[aprssig] Someone's Server Mangling Packets

[Pete Loveall AE5PL Lists]

I noticed some packets yesterday such as:

FWDSVR>APRS,qAO,AE5PL-WX*::NWS_WARN :251100z,SVR_STORM,TXC331{PAJAAFWDSVR>APRS,qAO,AE5PL-WX:;FWDSVRAJA*251100z3034.20N\09713.80WT014/035 SVR_STORM }d0]PNPOQNSJSJSJRIRIRIQIQINJMMPN{PAJAA

Note the asterisk after AE5PL-WX which is an invalid modification of the path (never alter the "last digi'ed" indicator) and the concatenation of the object with the message.  Authors, please check your software and ensure you are not mangling packets like this.  Server sysops, monitor the output of your server to ensure you are not generating these mangled packets (monitor the input and output).  We have had an increase of software mangling packets like this as well as adding trailing white spaces.  Unfortunately, for the volume of packets handled by core servers, there is really no way to effectively prevent passage of these mangled packets without blocking some valid packets as well.  These are only examples.  I will be issuing an update to javAPRSSrvr that blocks any packets with an asterisk following the q construct as that is invalid at all times.  I would hope the software author of the offending software would correct their software as well since it is doing other mangling of packets.

73,

Pete Loveall AE5PL
www.ae5pl.net

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