“I’ve finally learned what ‘upward compatible’ means. It means we get to keep all our old mistakes.” -Dennie van Tassel
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tech Quote of the Day
Monday, March 28, 2011
Tech Quote of the Day
“Most software today is very much like an Egyptian pyramid with millions of bricks piled on top of each other, with no structural integrity, but just done by brute force and thousands of slaves.” -Alan Kay
Beer Jokes for Geeks
Beers For Geeks
DOS Beer:
Requires you to use your own can opener, and requires you to read the directions carefully before opening the can. Originally only came in an 8-oz can, but now comes in a 16-oz can. However, the can is divided into 8 compartments of 2-oz each, which have to be accessed separately. Soon to be discontinued, although a lot of people are going to keep drinking it after it's no longer available.
MAC Beer:
At first, came only in a 16-oz can, but now comes in a 32-oz can. Considered by many to be a "light" beer. All the cans look identical. When you take one from the fridge, it opens itself. The ingredients list is not on the can. If you call to ask about the ingredients, you are told that "you don't need to know." A notice on the side reminds you to drag your empties to the waste bin.
Windows 95 Beer:
The world's most popular beer. Comes in a 16-oz can that looks a lot like Mac Beer's. Requires that you already own a DOS Beer. Claims that it allows you to drink several DOS Beers simultaneously, but in reality you can only drink a few of them, very slowly, especially slowly if you are drinking the Windows Beer at the same time. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, a can of Windows Beer will explode when you open it.
Windows 98 Beer:
See Windows 95 beer above. About the same but Windows 98 beer creates less gas and makes you crash less.
Windows 2000 Beer:
A new beer on the market. A lot of people have taste tested it and claim it's wonderful. The can looks like Mac and OS/2 Beer's can, but tastes like Windows 95/98 Beer. It comes in 32-oz cans, but when you look inside, the cans only have 16-oz of beer in them. Most people will probably keep drinking Windows 95/98 Beer until their friends try Windows 2000 Beer and say they like it. The ingredients list, when you look at the small print, has some of the same ingredients that come in DOS and Mac Beer, even though the manufacturer claims that this is an entirely new brew.
Windows NT Beer:
Comes in 32-oz cans, but you can only buy it by the truckload. This causes most people to go out and buy bigger refrigerators. The can looks just like Windows 95 Beer's, but the company promises to change the can to look like Windows 2000 Beer's, after Windows 2000 Beer starts shipping well. Touted as an "industrial strength" beer, and suggested only for use in bars.
Unix Beer:
Comes in several different brands, in cans ranging from 8-oz to 64-oz. Drinkers on Unix Beer display fierce brand loyalty, even though they claim that all the different brands taste almost identical. Sometimes the pop-tops break off when you try to open them, so you have to have your own can opener around for these occasions, in which case you either need a complete set of instructions, or a friend who has been drinking Unix Beer for several years...
AmigaOS Beer:
The company has gone out of business, but their recipe has been picked up by some weird German company, so now this beer will be an import. This beer never really sold very well, because the original manufacturer didn't understand marketing. Like Unix Beer, AmigaDOS Beer fans are an extremely loyal and loud group. it originally came in a 16-oz can, but now comes in 32-oz cans too. When this can was originally introduced, it appeared flashy and colorful, but the design hasn't changed much over the years, so it appears dated now. Critics of this beer claim that it is only meant for watching TV anyway.
DOS Beer:
Requires you to use your own can opener, and requires you to read the directions carefully before opening the can. Originally only came in an 8-oz can, but now comes in a 16-oz can. However, the can is divided into 8 compartments of 2-oz each, which have to be accessed separately. Soon to be discontinued, although a lot of people are going to keep drinking it after it's no longer available.
MAC Beer:
At first, came only in a 16-oz can, but now comes in a 32-oz can. Considered by many to be a "light" beer. All the cans look identical. When you take one from the fridge, it opens itself. The ingredients list is not on the can. If you call to ask about the ingredients, you are told that "you don't need to know." A notice on the side reminds you to drag your empties to the waste bin.
Windows 95 Beer:
The world's most popular beer. Comes in a 16-oz can that looks a lot like Mac Beer's. Requires that you already own a DOS Beer. Claims that it allows you to drink several DOS Beers simultaneously, but in reality you can only drink a few of them, very slowly, especially slowly if you are drinking the Windows Beer at the same time. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, a can of Windows Beer will explode when you open it.
Windows 98 Beer:
See Windows 95 beer above. About the same but Windows 98 beer creates less gas and makes you crash less.
Windows 2000 Beer:
A new beer on the market. A lot of people have taste tested it and claim it's wonderful. The can looks like Mac and OS/2 Beer's can, but tastes like Windows 95/98 Beer. It comes in 32-oz cans, but when you look inside, the cans only have 16-oz of beer in them. Most people will probably keep drinking Windows 95/98 Beer until their friends try Windows 2000 Beer and say they like it. The ingredients list, when you look at the small print, has some of the same ingredients that come in DOS and Mac Beer, even though the manufacturer claims that this is an entirely new brew.
Windows NT Beer:
Comes in 32-oz cans, but you can only buy it by the truckload. This causes most people to go out and buy bigger refrigerators. The can looks just like Windows 95 Beer's, but the company promises to change the can to look like Windows 2000 Beer's, after Windows 2000 Beer starts shipping well. Touted as an "industrial strength" beer, and suggested only for use in bars.
Unix Beer:
Comes in several different brands, in cans ranging from 8-oz to 64-oz. Drinkers on Unix Beer display fierce brand loyalty, even though they claim that all the different brands taste almost identical. Sometimes the pop-tops break off when you try to open them, so you have to have your own can opener around for these occasions, in which case you either need a complete set of instructions, or a friend who has been drinking Unix Beer for several years...
AmigaOS Beer:
The company has gone out of business, but their recipe has been picked up by some weird German company, so now this beer will be an import. This beer never really sold very well, because the original manufacturer didn't understand marketing. Like Unix Beer, AmigaDOS Beer fans are an extremely loyal and loud group. it originally came in a 16-oz can, but now comes in 32-oz cans too. When this can was originally introduced, it appeared flashy and colorful, but the design hasn't changed much over the years, so it appears dated now. Critics of this beer claim that it is only meant for watching TV anyway.
Friday, March 25, 2011
When Disaster Strikes
If you follow this blog regularly you may have noticed that I haven't posted in several days. The reason is because I had to deal with a major disaster; my main computer's hard drive crashed. To truly understand the magnitude of this disaster let me explain to you the importance of this computer. As stated, this is my main system where I do most of my work, keep track of financial data, house digital pictures of family and friends, have information for books I plan on writing as well as all of my work I've done over the years from my associates and bachelor's programs. We're talking a lot of data some of which had no hard copies. The more recent data housed in this system was for my current MBA program.
So I found myself in a bit of a pickle when this system crashed and the MBR was corrupted so bad that the XP recovery console couldn't fix it. I did begin backing up my data months prior to this unfortunate situation, but as with all backups if you're not backing up every second then there is a gap between the data you backed up and the new data you're creating until the next backup.
Sunday March 20th
I had the bright idea to free up space on my drive so I uninstalled games that I had installed onto the C drive and installed them this time onto another drive in my system. I tested each game and then it was back to business as usual. I played a game for a few hours then did a little work in an online class of mine. The system was working fine.
Monday March 21st
I was doing some work (probably planning a story for this blog) then knocked my magic jack (yeah, yeah I know) out of the USB port then put it back in and it started acting all weird so I killed the process then tried to start the application back up. It wouldn't start up so I left it alone. I rebooted the system threw on some music and played a couple of rounds in a game. As the bass was thundering from my music, the game crashes. I figured needed to take care of some business anyhow. I locked my system, ran some errands and took care of some other business. Ironically I fixed someone's PC that had crashed then I went home. Jumped back on the computer and noticed it was off. So I powered it back on. The OS came up I logged in and checked out some system logs that gave general failure information then...POOF! System shut off! Powered it back on, logged in started up a program then POOF! System shutoff again....and when I say shutoff I mean abruptly no power what's so ever. So immediately I'm thinking maybe a conflict caused by one of the games I installed (one of them has some type of anti-piracy protection software that must be run) so I was gonna uninstall it to see if it was the culprit, but to my surprise (and later on dismay) I got the wonderful BSOD! ...and it came with a wonderful message that stated, "Umountable_Boot_Volume." Oh joy!
When I tried to start my system it would go to the BSOD with that same message. After a bit of research I found simple solutions for the problem; all paths led to the great XP Recovery Console where the problem is resolved with a few commands: chkdsk /r, fixmbr, and fixboot. Simple right? WRONG! The problem was that my system would never make it to the recovery console; it would continuously reach a certain point and then shutoff. After several failed attempts I was right at the recovery console's door then instead of shutting down the system would just hang at the 'examining startup environment' screen. I worked on it throughout the night; I figured I'd get some rest and tackle the problem the next day so I could get a very important paper done for my class which was due in only 3 days.
Tuesday March 22nd
After I got home from work it was straight to my problematic PC! I had a paper to get done and this system was holding me up. After many failed attempts to use the recovery console, I broke out my NTFS4DOS boot CD and one of the first things I noticed was that the system wouldn't shutoff while I was using the tool. I was pleasantly relieved to see all of my data intact on the bad drive. So what I tried to do was run fixmbr, but doh! Wait that command isn't included in the NTFS4DOS boot disk, luckily chkdsk was. I was able to run chkdsk successfully from the NTFSDOS disk but it didn't help the drive. Next I ran chkdsk /r and it found and fixed problems on the drive. When I rebooted my system I found that it didn't resolve the issue and the system still couldn't load the operating system. I used NTFS4DOS again this time with the intention of copying my data from the faulty drive over to a backup drive, but the files couldn't be copied.
I figured I would break out my big guns now and I got my various distros of Linux LiveCDs and noticed that when I ran them they wouldn't see my faulty drive. Then put in Orphcrack which gave me a glimpse of hope because not only did it see my drive it told me some other things (you don't need to know about those things). So I while in Orphcrack I used the terminal to see if I could transfer my data from the bad drive to a backup drive. I got the same results as I did with NTFS4DOS, couldn't copy the files. As the hours roll past and I'm going around in circles, it begins to dawn on me all that I stand to lose if I can't extract my data from the drive. At this point I've done so much research into the problem that I'm realizing getting the drive to work may not be a realistic option.
Wednesday March 23rd
More research, more failed attempts at fixing the MBR and at extracting my data. Then suddenly while investigating exactly how the MBR works, I had an idea...why not copy the partition to a new drive, then format and install windows on the bad drive which would replace the MBR; and then I could put that copied partition back on the drive. I ran the idea by some other professionals one of which suggested I do a dd (bit by bit) copy of the drive onto another drive, leaving out the first 512MB where the MBR resides. So knowing there was a lot at stake, I downloaded a LiveCD of Gparted and fired it up. It loaded (and the system didn't shutoff at all) then unlike the other Linux distros immediately recognized my drive. So I used an option to check the partition and fix it if possible. Then I tried to copy that partition over to an external drive, but it failed due to errors on the bad drive. On the same LiveCD were a couple of other tools, one of which I used was Testdrive. Testdrive offered to write a new MBR and I did it with the hopes that that would give the drive what it needed to load the operating system. I then after rebooting the system tried to get the recovery console to work which it did. So the first thing I did was run the fixmbr command to which the system replied, "the old master boot record can not be read". Oh no what have I done!?!?!!? Thinking that I may have messed up something, I popped in NTFS4DOS and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw my files on the drive.
Time goes by and before long I'm working well into the wee hours of the morning and between while waiting for the system to boot, I'm really thinking about everything I could lose in greater detail, and there's no question that I have to get all of my data off of that drive. I figured I'd take a break from the drive issue and start working on my paper for my class, but wait...for this particular paper I have to login to a website with a code that was emailed to me. Guess where that code was? You guessed it, on that bad drive in a local folder I made for all emails I get from school. Without that code I can't take the assessment needed for the paper, and without that paper I'd be looking at an 'F'.
Now I'm really feeling the pain as I'm realizing that I will get a guaranteed F in my class unless I can either get the drive working or get my data off the drive. So I did what any IT professional would do....let a few tears swell up in my eyes, and then appealed to my higher power. That's right I prayed; big time! I had stuff I couldn't replace like family pictures I hadn't backedup yet. All of my codes and passwords needed for school, whitepages, ebooks, original game and movie concepts and scripts, important archived emails and addresses, etc. The bottom-line was I just couldn't afford to lose that information. So I prayed and prayed and prayed. Then while I was contemplating my next move, I started looking at local data recovery shops. Needless to say the prices were in an area I didn't really want to venture, but it was looking like I was going to have to. So I started reading one data recovery company's website and as they were listing the symptoms of hard drive failure I came across a section of dos and don'ts and wouldn't you know it, I had been doing all the don'ts. Things like when you experience hard drive failure don't run chkdsk, don't continue to work on the drive, etc. Those things are said to be further stressing the drive. That was just great. But one thing I noticed is that each time the BIOS came up S.M.A.R.T gave the drive an ok status so the drive couldn't possibly be bad right?
Wrong I downloaded the drive manufacturer's diagnostic boot CD. When I ran the tool I got a 0108 error/status code which according to the manufacturer's website is the drive seek time is not within the proper time limit and the drive should be replaced if the error is repeated. Well the error repeated so guess what bad drive. NOT what I wanted to hear although I pretty much knew it.
Working on the drive around the clock, I mean not a wink of sleep I finally prayed and prayed some more for a modern day miracle and would you believe my prayers were answered?
I had been working between two PCs, the PC that the drive originally came from and an identical PC. When I started getting the most problems from my system I transferred the drive over to the identical system. On that system there weren’t as many shutoffs, and only on that system is where I was able to actually get into the recovery console. That system also has the same version of XP, after I used the Gparted liveCD again and attempted to fix the mbr, and other things I rebooted with the intention of going to the recovery console hoping it would come up and stay up long enough for me to run the fixmbr command. At this particular time I had just reconnected the system’s working drive as the master and the bad drive as a slave to see if I would be able to transfer files between the two in Linux and which had failed before but this time using BackTrack 3 I was able to see my files on the bad drive. I couldn’t move files so I rebooted I forgot to go into the BIOS and tell it to boot from a CD so the system went into Windows (from the good drive) and I figured what the heck I’ll just see if I can access it one last time.
To my surprise I was not only able to see it but I could see my files and copy them to the good disk. Fortunately I learned many years ago to put all of your data in one area and not save bits here and there. So I was able to copy some files but when I tried to access where I stored all of my data I couldn’t access it. This was a critical moment for me, because in a minute I was going to find out if whatever I did in Testdisk rendered all my important data irretrievable or not. Once again I put the NTFS4DOS tool to work holding my breath as it loads and when I navigated to the folder in question, I attempted to list the contents of that directory and I got an access denied response. I fired off a quick prayer then tried again, and this time I was able to see the contents of the directory but I wasn’t able to copy them with NTFS4DOS. I booted to Windows again tried to access that folder and this time I was able to access and copy over all of my critical files.
Thursday March 24th
As the needed files were being transferred to the good drives I thanked God and began to start a temporary migration of some of the files to my laptop. I fired up my laptop and started the process of importing my personal mail folders which housed the codes I needed for school. Needless to say I got it all back and was able to finish and submit my paper for class. Completely exhausted from extremely late nights and staying up around the clock I was able to save my data, myself from failing my class, and I saved myself hundreds to thousands of dollars from not having to use a data recovery service to recovery my data.
Throughout this whole ordeal I learned some very important lessons one of which is to always pray; there is no problem too small to ask God for help with. Just know that your idea of how the problem should be fixed isn't necessarily in harmony with how God will fix it. If I had my way then in the blink of an eye the problem would have been as if nothing had ever happened, but with the way it played out, my faith was tested and strengthened, and along the way I acquired new skills, new tools, and some experience with an area that's not really my specialty under my belt. I was also left wondering what caused the initial problem? Was it just time for the hard drive to kick the bucket? or could the bass from my subwoofer be the cause? I have no idea.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wuala for iPhone and iPod touch
We are excited to have released Wuala for iPhone and iPod touch!
Full encryption. All files are encrypted and decrypted directly on your phone. Your password never leaves your device, so that no one, not even we as the provider, can access your files. This cleary differentiates us from other apps and online storage services.
View and browse your files on the go. Get up to date on the latest presentation, flip through your photos or listen to music - Wuala for iPhone is convenient and entertaining.
Share your life with just one tap. Send an email to your friends and colleagues by attaching a picture or a link to your documents.
Save files for offline access. Save specific files for times when there is no Internet.
Get the app now - free download in the App Store.
View and browse your files on the go. Get up to date on the latest presentation, flip through your photos or listen to music - Wuala for iPhone is convenient and entertaining.
Share your life with just one tap. Send an email to your friends and colleagues by attaching a picture or a link to your documents.
Save files for offline access. Save specific files for times when there is no Internet.
Get the app now - free download in the App Store.
New Challenges Affecting Your Data Center (webinar)
Join Us To Secure Your Chance To Win An Apple iPad 2
Join us for the InformationWeek & Network Computing virtual event, Data Center Transformation. Our editors will join with internationally recognized analysts and experts to explore and discuss the technologies and operational practices required to further abstract—and optimize—data center resources.
Date: March 24, 2011
Time: Virtual Doors Open at 10:00 am ET
Register Today
In this virtual event, you will learn:
- How server, storage, and networking virtualization are changing data center designs and management
- How you can prepare for these changes
- Successful strategies to improve the delivery of applications and services to your organization
Register today even if you can’t attend on March 24th, because you’ll automatically have access to the on-demand version of the virtual event, and all of the content.
Register HERE
We hope to see you at the virtual event!
Sincerely,
UBM TechWeb Virtual Event Customer Service Team
virtualevents@techweb.com
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Tech Quote of the Day
“It’s ridiculous to live 100 years and only be able to remember 30 million bytes. You know, less than a compact disc. The human condition is really becoming more obsolete every minute.” -Marvin Minsky
Today's Tech Deals
Alienware: Overwhelm the enemy with the new Alienware Aurora
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MicroCenter: $69.99 2TB Hard Drive...$149.99 Samsung 23" LCD...$59.99 1TB USB Hard Drive...$299.99 Dell Laptop...$99.99 Desktop Refurb...$109.99 19" LED-Backlight LCD
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PCMall: For You: HP, Lenovo, Polycom, Fujitsu
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NewEgg: It's ON! March Deal Madness: $349.99 Toshiba 32" 1080p TV, $399.99 4GB RAM Notebook...
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zZounds: zZounds Music News 3/15/11
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TigerDirect: Top 10 Deals...(Bonus: New GTX 550 Ti Video Cards In-Stock)
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Monday, March 14, 2011
60 Seconds of Tech News
Hackers leak Bank of America Emails
The hacktivist group Anonymous has obtained sensitive emails from a former Balboa Insurance employee. The content of the emails are said to reveal "that the firm intentionally concealed some information regarding foreclosures when U.S. federal auditors took over mortgage loan companies IndyMac and Aurora Loan Services, and that some of the loan documentation handled by the company was actually forged to expedite foreclosures."
Phising Sites Detected by New Anti-phishing Tool
New software has been developed by a Hong Kong City University professor that pieces apart a website into sections that can be analyzed to determine if the website is fraudulent site or not. "So far, the beta version of the software is being distributed freely. Called Reasonable Anti-phishing, it also has an online version called SiteWatcher, where you can enter the suspect URL and check if it's fraudulent."
iPhone and BlackBerry Hacked at Pwn2Own
Dion Blazakis and Chris Miller took home a $15,000 prize at the Pwn2Own contest for hacking an iPhone 4 and stole the address book. Vincenzo Iozzo, Willem Pinckaers and Ralf Philipp Weinmann successfully hacked the Blackberry Torch 9800 and stole images, contact list info and were even able to write a file on the device. They also took home $15,000 prize money for the contest as well as the hacked device which is a custom of the contest.
"Japanese Tsunami RAW Tidal Wave Footage" Facebook Scam
A clickjacking/survey scam is going around on Facebook to take advantage of those interested in seeing the events that occurred in Japan. The scammers provide a video that is supposed to be raw video footage of the Japanese earthquake taken by CNN. When the video is clicked it 'likes' the video unbeknown to the victim spreading the scam to others and then they are asked to complete a survey in order to view the video which generates revenue for the scammers.
0-Day Vulnerability Found in Adobe Flash
Adobe has found a critical vulnerability in it's flash player version 10.10.2.152.33 as well as earlier versions. The vulnerability is said to potentially give an attacker control of the compromised system as well as possible cause a system to crash. Adobe is preparing a fix for the vulnerability and will launch an update upon its completion.
And That's 60 Seconds of Tech News!
The hacktivist group Anonymous has obtained sensitive emails from a former Balboa Insurance employee. The content of the emails are said to reveal "that the firm intentionally concealed some information regarding foreclosures when U.S. federal auditors took over mortgage loan companies IndyMac and Aurora Loan Services, and that some of the loan documentation handled by the company was actually forged to expedite foreclosures."
Phising Sites Detected by New Anti-phishing Tool
New software has been developed by a Hong Kong City University professor that pieces apart a website into sections that can be analyzed to determine if the website is fraudulent site or not. "So far, the beta version of the software is being distributed freely. Called Reasonable Anti-phishing, it also has an online version called SiteWatcher, where you can enter the suspect URL and check if it's fraudulent."
iPhone and BlackBerry Hacked at Pwn2Own
Dion Blazakis and Chris Miller took home a $15,000 prize at the Pwn2Own contest for hacking an iPhone 4 and stole the address book. Vincenzo Iozzo, Willem Pinckaers and Ralf Philipp Weinmann successfully hacked the Blackberry Torch 9800 and stole images, contact list info and were even able to write a file on the device. They also took home $15,000 prize money for the contest as well as the hacked device which is a custom of the contest.
"Japanese Tsunami RAW Tidal Wave Footage" Facebook Scam
A clickjacking/survey scam is going around on Facebook to take advantage of those interested in seeing the events that occurred in Japan. The scammers provide a video that is supposed to be raw video footage of the Japanese earthquake taken by CNN. When the video is clicked it 'likes' the video unbeknown to the victim spreading the scam to others and then they are asked to complete a survey in order to view the video which generates revenue for the scammers.
0-Day Vulnerability Found in Adobe Flash
Adobe has found a critical vulnerability in it's flash player version 10.10.2.152.33 as well as earlier versions. The vulnerability is said to potentially give an attacker control of the compromised system as well as possible cause a system to crash. Adobe is preparing a fix for the vulnerability and will launch an update upon its completion.
And That's 60 Seconds of Tech News!
Tech Quote of the Day
“The question of whether computers can think is like the question of whether submarines can swim.” -Edsger W. Dijkstra
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tech Quote of the Day
“I’ve noticed lately that the paranoid fear of computers becoming intelligent and taking over the world has almost entirely disappeared from the common culture. Near as I can tell, this coincides with the release of MS-DOS.”
(Larry DeLuca)
EH-Net Webcast: Deep Dive into Red Teaming with the Metasploit Framework
Join us for a Free Webcast on March 22
James "egyp7" Lee takes participants in a technical deep-dive through the new features of the free and open source Metasploit Framework version 3.6, focusing on techniques valuable to professional penetration testers in red teams and consulting firms. This will include post exploitation modules (a more powerful replacement for Meterpreter scripts) and using platform-agnostic payloads for increased pwnage. Before the Q&A, he will also cover some of the feature highlights in the commercial Metasploit editions Metasploit Pro and Metasploit Express. Webinar participants should be familiar with the concepts of Metasploit and penetration testing. James "egyp7" Lee has been contributing to the open source Metasploit Framework as a core developer and project manager since April 2008. Before joining Rapid7 to work on Metasploit in a full-time position, he discovered numerous vulnerabilities in SCADA and Industrial Control Systems at Idaho National Laboratory. James has presented at DEF CON, Black Hat USA, Black Hat DC, SANS Process Control & SCADA Security Summit, and other events.
Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
Even if you can't join us for the live event, please register for future details on how to get the video!
Help spread the word by tweeting:
Free Webcast: Deep Dive into Red Teaming with the Metasploit Framework by @egyp7 March 22 http://bit.ly/gXC0CL @rapid7 @metasploit #pentest 
Today's Tech Deals
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Upgrade to Windows 7 successfully with these tips and tricks! - *Save $10.00
| Two Days Only - *Save $10.00 Windows 7: Migration tips, performance, and features |
 | Windows XP Mode BitLocker To Go PowerShell Advanced Security Dual-boot configuration *Save $10.00  |
| What you can expect from Windows 7 to help you plan a successful upgrade! Why upgrade to Windows 7 rather than stay with Windows XP or Vista? The most important reason to upgrade is security. If you're still running XP, another important consideration is the fact that Microsoft ended mainstream support for XP. Any Windows operating system upgrade is a big step for an organization or user, and whether you're planning to move directly from Vista or make a bigger leap from XP to Windows 7, careful preparation is needed to make a successful transition. Here is some of what you will discover in TechRepublic's Windows 7: Migration tips, performance, and features: - Top 10 changes to security in Windows 7 - 10 things you should know about moving from Windows XP to Windows 7 - 10 questions to consider when planning a Windows 7 upgrade - Configure a USB flash drive to be a Windows 7 installation platform - Plan and execute a smooth Windows 7 upgrade with the help of this flowchart - 100 keyboard shortcuts for moving faster in Windows 7 - Use Bootsect to extract Vista or Windows 7 from a dual-boot configuration - And much more Not only should you begin planning for your operating system migration, but you should begin learning as much as you can about Windows 7. TechRepublic's guide, "Windows 7: Migration tips, performance, and features" is your essential resource for planning your upgrade! Read Full Description >> *Use Coupon Code: CPN61089506176 during checkout to receive your $10.00 discount. Don't Miss Out - Act Now! Offer is available for Today Only! |
Today's Tech Deals
PriceGrabber: Tablets and e-Readers as low as $79.63, Dell Vostro - $399.00, Dyson Vacuums - $175.99
website: http://tinyurl.com/49cdet3
Geeks: LG Blu-ray Player Blow-out at Geeks.com
website: http://tinyurl.com/4hpv3y3
NewEgg: Mardi Gras Savings Celebration! $79.99 CORSAIR 750W Power Supply, $69.99 2TB HDD...
website: http://tinyurl.com/4cz4j7k
TigerDirect: Spring Break Blowout: $19 Camcorder...$59 GPS...$119 Android Tablet...HP Core i3 4GB Laptop $499...$49 12MP Camera + 4GB SD...$29 Radar Detector...much more
website: http://tinyurl.com/66cnr82
TheNerds: Print your saving. Hewlett Packard printers on sale this week.
website: http://tinyurl.com/488cyg3
Dell: The new Inspiron laptops: life made simple
website: http://tinyurl.com/45fkqnn
Tech Quote of the Day
“Computers are getting smarter all the time. Scientists tell us that soon they will be able to talk to us. (And by ‘they’, I mean ‘computers’. I doubt scientists will ever be able to talk to us.)” -Dave Barry
Monday, March 7, 2011
Mind Controlled Keyboard
This is cool to say the least, but if this will be the future of computing is to be determined.
Today's Tech Deals
PCConnectionExpress: Xerox ColorQube 8570 N Color Printer - Only $599!
website: http://tinyurl.com/6xrclqo
Geeks: 320GB 1080p Digital Media Player at Geeks.com
website: http://tinyurl.com/4jrkq5f
Dell: March into savings - save big this weekend on electronics and accessories
website: http://tinyurl.com/6jhracp
TheNerds: Huge price drops on these products...Don’t wait until they are gone.
website: http://tinyurl.com/4cquf4p
NewEgg: Weekend Express Deals! $34.99 Corsair 600W Power Supply, $89.99 Polk Audio Speakers
website: http://tinyurl.com/4esvbn5
Tech Quote of the Day
"Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. -Steve Jobs
Friday, March 4, 2011
60 Seconds of Tech News
DHS Denies Expanding Body Scanner Use
The U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expanding the use of body scanners at bus and rail stations. Earlier this week the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) acquired documents from the DHS that dealt with the department's usage of body scanning technology, and reveal the department's testing the technology at special events, and public transportation systems (bus and train stations); however, the DHS has denied expansion of the technology into those systems.
Pwn2Own Kicks Off Next Week
Pwn2Own is a hacking competition where experts come together and put their skills to the test and hack devices, exploit software, and win cash prizes. The competition is held at the CanSecWest security conference which will be held on March 9-11th in Vancouver, British Columbia .
Safari Patched Before Pwn2Own
Rumors has it that Apple plans on patching Safari before Pwn2Own starts next week.
Big Brother (Beijing) Tracking People
China's government claims to alleviate the traffic conditions in Beijing by tracking people via their mobile phones. Customers in Beijing that use mobile service provider China Mobile will find their movements tracked via their mobile phone. The system will provide information about the user's location, and direction they are heading when powered on. According to Chinese officials, that data will be used for reasons pertaining to traffic.
NASA's $424 Million Dollar Satellite Crashes
NASA launched a rocket carrying a $424 million dollar climate satellite crashed into the southern Pacific Ocean early today. The nose cone of the rocket didn't separate in enough time and the rocket never made it into orbit.
DDoS Hits WordPress Hard
WordPress.com was disabled by a major Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack yesterday leaving many blogs unavailable.
And That's 60 Seconds of Tech News!
The U.S Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expanding the use of body scanners at bus and rail stations. Earlier this week the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) acquired documents from the DHS that dealt with the department's usage of body scanning technology, and reveal the department's testing the technology at special events, and public transportation systems (bus and train stations); however, the DHS has denied expansion of the technology into those systems.
Pwn2Own Kicks Off Next Week
Pwn2Own is a hacking competition where experts come together and put their skills to the test and hack devices, exploit software, and win cash prizes. The competition is held at the CanSecWest security conference which will be held on March 9-11th in Vancouver, British Columbia .
Safari Patched Before Pwn2Own
Rumors has it that Apple plans on patching Safari before Pwn2Own starts next week.
Big Brother (Beijing) Tracking People
China's government claims to alleviate the traffic conditions in Beijing by tracking people via their mobile phones. Customers in Beijing that use mobile service provider China Mobile will find their movements tracked via their mobile phone. The system will provide information about the user's location, and direction they are heading when powered on. According to Chinese officials, that data will be used for reasons pertaining to traffic.
NASA's $424 Million Dollar Satellite Crashes
NASA launched a rocket carrying a $424 million dollar climate satellite crashed into the southern Pacific Ocean early today. The nose cone of the rocket didn't separate in enough time and the rocket never made it into orbit.
DDoS Hits WordPress Hard
WordPress.com was disabled by a major Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack yesterday leaving many blogs unavailable.
And That's 60 Seconds of Tech News!
Today's Tech Deals
Frys: weekly specials!
website: http://tinyurl.com/4orfr43
Geeks: 7" Dual Widescreen DVD Player Deal at Geeks.com
website: http://tinyurl.com/4t6n4ku
TheNerds: Philips 22-Inch LED LCD HDTV Just $220.99...While Supplies Last!
website: http://tinyurl.com/6xz96gt
TigerDirect: 55" 120Hz TV $799...$279 Laptops & Over 50 Red Carpet Refurb and Clearance Deals
website: http://tinyurl.com/4jfwejd
NewEgg: Electronics Sale! $27.99 Motorola Bluetooth Car Kit, $399.99 Dell 4GB RAM Laptop
website: http://tinyurl.com/4vxkgnm
PCConnectionExpress: Top 5 Deals - 42" LED TV Only $499.99; Save $274 Off MacBook Pro - Plus More!
website: http://tinyurl.com/63xmdkk
GlobalComputer: Power PCs - Work Smarter, Not Harder.
website: http://tinyurl.com/4u8jhpd
Tech Quote of the Day
“If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get a million miles per gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside.”
(Robert X. Cringely)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Tech Quote of the Day
“That’s what’s cool about working with computers. They don’t argue, they remember everything, and they don’t drink all your beer.” -Paul Leary
Deep Dive into Red Teaming with the Metasploit Framework (webcast)
Get 15% Off FishNet Security Training with Code 'EHacker2011' - Advertisement
James "egyp7" Lee has been contributing to the open source Metasploit Framework as a core developer and project manager since April 2008. Before joining Rapid7 to work on Metasploit in a full-time position, he discovered numerous vulnerabilities in SCADA and Industrial Control Systems at Idaho National Laboratory. James has presented at DEF CON, Black Hat USA, Black Hat DC, SANS Process Control & SCADA Security Summit, and other events.
Read on... Tutorial: Hacking Linux with Armitage
By Raphael Mudge, Armitage Creator
Metasploit is a popular exploitation framework that has seen plenty of coverage on ethicalhacker.net. This article introduces Armitage, a new GUI for Metasploit built around the hacking process. Today, I will show you how to use Armitage to scan a Linux host, find the right exploit, exploit the host, and handle post-exploitation. By following this process, you will learn how to use Armitage and Metasploit in your own work.
The target we will use is the Metasploitable Linux virtual machine. Metasploitable contains several vulnerabilities making it a safe, and, dare I say ethical, training ground for future penetration testers.
Read the Armitage documentation to get Armitage running. Through the rest of this article, I will assume that you have Metasploitable running, Armitage is ready, and that you have downloaded this Python script that we will use later. Let's get to work.
Read on... Book Review: Ninja Hacking
Review by Ryan Linn, CISSP, MCSE, GPEN
Ninja Hacking is targeted at individuals who have an interest in the warriors of feudal Japan and want a serious philosophical exploration on how those warrior’s techniques map into modern cyber-warfare. For penetration testers who want to know how to be Ninjas, Ninja Hacking creates a framework for becoming a feudal Japanese warrior in cyberspace. Each chapter discusses a new piece of the puzzle, and, while you won’t achieve mastery from this book alone, the building blocks are laid that should allow an inspired reader to know what additional areas need to be researched.
Stay Tuned:
- Course Review: Path to the ISAM
- Interview with Jay Bavisi, President of EC-Council
- The 5 Secrets to Phishing Success by Mike Murray
- Book Review: Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking
- More Course & Book Reviews
SANS vLive! 617 Wireless Hacking with Josh Wright Starts April 19 - Advertisement
Enter discount code WISPY_EH will receive a FREE Wi-Spy DBx portable spectrum analyzer from Metageek
Join us for a Free Webinar on March 22
James "egyp7" Lee takes participants in a technical deep-dive through the new features of the free and open source Metasploit Framework version 3.6, focusing on techniques valuable to professional penetration testers in red teams and consulting firms. This will include post exploitation modules (a more powerful replacement for Meterpreter scripts) and using platform-agnostic payloads for increased pwnage. Before the Q&A, he will also cover some of the feature highlights in the commercial Metasploit editions Metasploit Pro and Metasploit Express. Webinar participants should be familiar with the concepts of Metasploit and penetration testing. James "egyp7" Lee has been contributing to the open source Metasploit Framework as a core developer and project manager since April 2008. Before joining Rapid7 to work on Metasploit in a full-time position, he discovered numerous vulnerabilities in SCADA and Industrial Control Systems at Idaho National Laboratory. James has presented at DEF CON, Black Hat USA, Black Hat DC, SANS Process Control & SCADA Security Summit, and other events.
Date: Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM CDT
By Raphael Mudge, Armitage Creator
Metasploit is a popular exploitation framework that has seen plenty of coverage on ethicalhacker.net. This article introduces Armitage, a new GUI for Metasploit built around the hacking process. Today, I will show you how to use Armitage to scan a Linux host, find the right exploit, exploit the host, and handle post-exploitation. By following this process, you will learn how to use Armitage and Metasploit in your own work.
The target we will use is the Metasploitable Linux virtual machine. Metasploitable contains several vulnerabilities making it a safe, and, dare I say ethical, training ground for future penetration testers.
Read the Armitage documentation to get Armitage running. Through the rest of this article, I will assume that you have Metasploitable running, Armitage is ready, and that you have downloaded this Python script that we will use later. Let's get to work.
Read on... Book Review: Ninja Hacking
Review by Ryan Linn, CISSP, MCSE, GPEN
| “Ninja Hacking,” the new book by Thomas Wilhelm and Jason Andress, is not a typical book about hacking and penetration testing. Experienced penetration testers who want to learn cutting-edge penetration techniques will find few references to little-known penetration tools or techniques presented in bland technical format. The book doesn’t rely on pun-filled humor, either. |  |
Free Download Below of Chapter 5: Disguise
Read on... Stay Tuned:
- Course Review: Path to the ISAM
- Interview with Jay Bavisi, President of EC-Council
- The 5 Secrets to Phishing Success by Mike Murray
- Book Review: Social Engineering: The Art of Human Hacking
- More Course & Book Reviews
Giveaway Corner
Free 5-Day Training Course Worth $3995!
February 2011 Free Giveaway Sponsor - FishNet Security Training Services
Not sure what to do next, where or how? Would like instructor-led live training, but can't afford travel? Maybe you can't travel but can afford live boot camps? Or you simply prefer online training? No worries. FishNet Security's Training Services offers the peace of mind in picking a training company that can handle all of your security training needs. They offer courses in a variety of platforms for multiple areas such as 7Safe's CSTA & CSTP, Check Point, Juniper, EC-Council, ISC2, et al. And 1 lucky EH-Net Member gets their choice of course and platform (excluding CISSP) worth almost $4000!
So hit the forums, write some articles, spread the news of EH-Net, and this month's prize can be yours. If you don't win this month, don't fret. Use Coupon Code EHacker2011 for 15% Off FishNet Security Training. So what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? You've got free training to win!
Not sure what to do next, where or how? Would like instructor-led live training, but can't afford travel? Maybe you can't travel but can afford live boot camps? Or you simply prefer online training? No worries. FishNet Security's Training Services offers the peace of mind in picking a training company that can handle all of your security training needs. They offer courses in a variety of platforms for multiple areas such as 7Safe's CSTA & CSTP, Check Point, Juniper, EC-Council, ISC2, et al. And 1 lucky EH-Net Member gets their choice of course and platform (excluding CISSP) worth almost $4000! So hit the forums, write some articles, spread the news of EH-Net, and this month's prize can be yours. If you don't win this month, don't fret. Use Coupon Code EHacker2011 for 15% Off FishNet Security Training. So what are you waiting for, an engraved invitation? You've got free training to win!
January Winners! January 2011 Free Giveaway Winners - eLearnSecurity
Penetration Testing Training Course - Student, will provide you with all the answers and the skills you need to move your first steps towards a career as a penetration tester. Designed and written by Armando Romeo in cooperation with a junior pentration tester, this course answers all the fears, doubts and hunger for knowledge of anyone at day 0 of their penetration testing career." So we have 2 announcements for all of you:
Penetration Testing Training Course - Student, will provide you with all the answers and the skills you need to move your first steps towards a career as a penetration tester. Designed and written by Armando Romeo in cooperation with a junior pentration tester, this course answers all the fears, doubts and hunger for knowledge of anyone at day 0 of their penetration testing career." So we have 2 announcements for all of you: 1. The 3 winning EH-Net Members are angel.wardriver, data_raid & timmedin.There's no better time like the new year to focus your attention on what you really want out of life. Is it pen testing? Find out if this career path is really for you with more info after the break and at the link above. And at this price, it's worth it! Congrats to the winners.
2. The 5% Discount Continues! This EXCLUSIVE Offer for EH-Netters has been extended indefinitely!! So when you're ready, SIGN UP HERE.
Upcoming Events
BSidesHalifax 2011 March 5
IANS Mid-Atlantic InfoSec Forum 2011 March 8 - 9
12th Annual CanSecWest March 9 - 11
BSidesGSO 2011 March 9
BSidesAustin 2011 March 11 - 12
Black Hat Europe 2011 March 15 - 18
Boston 2011 Secureworld Expo Mar 23 - 24
NETSECURE 2011 Mar 24 - 25
SANS 2011 March 26 - April 4
* Add your event to EH-Net's Global Calendar: events(at)ethicalhacker(.)net
IANS Mid-Atlantic InfoSec Forum 2011 March 8 - 9
12th Annual CanSecWest March 9 - 11
BSidesGSO 2011 March 9
BSidesAustin 2011 March 11 - 12
Black Hat Europe 2011 March 15 - 18
Boston 2011 Secureworld Expo Mar 23 - 24
NETSECURE 2011 Mar 24 - 25
SANS 2011 March 26 - April 4
* Add your event to EH-Net's Global Calendar: events(at)ethicalhacker(.)net
SANS vLive! 617 Wireless Hacking with Josh Wright Starts April 19 - Advertisement
Enter discount code WISPY_EH will receive a FREE Wi-Spy DBx portable spectrum analyzer from Metageek
Today's Tech Deals
Alienware: Winning never gets old. Dominate your competition with Alienware
website: http://tinyurl.com/45e9gs8
Microcenter: 6 Days Left to Save 20% on Select Computer Parts $19.99 500W Power Supply…$59.99 1TB Hard Drive $15.99 1GB DDR2 Memory…$199.99 Core i7-950 Processor
website: http://tinyurl.com/4noh4pj
PriceGrabber: Newest 4G Phones - $119.53, Samsung 46" LCD TV - $855.00, Whirlpool Washers - $322.99, and more
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Geeks: 1080p LCD HDTV Blow-out at Geeks.com
website: http://tinyurl.com/66d7ctb
TheNerds: Weekly Deal: HP Officejet 4500 G510N Inkjet All-in-One Printer $51.99 with Free Shipping
website: http://tinyurl.com/4fhuxuk
NewEgg: Early Spring Savings! $17.99 CORSAIR 16GB Flash Drive, $69.99 WD 1.5TB HDD...
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TigerDirect: Your Award Winning Deals: 240Hz 3D Samsung w/ $700 Coupon...8GB USB $9...HP Core i3 Laptop $449...5" GPS $89 & More
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