 Interscope BlackBox(tm) 2.0
 
 Copyright © 1996-1999 Interscope Ltd.
 All rights reserved.


 Contents of this file: 
 
 1. Introduction
 2. System requirements
 3. Installation
 4. Usage
 5. Uninstallation
 6. Known issues
 7. Registration
 8. Miscellaneous
 
 
 1. Introduction
 
 Interscope BlackBox is a small and fast file encryption utility which can be
 installed on either Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0, and it provides 
 quick encryption and/or decryption of files or whole folders from the context menu.

 It uses the DES (Data Encryption Standard) algorythm with an 56-bit key. Even if today
 DES doesn't represent a state-of-art encryption technology anymore, it's still more than 
 suitable for file encryption/decryption assuming that you do not want to protect 
 military-scale top secret data and you stick with a healthy password management 
 scheme (you do not write it down, don't use easy-to-guess passwords and change 
 your password from time to time).

 The key management scheme implemented by Interscope BlackBox uses a pretty simple but 
 extremely efficient method of password storage. In fact, it doesn't store your passwords 
 together with your files, so that they cannot be deducted from an encrypted file by any 
 means. Of course this also means, that once you've lost one of your passwords, all 
 file(s) encrypted with it are locked and unaccessible. So, take care with your passwords.

 The program was designed to provide security against passive attacks, meaning that once the 
 data is encrypted, it is secure. But you should make sure that the encryption/decryption is 
 done in a "clean" environment (e.g. keyboard watchers and the like). Also, after the 
 encryption/decryption is finished any relevant used memory is overwritten with random data 
 before being released, and also any temporary file is similarily wiped out with random data 
 before being deleted. So, we want to think it is secure enough for everyday's use.

 If you are interested in more pwerful encryption methods, you can take a look at the public 
 key encryption algorythms which are more recent than DES and tending to became the de facto 
 standard in today's cryptography. One more word on public key algorythms: yes, they are 
 better in terms of security than DES but they are also more computing-power demanding, 
 hence (much) slower.

 The program also provides a shredder feature which you can use to effectively destroy 
 sensitive files so that no chance remains that the files you delete can ever be recovered.


 2. System requirements

 In order to run Interscope BlackBox you will need one of the following platforms 
 and hardware resources:

  a) Windows 95 with DCOM installed

        486 class computer
        8 MBytes of RAM
        VGA monitor
        Serial mouse or other pointing device

  b) Windows 98

        486 class computer
        12 MBytes of RAM
        VGA monitor
        Serial mouse or other pointing device

  c) Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 or later

        Pentium class computer
        16 MBytes of RAM
        VGA monitor
        Serial mouse or other pointing device

 You can download DCOM for Windows 95 from the Microsoft DCOM 
 site at http://www.microsoft.com/com/dcom.asp.
 

 3. Installation

 In order to install Interscope BlackBox you should follow these steps:
 
  a) If on NT, make sure you are logged in as a user with administrative privileges.
  b) If you have a previous version of Interscope BlackBox installed, uninstall 
     it first by firing up the Add/Remove Programs control panel applet, selecting 
     Interscope BlackBox and clicking Remove.
  c) Install Interscope BlackBox on your computer by running Setup.exe in 
     the folder where your installation kit is, or by running the downloaded 
     installation program, iim11l.exe.
  d) If you have a license for Interscope BlackBox, copy it in the folder 
     where you installed Interscope BlackBox 
     (usually C:\Program Files\Interscope BlackBox\2.0).


 4. Usage

 Usage of Interscope BlackBox is very simple: you simply navigate to the files and/or
 folders you want to protect (encrypt), right-click them, select Encrypt... and then 
 provide a password.
 
 Decrypting files goes in the same fashion: you right-click them, select Decrypt... 
 and enter the password (assuming you know it) when prompted.

 Of course, Interscope BlackBox provides many other features besides this basic 
 encryption/decryption. For a description of what's new see Version.txt and for help
 on the purpose and usage of the respective features consult the online help.


 5. Uninstallation

 To uninstall Interscope BlackBox, go to the Add/Remove Programs control panel 
 applet, select Interscope BlackBox 2.0 and click Remove. Alternatively, you can 
 uninstall it from the Start Menu group the setup created when you installed 
 Interscope BlackBox. Click Start, then Programs, then Interscope BlackBox, 
 then Uninstall Interscope BlackBox.


 6. Known issues

 Below is a list of known issues in this release of Interscope BlackBox. We are 
 aware of there problems and are currently working to fix them. As sson as a fix 
 is available it will be made public on our website.

    * The self-extractor does not support compression yet
    * WHen adding folders into a self-extracting archive, empty folders are ignored
    * The icons in context menus will not appear for shortcuts
    * After uninstall the shredder icon remains on the desktop and in the Send To menu


 7. Registration

 Please do not forget that Interscope BlackBox is a shareware program, and as so, 
 if you like it we would like you to register your copy. See Order.txt for information 
 on how to get a license for your copy of Interscope BlackBox.


 8. Miscellaneous

 If you have any problems installing, using or uninstalling Interscope BlackBox 
 or find any bugs, you can send your questions and observations to 
 BlackBox@interscope.ro or submit a bugreport and we will try to have some answers 
 for you and keep your feature requestests in mind when releasing a new version. 
  
 To submit a bugreport, go to the Start Menu group setup has created when you installed
 Interscope BlackBox and choose Submit Bug Report. This will send you to a bug report 
 site where you can enter a description of the problem and then submit it to us.
  
 Our support team has prepared a list of most common questions together with answers 
 and published them on the Interscope InstallMaster FAQ page at 
 http://www.interscope.ro/InstallBlackBox/. Please check out these FAQs before you 
 ask for support.
  
 Interscope is working hard to further enhance this product, so if you want to be 
 kept up to date with the latest development of Interscope BlackBox, we invite 
 you to check back often to the Interscope BlackBox homepage at 
 http://www.interscope.ro/BlackBox/ from where you can download updates as soon as 
 they are released. You will also find here help, a FAQ collection and possible bugfixes.
 
 Your feedback is important to us, so please let us know what you think.
  
  
 Thank you,
 The Interscope BlackBox Team.

