🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <18bn7qINNnet@matt.ksu.ksu.edu> kodiak@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Bryan D. Nehl) writes:
>In <3302@carroll1.cc.edu> sandberg@carroll1.cc.edu (Brian R. Sandberg) writes:
>>I am writing an application in MS-BASIC V7.1 which uses random access data
>>files.  Here's the problem:  these files contain confidential information.
>>Is there a way to keep people from reading (accessing) these files?
>
>Someone else mentioned encrypting the data before saving it out to
>disk.  This is a pretty good idea.  Another thing that you might want
>to do that is fairly easy is to put at the beginning of the file ascii
>text like the following: Only Authorized Personnel may access this
>data file.^Z the ^Z would be a ctrl-Z.  You could write a similar
>string in the header of your file in binary.  This way if someone
>tried to simply TYPE out the file then all they get is your message.
>DOS will see the ^Z and stop. You might want to throw in a few or a
>LOT of ^G's depending on what your size constraints are and how
>annoying you want to be.
>
>Bryan.
>
>/* === Bryan Nehl ========== kodiak@Kodiakpc.Manhattan.KS.US =========+
>[            USDA-ARS-NPA-WERU          ][ bdn@chepil.weru.ksu.edu    ]
>[     913.532.6233 or 913.532.6495      ][ kodiak@matt.ksu.ksu.edu    ]
>+_______________ ...!rutgers!matt.ksu.ksu.edu!kodiak _______________ */

One other suggestion that would be a little easier to work with is
to use a simple encryption scheme like ANDing or ORing with a
rotating bit pattern and storing your data in this format. This way
you prevent easy access to your data from someone who can
disassemble your work or even snapshot it in memory, since you
decrypt on the fly. Yes, a smart cookie can figure it out in a
matter of time, but it sounds like you want to keep honest people
honest, and this method will keep the overly curious at bay.

Paul

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