 Final 2 by Xeno86 ... did this run OK with SSM or are you referring to the new Beta version running OK with SSM? What version of SSM are you working with? I think SSM v2.0.8.583 was the last free version available and it also worked with Win 98SE. The link to the company in the "Last Versions of Software for Windows 98SE" no longer works, just tried it before I started this message. I think there were later versions of SSM but the company either was bought out, changed it's name or just went away. I always thought this was a very interesting program but I didn't work with it all that much. You mentioned in the KernelEx thread that you will be doing more testing on a new system. As for myself, I'd appreciate any news or findings concerning SSM as you work with it ... or any SSM news! ... thanks

Edited by duffy98
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The conflict between SSM-free and KEX was fixed with the release of KEX 4.0RC1. The latest release seems to work with SSM as well. So far, MPC classic is the only other application that conflicts with SSM that I'm aware of. 2.0.8.583 is the last stable release of the free version and is the best choice for 9X systems. It works on all versions of Windows through XP-SP2. SP3 breaks the free version. There was a later version, 584 that was withdrawn, don't remember the specific reasons. The 2.1 through 2.4 versions are for NT systems. The last version is 2.4.0.622, which works up to Vista-SP1. It doesn't work on Vista-SP2 and newer. Vista support was the reason the 2.4.0.622 was still listed as a beta. On 2K thru XP, it's fine. It's development was stopped shortly after Vista SP1, not financially viable. It targeted too small of a market (power\paranoid users who wanted full control over everything) and as the pro versions didn't expire, it was a one time sale. IMO, the free version hurt sales of the pro version more than anything else.

I've uploaded the last release of both version to Mediafire.

SSM-free, 2.0.8.583

SSM-pro, 2.4.0.622-beta

I'm authorized by the developer to distribute the license key for the pro version. Anyone interested can send me a PM.

ATM, testing how well SSM works with KEX has been delayed, thanks to my being careless and in a hurry. I was using my newest PC for this, a dual boot XP and 98SE. The data partition was filling way too fast, and with both OS sharing a dedicated swap partition, the 2 system partitions had more space than they really needed. I decided to redistribute the space. Didn't take the time to back up the existing partitioning scheme. Thought I had backed up each OS but found later that the OS backups were from when the PC was single boot.......... Long story short, I'm building it over from scratch. Fortunately I have a backup of the original XP system.

I'm still kicking myself for this one. Didn't follow my own rules.

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thanks herbalist for the reply and all the information about SSM. I was not aware of the Pro version so I will give it a try. Between the two versions, SSM-free, 2.0.8.583 and SSM-pro, 2.4.0.622-beta, do you recomend people mostly stick with the free since it is not "Beta"? Just wondering what extras you get with the PRO version over the "Free" version. Curious what version you like using on your machines? thanks.

Edited by duffy98
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The pro version is "beta" only because its Vista support was still being debugged at the time. As far as 2K and XP are concerned, it can be regarded as a finished product. On 9X systems, the free version is the only choice. I'm using both versions on different PCs. My 2K unit has the pro version. This XP unit is running the free version. The free version is simpler to set up and use. Its design and behavior seem more intuitive. I prefer the way it's laid out.

The pro version controls a lot more specific activities for each process. It has a rudimentary firewall built in and very detailed registry rules. The registry rules interface can be confusing and definitely take some getting used to. The pro version checks command line parameters, memory access, low level disk access, process suspension, interprocess messaging, remote code control and data modification, and much more. For the average user, the pro version is an information overload. On the pro version, the individual application rules are organized in "groups", both pre-defined and user specified. The groups have their own editable rules which are inherited by the individual application rules added to those groups. Some people like this arrangement, some don't.

Both the free and pro versions can save and export rulesets. The pro version will import the rules made by the free version but they will need some editing. If you install and set up the free version, then later decide to try the pro, it will automatically import the existing configuration as long as you install to the same folder. Both versions are very capable of defending your system, especially if they're enforcing a default-deny policy. Most users will find the free version to be sufficient. For users not familiar with SSM or other "classic HIPS" software, I'd recommend they try the free version first. Unlike many other apps with free and paid versions, the free version of SSM is not a restricted or crippled version of the pro. They're completely different. The free version was originally the work of Max Burmistrov until it was sold in 2005. The pro version was a complete rewrite for NT systems that came later.

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herbalist I really appreciate how you explain the this application. I think you deserve a medal. Not many people explain, so it would lead to somebody like

me to ask a dumb ?. thanks I had never heard of this until now. I will be using this with Kerio 2.1.5

Edited by PROBLEMCHYLD
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IMO, SSM Pro is not a suitable replacement for a true software firewall. For each application the user can choose between 3 levels of network/internet access:

1, No internet access.

2, Trusted zone access only.

3, Unrestricted internet access.

The trusted zone is a user specified listing of trusted IP addresses. They can be the specific IPs of network cards, routers, gateways, or internet addresses. The same list will be used for all applications that are given trusted zone access. It can be used for limiting applications to local network access and in situations where a simple allow/deny option is sufficient, like an application installer calling home.

The SSM network rules are not a suitable replacement for a free standing firewall. It does not differentiate between different protocols or recognize port numbers. Internet traffic is either allowed, limited to the trusted zone, or blocked, inbound and outbound alike. SSM can't block inbound while allowing outbound. That alone makes it unsuitable as a firewall unless the user has a router or hardware firewall to serve as a gateway or is using it with the windows firewall to add some outbound control. There's nothing that the network rules do that a software firewall can't do better. It would seem to me that anyone who would take the time to fine tune system permissions with an app like SSM would also want to do the same with internet\network traffic. A firewall like Kerio 2.1.5 does that well and is an excellent complement to SSM.

If I'm remembering correctly, the addition of network rules were in response to users who wanted SSM-Pro to become a security suite. File and folder integrity\protection was also in the plans, same reason. Personally, I'm glad that they weren't implemented. There's already plenty of security suites to choose from but very few good single purpose apps still around.

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I've been working on some web pages that detail how to use SSM free on 9X systems to enforce a comprehensive default-deny security policy sufficient to offset the lack of AV support. It's taking much longer to finish than I expected. Too much else to do and not enough time in a day.

Rick

Hi Rick,

Any progress with this?

As a long time user of SSM Free I was particularly looking forward to this, in fact reading any of your posts on security has always been highly interesting and informative.

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It's been slow going, partly because I'm not good at building websites and composing web pages, but mostly from real life consuming most of my time. It appears that the real life issues are beginning to settle down and I'll hopefully have more time to work on them. I've got several pages done and an equal number of them in progress, but the more I use SSM and 98 with the newer hardware and accessories, the more material I find I want to cover. When I get a couple more pages finished, I'll start putting the site up. I was hoping to host it on my own server but that will take a little longer to get finished. Until then, I'll have to use a free site to host it.

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  • 11 months later...

It's been slow going, partly because I'm not good at building websites and composing web pages, but mostly from real life consuming most of my time. It appears that the real life issues are beginning to settle down and I'll hopefully have more time to work on them. I've got several pages done and an equal number of them in progress, but the more I use SSM and 98 with the newer hardware and accessories, the more material I find I want to cover. When I get a couple more pages finished, I'll start putting the site up. I was hoping to host it on my own server but that will take a little longer to get finished. Until then, I'll have to use a free site to host it.

Are you still interested in doing this when you have some spare time. Me personally, I've search hihg n low for a tutorial on SSM and no luck.

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Are you still interested in doing this when you have some spare time. Me personally, I've search hihg n low for a tutorial on SSM and no luck.

You can find the original SSM htm help file on the way back machine:

http://web.archive.org/web/20080611132504/http://dl1.syssafety.com/download/ssmhelp-2.0-eng.zip?file=613

Latest version of SSM for Win98SE is the SSM-2.0.8.585-free.exe (release on 2008-05-01), that is not available from the syssafety.com image into the way back machine, but if you search a little with google you can find it on the web.

bye,

aru

Edited by aru
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I apologize for how long this is taking me to do. It's hard to find any free time for this and several other projects I've wanted to do. If at all possible, I will try to finish it this winter.

Regarding version 2.0.8.585, I beta tested SSM all through its development and have never seen that version. The last free version I was aware of was 584, which was withdrawn for stability issues. So far, the download links I've tried to that version are dead. If I find a live link, I'll check into it and see what's changed, and verify that it actually is a newer version of SSM free.

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PROBLEMCHYLD ... thanks for that link, I searched through Google earlier, tried probably close to 20-25 links and came up empty. I will wait for herbalist to give his opinion conerning this "newer" version, he has the knowledge of SSM and the various versions. Thanks again ...

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