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Working on v0.9

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KAMIKADzE
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Working on v0.9

Postby KAMIKADzE » Mon 2021.02.22, 13:56

Currently planned:
  • Accounts
Also might add (some might be released with v0.8*):
  • Launcher Network
  • Password Manager (though it shouldn't be used as such, at least not for your banking and stuff, but more on that later)
  • Some parts of Drivers manager
  • Extra hardware monitors (also thinking on the merge of Log and Net Monitor to reduce CPU strain for those who use both)
  • Files manager (probably not what you think that it will be)

As v0.8 is close to the release, I've decided to start this thread, even though that most likely there will be other development threads for v0.8*.
The main goal of this thread is to collect your thoughts and ideas on Launcher Accounts. I've mentioned them coming for quite some time, here and there, but let me explain it in a more generalized way and how that will impact you.
First of all - you won't need an Account for what you currently use Launcher for, with the only possible exception of AOTP, and that was mentioned from the very beginning. I might allow AOTP for Anonymous accounts, if there will be a huge demand for it, but I don't expect to see a demand, as Account will ensure that your generated AOTPs are safer and less likely to be stolen by malicious programs, so I have no idea why would you not want to use Account for AOTP.
Accounts will not be web-based, no servers, all your Account data will remain only on your end. This also means that I will not be held responsible if you'll not keep it safe.
So what are those Accounts? The easiest way to explain will be this picture:

Layer 0. It is an open layer, basically a folder with all accounts on your system. Each account is a separate file named as "Acc Name", for you to differentiate them.
Layer 1. To access layer 1 you'll need to provide Launcher the name and password of your account. Actually there will be different encryption options provided, so there might be multiple passwords, or a password and a number or just password and the name will be purely for display. What is certain is that layer 1 will be encrypted as a set of files, which will be accessible at need, thus reducing the amount of required RAM and increasing the security of layer 2. At the same time layer 1 will not be as secure as layer 2, due to this encryption scheme (it's a bit complicated for explanation, so I won't go into the technical details as to why).
This layer will also have in-memory encryption of AOTPs, so they will be exposed in RAM only during the actual calculations of AOTPs.
Acc Picture is purely for displaying (avatar; planned to go in the upper-right corner of Launcher main window, right under the language selection; also will be used to access "Account Menu"). Possibly will be used in Launcher Network Messenger after the handshake.
Layer 2. Secure layer, that consists of multiple files, which you'll be able to load and offload at need, while the layer 1 is opened. To access it you'll need to provide "2nd password", actually there will be different encryption options provided as well, so there might be multiple passwords, etc. Encryption method will be different to layer 1, as it will be encrypted on per-file basis, thus you'll be able to set different passwords for each, if you'll want ofc. Basically all of the most sensitive data will go here.
I might add layer 3 for Invo, if I'll end up splitting signing and transfers, but as of now I don't plan to.
Hopefully it doesn't sound too complicated. I'll stop here for now, in order to not overload you with the info, but the main idea is out here. If you have some questions/suggestions - feel free to ask/leave them here.



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Re: Working on v0.9

Postby KAMIKADzE » Fri 2021.03.19, 18:38

Today I want to post about the upcoming Launcher's functionality, that will use drivers to achieve the desired functionality. First of all - this functionality cannot be achieved by other means, due to how Windows OS works (technically it's possible, by heavily modifying Windows OS, but for one that will be way more difficult and error prone, and on top of that it would work only for that particular version of Windows, so not an option). This functionality includes, but is not limited to: Extra hardware monitors and Files manager, that I've already mentioned in this thread, and more.
These drivers will not be installed permanently on your system, and they will be optional, but required for said functionality.

Drivers development is the hardest and most annoying thing to work with on Windows platform *ONIONIMDEAD* for multiple reasons, but even after all of that hard work there is still one more annoyance left - signing your working driver. Windows will refuse to load drivers, that are not signed by specific type of certificate. While that might not sound too complicated, in comparison to the development of drivers, usually you'd have a corporate certificate usable for this purpose. There are few types of such certificates, ranging from expensive with limitations all the way up to extremely expensive, that will also require you to send the updated driver, each time, including source code, to Microsoft for lengthy verification and validation process, not even mentioning the requirements for the privilege to buy one. There are few workarounds. 1st one is to enable the loading of unsigned drivers, but that will require turning off certain features, will put your system at risk and, to top it off, will most likely trigger any descent ACs, which will refuse to load under such system, requiring you to switch back and forth, which does include a reboot, and...well basically not an option for the broad userbase. 2nd one is to use "known" certificate. This approach eliminates all of the mentioned issues, but since it is "known" many AVs and ACs will flag it as /whatever (I'll provide example later in this post), regardless of the actual file content, and will be triggered. 3rd approach involved single driver, signed by 2nd approach, that will elevate permissions of all other drivers (even unsigned) to their required level and load them. To avoid detection by AVs it basically needs to load and do its work during the system load, before the AV start, and even with configured exclusion in AV it will still permanently load those drivers (until system reboot), without the ability to unload them. Good ACs will also be triggered by unsigned drivers loaded in the system, even more so than with the 2nd approach. There are few more workarounds, but they're not very suitable for the required purpose. All of the mentioned approaches have their pros and cons, so I've settled on the 2nd one, for now.
To sign my drivers I'll be using a "known" Chinese certificate (timestamped by my certificate), which, according to the web scans, triggers few AVs: DrWeb flags it as "BackDoor Rootkit", Ikarus/Qihoo-360/Rising as "Trojan", Microsoft as "Potentially unwanted application", Zillya as Adware. I have tried several other currently "known" certificates, some of which are flagged by even lesser amount of AVs, but with a greater market share, so I've settled on this certificate. Works fine on my system.

So what exactly all of that has to do with you? First of all - be aware, that some of the future functionality will require those drivers, which are optional, but might potentially trigger your AV/ACs. Also, if you happen to have an "unknown" EV certificate, that preferably expired before 2014, and are willing to send it to me for a grand price of "free" =D then I'm always willing to accept one and will gladly use it instead, so that my drivers won't trigger anything on your system. Lastly, I'm looking for volunteers, willing to test detection and loading of such drivers. If there will be some volunteers willing to become a test subjects, then I'll make a small program, that will simply load/unload one driver, that won't do anything, and will be used to test how it loads in your Windows and if it triggers your AV/ACs; especially looking for a volunteer with the latest version of Windows 10. If there won't be any volunteers for such tests, then all of the aforementioned functionality will be developed based solely on my system (technically I could install gabillion of Windows versions with gabillion of AVs on VM and test it all in that way, but obviously that's not going to happen (I'm not claiming that it's not going to happen, as technically if someone will be willing to donate gabillion of $...(obviously that's not going to happen, but... =D ))).

P.S. Extra hardware monitors will be added mainly for myself (this will allow me to remove Rainmeter and HWinfo), and I don't plan to make it a competitor to already available solutions, like the mentioned HWinfo, as hardware is different, reports differently, so it requires quite a lot of work, to cover all of the available hardware on the market; at least not for now.
Also note that Drivers can technically cause BSODs, so if there won't be a whole lot of volunteers for testing, then they might potentially cause BSOD on your particular system.



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Re: Working on v0.9

Postby KAMIKADzE » Tue 2023.04.11, 18:10

Today I decided to post some info regarding the progress on v0.9, and not only.
Starting from Launcher v0.8b2 (an upcoming update) you might notice Anonymous Account Picture, just where it was planned to appear, and just as planned it will be also used as an access point to Account Menu (actually there will be 2 menus -> LMB: Login/Logout/Create; RMB: everything else), which will be disabled as of that update.
Just as planned "Passwords" will be an encryptions with different options, which will be selectable during the input (for now I'm working only with 1 option, but the concept is already there, and you might see a whopping 2 =D on v0.9 release; there is no limit to how many options I can add, there is a limit to how many options I can add, if you get what I mean *JOKINGLY* ). Also during the "Password" input you'll be able to select compression method (no-compression option is also there), which can both reduce the size of file and increase its security. Apart of your actual Password you will also need to remember both options, as these data, deliberately, will not be stored in your account file (with few options it won't be a problem, since it will be easy to just try 'em all, but with the addition of new methods...).
Now onto the changes. I have redesigned Layers a little bit, the main concept is still the same, but you will be able to add new layers to layer, so that you'll be able to make it up to lvl 100... or make it complex like a nested graph. Everything else will be also addable to any of those layers. As of now the highest layer Acc Picture will be used, so you can make them in a way that will tell you which layer you're on, without the need to click on the menu. Some of the types will have a minimum layer requirement (as of now the requirements are the same as they were in the first post), but I am considering to remove these requirements and just let you do what you please, not entirely sure about that yet, maybe I'll remake it in a form of recommendation or something.

I'm no longer looking for the volunteers to test drivers, they do work fine on my end, and it would be nice to test them on the other systems, but I don't have the time to continue working with it (let alone managing the volunteers). I will probably return to it at some point in the future.

And finally some info on what's coming in v0.8b2:
Some of you could have noticed that I'm posting new checksums with the size included in them - "Size" option in Checksum.
All BDO Auto-Patchers joined under the new Auto-Patcher section (you can think of it as a rebranding and minor UI change). JP2 Auto-Patcher was slightly reworked and will now be available to all servers, except mobile. JP2 Auto-Patcher will now be strict only to the naming of meta (e.g.: if you'll throw "palanguagedata_jp.loc" in your Adv folder - it won't complain and will copypasta that to ads folder), technically I could keep the strict naming for JP, but I decided that it's not that necessary (patch author should know how to name files correctly) and it's more future-proof in such state (e.g.: EU/NA has 4 loc files, if they'll add 5th, 6th, etc. - there will be no need to update; although unlikely, JP might also add another language in the future). Restoration of loc files will now also be based on Adv folder (excluding meta), so for example if you have many loc files in backup, but only 1 in Adv folder, then only that one will be restored (it was also the only one patched). Now your question will be - "does it work with non-JP servers?" - I have no idea, probably yes, but I haven't tested it.



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Re: Working on v0.9

Postby zhre » Mon 2023.07.10, 18:03

Any news? Do you plan to release it all at once or will you update it bit by bit?

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KAMIKADzE
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Re: Working on v0.9

Postby KAMIKADzE » Mon 2023.07.10, 18:20

zhre » Mon 2023.07.10, 18:03 wrote:Any news? Do you plan to release it all at once or will you update it bit by bit?

Not really, completed a lot of background stuff a while back, concept is almost complete, as for the direct implementation - there are many things left to do.
Totally understand that from the outside perspective it might look like a lot of time has passed and that I should've released it already, but in reality I don't work on Launcher most of the time, and even when I do it's not always about the same thing, at the moment I'm working on v0.8c, which I thought I'd release somewhere around this time, but PA decided to bombard us with updates and events, so all I do these days (with my free time) is translation and playing BDO (not every day we have +1000% Combat EXP) =D Launcher will have to wait, even though that I do want to have the v0.8c asap myself, but the events are eating my time =D

As for the 2nd question - IDK yet, it all depends on my time.




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