# Specrem Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

## by Antti Kirjavainen

Well, after answering so many e-mails and questions, I know many common questions that users tend to ask. I hope this file helps.

### General

Q: Why I cannot get a screenshot? It says "Unable to retrieve the screenshot"!
A: The components required for screenshot capturing might not be correctly registered. Run SINSTALL.EXE, select "Install needed files" and press "OK". You should do this on every computer running Specrem Server or Client.
Q: Why doesn't the server start, but doesn't give any error messages neither?
A: Usually, the cause for this is that it is already running. It may be running invisible in the background, if you don't see its icon in the system tray. Try connecting "localhost" with the Client and if you can connect, select Shutdown --> Close server. If you cannot connect, run SINSTALL.EXE, select "Uninstall server" and press "OK". After rebooting the system it should not be running anymore.
Q: How to optimize the "Full control" and "Screen spy" speed?
A: First of all, if you remote control a computer often with any remote tool, you should always disable any background pictures. A background picture (even a small one) with more than 256 colors can make the screen capturing even 15 times slower! Also, a smaller resolution and less colors may speed up a bit, but the background picture makes the biggest difference. In a 100Mbps network the Specrem's Full control is able to refresh the full screen about 1-5 times in a second.
Q: What files does the SINSTALL.EXE install, when "Install needed files" is selected?
A: It will install and register all the OCX- and DLL-files supplied with Specrem. Most of these files are very commonly used by many, many other programs, and it is good to have them in the system anyway. This function will not install any EXE-files, such as SSERVER.EXE.
Q: When I install the visible or invisible server with SINSTALL.EXE, what does it do to the system?
A: It won't copy any files to anywhere. It just writes the registry key to start the server from its folder to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or HKEY_CURRENT_USER & Software\Microsoft\CurrentVersion\Run or RunServices depending on, what Windows you are using. Do NOT install the server on a system, unless you are the owner of the computer, or the computer owner/administrator allows you to do that. You can remove this registry key by running SINSTALL.EXE and selecting "Uninstall server". The installer's source codes are supplied with the Specrem sources (available from my homepage), if you want to examine them better.
Q: Why does the server log everything to a file and I can't disable the logging?
A: The log file might not be useful, until you start to investigate misuses. If someone has accessed your computer with Specrem without you even knowing about it, you can read the log file and see everything the intruder has done. Fortunately, I haven't heard about many misuses with Specrem, but there are always bad users. The program was created with good intentions, not to be a backdoor. The logging cannot be disabled, and no such option will ever be added to the program. Accessing other people's computers is totally illegal and if such case is being investigated by the authorities, the log file becomes quite interesting. Just remember that, if you plan to use this program for malicious usages.
Q: How about the "Spy functions"? Is spying illegal?
A: If you are a parent and want to see what you're child is doing with a computer, then these functions are for you. Otherwise, spying other people without their permission is illegal and don't even think about it.
Q: I have a network and want to control several computers at the same time!
A: Specrem Broadcaster (SBC) was designed just for you. It is supplied with the program, and you can read the SBC.TXT in order to learn, how to use it.
Q: Is Specrem used by any corporates?
A: Yes, it is used by many companies, and some of the networks are very large (more than 100 computers). Some companies have even replaced commercial products with Specrem. Based on the e-mails I receive, a typical Specrem user want's to access his/her computer at home from work. Another common users are parents, who want to spy what their child is doing with the computer in a home network.

### Security

Q: What are users, administrators and guests allowed to do?
A: Administrators have full and unlimited access to do anything. Users and guests can only use the following options:
- Chat
- Send message
- Host version
- Host users, remote kicking not allowed
- Host options, view only, changing not allowed
- Host stats
- If "File server" is enabled, guests can browse files and users can also find, download & upload files (+ view file properties). Note that replacing files by uploading is not allowed. If the file already exists, server will cancel the upload. If you have set a root folder, users can only see, find, download and upload files to/from that directory.
Q: But can't the users and guests download Specrem's password files when in file server-mode?
A: Nope. Only administrators are allowed to download files named SSPWD.DAT or SCPWD.DAT. And in case that a user would be able to get a password file some other way, the password is encrypted.
Q: How secure is Specrem's encryption?
A: Specrem encrypts the password files with a very strong CryptoAPI encryption standard.
Q: How is the password transferred between the client and server programs?
A: If you use encrypted connection, the password (as well as everything else) is sent encrypted with the CryptoAPI standard, otherwise, as a plain text. A new encryption key is randomly created every time a new client connects.
Q: When should I use the encrypted connection?
A: Whenever you think that someone could be able to listen the connection. Controlling your computer through the internet? YES, you should ALWAYS enable the encrypted connection. Controlling computers in a closed network? Not necessary. Controlling computers in a public network with many other users? Yes, it should be enabled, as someone might be able to sniff the connection. Unless the client or the server computer is very slow, it will do no harm to enable the more secure mode. However, if you wish to control several computers at the same time with SBC (Specrem Broadcaster), you cannot enable the encrypted connection mode.
Q: What if the client program is hacked?
A: There is no hacking in the client program. Server program is the one that performs all the requested commands. Client program only sends commands to the server program, and server then decides to either follow or ignore the command depending on the user access level.
Q: What if someone is able to break the encryption?
A: If this happens, I will immediately create a new encyption method and release a new version. However, though someone would have ability to read the password from the password files, what would he/she gain of it? It doesn't give access to any computer running Specrem server. Why? Because the hacker would have to get the password file first to connect to any computer as an administrator. How could he/she get it? Specrem server won't let users and guests to download password files, so the hacker would have to have an other way to access the computer.
Q: The encrypted connection is slower!
A: The encrypted connection is a little slower unless both, the server and the client computer have at least 600 Mhz processor. Encrypting all the commands requires a bit more horsepower.
Q: Are administrators kicked, if they flood?
A: No. Administrators are never kicked, no matter how much they flood when the flood protection is enabled.
Q: What does "Keep flood bans" do?
A: Flood bans will be normally removed after one minute, but this option will make them stay forever unless they're manually removed.
Q: Does Specrem Server contain any "backdoors"?
A: No. Specrem does not contain any master key password and it does not use any other ports than the main port (default 1187) and the file transfer port (default 4339). You can always check it with a firewall program or just by reading the source code.

### Contact me

If this FAQ didn't solve your problem, explain something, or you just wish to comment the program, I'll be glad to receive your e-mail.
E-Mail: akirjavainen@mail.htk.fi
Homepage: http://www.htk.fi/public/akirjavainen
Mirror site: http://specrem.3utilities.com