SDN (SDN Project) - Revision history

Jsummers at 20:17, 13 March 2023

2023-03-13T20:17:55Z

Jsummers: /* Discussion */ Reorganized

2022-07-10T15:20:43Z

‎Discussion: Reorganized

Jsummers at 17:27, 4 June 2022

2022-06-04T17:27:39Z

Jsummers at 17:16, 4 June 2022

2022-06-04T17:16:48Z

Dan Tobias at 23:33, 25 September 2020

2020-09-25T23:33:03Z

Jsummers at 20:24, 15 August 2020

2020-08-15T20:24:23Z

Jsummers: Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Archiving |extensions={{ext|sdn}}, {{ext|sda}} |released=1989 }} An '''.SDN file''' is a compressed archive file associated with th..."

2020-06-28T14:23:49Z

Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=electronic |subcat=Archiving |extensions={{ext|sdn}}, {{ext|sda}} |released=1989 }} An '''.SDN file''' is a compressed archive file associated with th..."

New page

{{FormatInfo
|formattype=electronic
|subcat=Archiving
|extensions={{ext|sdn}}, {{ext|sda}}
|released=1989
}}
An '''.SDN file''' is a compressed archive file associated with the ''SDN Project'' organization, and the ''SDNet/Works!'' software distribution network. ''SDN'' stands for ''Shareware Distribution Network''. SDN files are cryptographically authenticated.

An SDN file might be accompanied by an .SDA "abstract" file, which is just a text file describing the software in the SDN file.

== Discussion ==
There are at least two, and possibly three, different SDN formats.

The documentation for the ''SDNV'' utility says:

<pre>
SDN FILES BEFORE JUNE 15TH 1990.........................................
Files with a .SDN extension that were packaged before June 15th 1990
were compressed using NoGate Consulting's PAK v2.10 utility. [...]

SDN FILES AFTER JUNE 15TH 1990..........................................
All files and programs, released for distribution on SDNet/Works! after
June 15th 1990 will be secured and compressed in SDNV format. Other
archivers will not be able to read or uncompress these .SDN files. You
must use a the SDNV utility SDNV.EXE. [...]
</pre>

The older format is a [[PAK (ARC extension)|PAK]] file with a special ''extended record''. PAK itself is a variant of [[ARC (compression format)|ARC]].

More research is needed, but it seems possible that the plan to switch to SDNV format was abandoned.

In 1993, it was announced<ref>[http://www.textfiles.com/fidonet-on-the-internet/939495/fido1004.txt fido1004.txt] - "SDN Changing Compression and Security"</ref> that SDN files would switch to a format based on [[ARJ]]. More research is needed here, as well.

== Software ==
PAK format:
* {{CdTextfiles|simtel/simtel20/MSDOS/ARCHIVRS/PAK251.EXE|PAK v2.51}} (DOS binary)
* See also [[PAK (ARC extension)#Software]].

SDNV format:
* [https://www.sac.sk/download/pack/sdnv100.zip SDNV v1.00] (DOS binary)

ARJ format:
* See [[ARJ#Software]].

== Sample files ==
PAK format:
* {{CdTextfilesURL|wildcatgold/sdn/}}
* {{CdTextfiles|20mnn/APPLICAT/DRAFT.SDN|DRAFT.SDN}}
* [https://archive.org/details/SDN1__793 SDN1 Plus] (CD-ROM)

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Security]]

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 In 1993, it was announced<ref>[http://www.textfiles.com/fidonet-on-the-internet/939495/fido1004.txt fido1004.txt] → "SDN Changing Compression and Security"</ref> that SDN files would switch to a format based on [[ARJ]], and [[FSecure (PaceSoft)|FSecure]] by PaceSoft.
-ARJ v2.39c (early 1993) simultaneously changed ARJ's native "security envelope" format, and claimed to introduce "SDN support". This is confusing, because these two similar features are not really related (though SDN files might well use both).
+ARJ v2.39c (early 1993) simultaneously changed ARJ's native "security envelope" format, and claimed to add "SDN support". This is confusing, because there are two different security features involved here: ARJ security envelopes, and the FSecure security seals associated with SDN. It is not clear what feature the claimed "SDN support" is referring to. ARJ does not do anything with FSecure security seals, though its documentation discusses them.
-−
-And ARJ doesn't actually fully validate SDN-secured files. The claimed "SDN support" appears to be referring to some convenience features related to identifying SDN files as such, and telling the user what to do.
 == Software ==
@@ Line 51: / Line 49: @@
 ARJ format:
-* {{CdTextfiles|megmonster/LAN/FILETST1.ZIP|FileTest v1.00}} (Validator, DOS binary)
+* For extraction, see [[ARJ#Software]].
-* See also [[ARJ#Software]] (ARJ v2.39c+)
+* For validation, see [[FSecure (PaceSoft)#Software]].
 == Sample files ==
@@ Line 60: / Line 58: @@
 * [https://archive.org/details/SDN1__793 SDN1 Plus] (CD-ROM)
-(Wanted: ARJ-SDN samples.)
+ARJ format:
 == References ==

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 === ARJ-based format ===
-In 1993, it was announced<ref>[http://www.textfiles.com/fidonet-on-the-internet/939495/fido1004.txt fido1004.txt] - "SDN Changing Compression and Security"</ref> that SDN files would switch to a format based on [[ARJ]], and [[FSecure (PaceSoft)|FSecure]] by PaceSoft.
+In 1993, it was announced<ref>[http://www.textfiles.com/fidonet-on-the-internet/939495/fido1004.txt fido1004.txt] → "SDN Changing Compression and Security"</ref> that SDN files would switch to a format based on [[ARJ]], and [[FSecure (PaceSoft)|FSecure]] by PaceSoft.
-ARJ v2.39c (early 1993) simultaneously changed it native "security envelope" format, and claimed to introduce "SDN support". This is confusing, because these two similar features are not really related (though SDN files might well use both).
+ARJ v2.39c (early 1993) simultaneously changed ARJ's native "security envelope" format, and claimed to introduce "SDN support". This is confusing, because these two similar features are not really related (though SDN files might well use both).
 And ARJ doesn't actually fully validate SDN-secured files. The claimed "SDN support" appears to be referring to some convenience features related to identifying SDN files as such, and telling the user what to do.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 An '''.SDN file''' is a compressed archive file associated with the ''SDN Project'' organization, and the ''SDNet/Works!'' software distribution network. ''SDN'' stands for ''Shareware Distribution Network''. SDN files are cryptographically authenticated.
-An SDN file might be accompanied by an .SDA "abstract" file, which is apparently just a text file describing the software in the SDN file.
+An SDN file might be accompanied by, or might contain, an '''.SDA''' "abstract" file. This is apparently just a text file describing the software in the SDN file.
 == Discussion ==
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 More research is needed, but it seems possible that the plan to switch to SDNV format was abandoned.
-In 1993, it was announced<ref>[http://www.textfiles.com/fidonet-on-the-internet/939495/fido1004.txt fido1004.txt] - "SDN Changing Compression and Security"</ref> that SDN files would switch to a format based on [[ARJ]].
+=== ARJ-based format ===
-ARJ v2.41 (early 1993) introduced "SDN support". We've seen some ARJ files that use the SDN "security envelope" feature, but they have a .ARJ file extension, not .SDN. It's unclear if the .SDN file extension was ever routinely used for the SDN-ARJ format, though the ARJ documentation suggests that it was.
+In 1993, it was announced<ref>[http://www.textfiles.com/fidonet-on-the-internet/939495/fido1004.txt fido1004.txt] - "SDN Changing Compression and Security"</ref> that SDN files would switch to a format based on [[ARJ]], and [[FSecure (PaceSoft)|FSecure]] by PaceSoft.
 == Software ==
@@ Line 43: / Line 47: @@
 ARJ format:
-* See [[ARJ#Software]].
+* {{CdTextfiles|megmonster/LAN/FILETST1.ZIP|FileTest v1.00}} (Validator, DOS binary)
 == Sample files ==
@@ Line 51: / Line 56: @@
 * [https://archive.org/details/SDN1__793 SDN1 Plus] (CD-ROM)
-ARJ format:
+(Wanted: ARJ-SDN samples.)
-* {{CdTextfilesURL|goldmedal/}} → .../*.ARJ
 == References ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:33, 25 September 2020
Line 58:		Line 58:

	[[Category:Security]]		[[Category:Security]]
		+	[[Category:Encryption]]

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Discussion ==
 There are at least two or three different SDN formats.
 The documentation for the ''SDNV'' utility says:
@@ Line 25: / Line 31: @@
 must use a the  SDNV utility SDNV.EXE. [...]
 </pre>
 More research is needed, but it seems possible that the plan to switch to SDNV format was abandoned.