Article 38007 of alt.security:
VAMP v1.02 released.              http://pobox.com/~nevets/vamp.html

VAMP is a Dos based file encryption utility which is extremely secure.
The main features of VAMP v1.02 are listed below:

- Password is not stored in the file.  Files are altered using a 
  "rolling code" encryption routine based on the information in the
  actual file as well as the supplied password.  Unless the same password
  is used, the file can not be returned to it's original state.
  Many encryption routines store their password in the file in some
  hidden manner.  Once one person discovers this secret then the
  entire file encryption routine is no longer safe for anyone.  Since VAMP
  uses differant techniques on differant files, encrypting "similar" known 
  files in the hope of discovering a way to break it are useless.
- Password lengths up to 240 characters long in the "Full" registered
  version.  "Basic" registered versions (outside North America) are 
  limited to 40 character passwords to comply with U.S. export regulations.
- Password files can store the password information without the user
  knowing the password in the file.  An excellent choice for distributing
  files to customers.  Just send them the "password file" in advance then
  they can decode all the files you send them (if encrypted with the
  same file) without knowing the password.
- Software Sentinel "dongles" now supported.  Rainbow's Software Sentiel
  dongles are now supported to provide a hardware password in addition to
  other password options.  Using the /SP option on the command line on a
  workstation with a dongle on it will cause the file to only be decodable
  on a workstation with the same type (coding) dongle.
- Uses EMS for quicker processing by loading the entire file being
  altered into EMS if possible.
- /First1k and /Last1k options which cause VAMP to process only
  the first or last 1024 characters of the file appropriately.  When
  protecting .EXE's, .ZIP's, .GIF's etcetera that have a header at the
  beginning or ending of the file, this is normally sufficient protection.
  Both the /F and /L options can be combined to encrypt the beginning and
  ending of the file (but not the middle).  Specifying neither of these
  options encrypts the entire file.  Encrypting only a portion of the
  file can greatly increase the speed of encryption.
- In conjunction with the /First1k and /Last1k options, the default
  encryption level will be determined by the program based upon the
  extension of the file.  For instance when encrypting an .EXE, the
  default compression will be to use the /First1k option since an
  executable is no longer executable if the first part is encrypted.
  See the VAMP.DOC file for more information on the file types that
  are recognized and their default encryption types. 
- The /Complete option can be used to force all files be encrypted
  completely instead of only portions of it based on the file extension.
- DOS redirection ability for password fields.
- /Archive switch to set the archive bit on the file so that
  backup software can detect that the file changed.


Planned for the next version, Late Fall or Winter of 1996

- Password key files with expiration dates and/or extraction counters.
- Support for Indentix's Fingerprint Id reader.  This is a small box
  that encodes your fingerprint into a unique string.  This string is
  then used as your password for VAMP prohibiting anyone but yourself
  from using your files.  
- OS/2 PM Interface.  VAMP will still be a Dos based application but
  will contain OS/2 Rexx programs to interface with the OS/2 Desktop
  to permit drag-and-drop encrypting/decrypting of files.
- Compression of the encrypted file up to 50% of original size.

The ShareWare version of VAMP is fully operational with a 40 character
password restriction (to comply with US Export Laws) and includes a
short nag screen at program exit.

Registration is $15 for the "basic" registration and $20 for the
"full" registration (North America only).  Registered diskettes
will be mailed for an additional $5.

Questions or comments regarding VAMP should be addressed by
email to:  nevets@pobox.com

The Vamp home page is at: http://pobox.com/~nevets/vamp.html


VAMP is (c)1987-1996 by Steven M. Ryckman
All Rights Reserved WorldWide