February 21, 2005
Securing Windows: Guide to Desktop Security
This tutorial from Darius at OSNews shows that Windows can somewhat be secured, straight off installation. This requires some knowledge about slipstreaming your install CDs which might thwart newbies from working the magic, but definitely worth the read.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 16, 2005
Microsoft Antispyware for Free
Microsoft's Antispyware is now going to be offered for free, according to the man himself, Bill Gates, at the latest RSA Security conference.
We have spoken about Microsoft's latest acquisition of GIANT here and how it violated EULA here.
Word of advice: this requires a validation of your Windows so if you were bad and do not have a legit copy of Windows, do not attempt to download this software.
Via Slashdot
Posted by darkmoon at 05:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
FireFox now the most used Windows application
Scoble writes:
In just a few months your app has become one of the most used Windows applications in the world. My hat's off to you!
Battelle comments:
Note the use of "Windows application." Winning by moving the goalposts, is what I think that's called.
Posted by darkmoon at 05:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 15, 2005
Windows XP CLI Reference
Anyone that knows Unix knows that there is nothing more powerful than knowing the command line. Fortunately for point-clickers, Windows XP has a command line interface. Here are all of the commands for the interface. Useful? Definitely.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 12, 2005
FireFoxIE
If you're having troubles shifting over to FireFox, but you are sick of the popup ads and the other security holes of Internet Explorer, FireFox now has a new extension! FireFoxIE, an extension to FireFox that makes it look and feel like Internet Explorer without the problematic issues.
For most users using FireFox, there is not really a need for this extension. For converting current Internet Explorer users, please take some time to read ALL of the tutorial. There is quite a bit that needs to be done to make everything feel the same. Estimated time: 5-15 minutes.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 11, 2005
Microsoft security chief says Windows is more secure than Linux
Mike Nash claims that Microsoft Windows Server 2003 has only had to endure a total of fifteen patches last year, which was better than RedHat and SUSE. Obviously he misses the point. Microsoft usually takes their sweet time with patches. Linux usually has a twenty-four hour turn around on security exploits. So perhaps you only had fifteen patches, Mr. Nash, but how many holes are there left to be exploited in your product? Many more than I care to count.
Via Slashdot
Posted by darkmoon at 12:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 10, 2005
A Faster Better Windows XP + SP2
This site shows you how to make Windows XP run faster with SP2. Yes, you read that correctly. SP2. Please read the whole tutorial site. Word of advice, Service Pack 2 actually does slow down your computer. So performing these tweaks might just get your computer back to norm speeds.
Forever Geek < A Faster Better Behaved Windows XP
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 09, 2005
Need to access a corrupt CD/DVD image?
The best way to access a CD/DVD image is through Smart Projects' IsoBuster. This little tool will allow you to recover files from a trashed CD/DVD, or scanning the files in images. This is a Windows application, but works under Linux's Wine.
Freeware/Shareware.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 08, 2005
Microsoft issues 8 more patches, half of them effect SP2
Microsoft issues 8 more security patches today. Half of them are in regards to Service Pack 2. Patching a patch? Fun.
Via ForeverGeek
Posted by darkmoon at 11:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Longhorn beta scheduled for beginning of summer
Microsoft's Longhorn has been talked out that it is almost an urban legend. Definitely WinFS has gone the way of urban legends. The graphics engine, Avalon, will still be at the core of Longhorn. MSDN users will have to wait a bit longer to try it out.
Via ArsTechnica
Posted by darkmoon at 01:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 04, 2005
Access your home server remotely!
Anyone that has been in the corporate arena has probably heard of Symantec's PCAnywhere, a program that let's you take control of computers at work, or home just as you would logging into the computer itself (except in a window).
Opensource provides a couple of great solutions. The easiest would probably be RealVNC. VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing. This is how it works.
The second to try would be TightVNC. There are a number of features that make it superior to the original VNC, but that is up to you to decide.
The last would be FreeNX. FreeNX is a bit more difficult to install, but has vastly better networking abilities. What does this mean? You can remote-control your computer over a 56k modem. Original based on NoMachine's proprietary NX where the core was open-sourced. A howto is here to help those that are interested in pursuing a server/client system based on FreeNX.
All of these solutions allow the user to be mobile, but access the power wherever it may be without bringing it along. Useful? Definitely.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
February 03, 2005
Curious as to how much traffic your server puts out? MRTG is your friend
I saw and used MRTG back when it was released in 1995. It has come a long way since then. MRTG (Multi Router Traffic Grapher) basically shows you a graph of how much you are outputting via your network, and how much traffic is accessing your server. Yes, INPUT/OUTPUT. Banded together with a statistics package (Webalizer or AWSTATS), this can be a very formidable tool in the weaponchest of a server administrator.
Screenshots of MRTG here.
MRTG-eth.pl is a perl script that can setup MRTG without setting up an SNMP daemon. Too much information? Just go take a look.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 01, 2005
Spread FireFox
Microsoft apparently has a bit of code that only Internet Explorer can read. This makes it very easy to target Internet Explorer only browsers with SpreadFireFox banners. Thanks Bill! Turning around and using your own tool against you is amusing.
Posted by darkmoon at 03:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 30, 2005
Microsoft Windows SP2 subject to memory attacks
Microsoft Windows Service Pack 2. Definitely one service pack that you should never install. If you do, be forewarned.
It was discovered by MaxPatrol team that it is possible to defeat Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP SP2 Heap protection and Data Execution Prevention mechanism. As a result it is possible to implement:* Arbitrary memory region write access (smaller or equal to 1016 bytes) Arbitrary code execution
* DEP bypass.
Posted by darkmoon at 09:28 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
January 24, 2005
HTML Compress
Useful little tool for Windows by Freesoft called, HTML Compress. Why use this? This removes all unnecessary white space in HTML, PHP, Javascript, VBscript, and CSS. It is in effect lossy compression, similar to the graphical compression style that JPG implements. Doing so will free up space, and decrease server load, and display on the browser faster!
What could you possibly lose from doing this except faster everything. Well, perhaps a bit of readability...
Works with Windows 98, 2000, and XP. From Lockergnome.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 23, 2005
Traceroute for Windows - 3D Traceroute
For those that use linux, there's the network tool that has been around for ages called traceroute. This tracks the IP address as the routers send the packets along to see how the packets are routed. Eventually, there were similar tools that plotted on a map, where traces were similar to geotrace and others.\
There are a couple of tools similar to this one, but this is the one that I dug up called 3D Traceroute. It still implements the same thing for that the 3d traces by linux, except that it's on a Windows platform. It only runs on Windows 2k and XP, but it is freeware. Buy the PRO version if you find this useful.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 20, 2005
Need antivirus? Here are a couple of solutions
Most people know the names of Norton Antivirus and Mcafee AntiVirus. There's also Panda Antivirus, and Trendmicro, and a few others that are on the market.
What you probably don't know are the couple of FREE antivirus utilities that are either freeware for personal use, or open-source.
Trendmicro has a great utility called HOUSECALL. Java applet that scans your system. I usually use this on computers I have no clue about and happen to not bring my rescue utility USB keydrive. Very useful to find what's wrong with a unknown Windows computer.
Grisoft has a suite called AVG Free Edition. This is provided for free to home users. Very useful, and as good as Norton or Symantec in use, although not as pretty. Works fine on the couple of Windows machines that I do administrate.
Running linux or Windows? Open-source has you covered. ClamAV is an antivirus suite that was written by open-source developers for servers and workstations. There is also a Windows port called ClamWin.
As you can see, there are many solutions without breaking the bank, thanks to different licensing schemes and open-source. Support those software developers!
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 18, 2005
Windows feeling a bit soft to malware/spyware and other attacks?
Sniff-Em has two very good pieces of freeware to help out matters.
HARDEN-IT
Supporting Windows NT, 2000, XP and 2003, this little program takes your computer and takes care of simple fixes that usually your administrator would apply with all the technical mumbo jumbo for network security.
SECURE-IT
Supporting Windows 9x, ME, NT, 2000, XP and 2003, this little program takes your computer and takes care of hardening your local Windows security.
What do you have to lose? It's freeware.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 07, 2005
Gates points accusing finger at open-source communists
In wide world of open-source, public enemy number one would be Bill Gates. This is no laughing matter either. While Bill's company keeps trying to break into the open-source world with programs such as Paint.NET and WiX, he's having fun relating the open-source community to communists. BoingBoing and others poke fun at him after that interview by creating CreativeCommie emblems here, here, and here.
Power to the people!
Lessig writes:
what a total (intellectual) disappointment this man isIf I had the time, and the money, I'd do the deep analysis that it would take to explain to myself why it is I constantly hope to be surprised by Mr. Gates. Yet I never am. Here's BoingBoing reporting the red-baiting of Mr. Gates.
It's one thing to read this sort of thing from a studio exec, or head of a record label -- surrounded as they are by the sort that surround them. But the people I've met at Microsoft are miles beyond this sort of silliness. Does Mr. Gates not even talk to them?
Oh well, seems like Mr. Gates has felt the pressure of the people.
Power to the people!
UPDATE: GiantRobotPrinting is selling the shirts for $5 a piece (Youth S-Adult L) or $6 a piece (Adult XL-Adult 3XL) and shipping is $5.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:01 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
January 02, 2005
Sandboxie: For those that MUST use Internet Explorer
Definitely should take a look at Sandboxie if you are a die-hard Internet Explorer user and just cannot stand that orangey colored fox as a logo. This little product basically creates a "sandbox" of sorts for Internet Explorer's browsing session. For those that do not understand the term, a sandbox is a place where code that has been unauthorized or not-tested can be placed without endangering your system (much like the way Java was written). It costs $20 to register for a lifetime registration key if you like it, but it is free for personal use.
Posted by darkmoon at 09:40 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Have you ever been curious what the *!@# process does?
Everyone that has ever used a Windows NT based system (NT4, 2k, XP, Longhorn) knows that there is this interesting little tidbit of Ctrl-Alt-Del sequence that will bring your computer into a place where you can click on the Task Manager. From there, you can look at a process list.
What are these processes? Are you curious as to if you have something that is running but should not be? Sometimes curiosity does kill the spyware/virus. It's always good to take a look and check it against Process Library, a free process information resource on the Web. Because in the world of technology, you are your own antivirus.
Posted by darkmoon at 09:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 16, 2004
Tenable Newt 2.1
Working on gathering some scanners and tools for CYBERGUARD Project, I realized that Nessus is one of the most well-known scanners for linux. So I decided to see if they had a Windows port. Lo and behold, Tenable makes Newt 2.1 (Nessus Windows port).
The good thing is that this is mainly Web based after the system runs as a service. Seems to run similarly to Nessus (except for the difference in the GUI). The bad thing? You have to sell your soul to get it ( give them information such as valid email, etc). All in all, not a bad tradeoff.
I would have liked to see it free totally without information trade, but a corporation has to pay the bills too. At least right now, I'll give them at least that much since they've always been good to the linux community with Nessus.
Posted by darkmoon at 12:15 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack