Category: security

  • yahoo.theherrens.com

    Demonstration of the power of TagCloud from the guy who came up with the code behind the site. TagCloud extracts keywords from rss feed and puts them into a Tag cloud that is linked to related material.

    read more | digg story

  • 40 million credit card accounts stolen

    MasterCard International Inc. reported yesterday that over 40 million accounts were stolen by a computer hacker who planted malicious code at a processing center in Tucson operated by CardSystems Solutions Inc.

    read more | digg story

  • do they wear plaid in china? or leather in bombay?

    Cool geek shirts including:
    “> SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0
    0 rows returned.”

    read more | digg story

  • Forum at the bottom of this Blog

    This is for learning purposes only.  Do not use this tool for malicious purposes or wrong doing.

    One of the limitation of blogs is that there are restritions on what
    readers can post.  Bringing up another topic is not usually
    encourage on blogs. 

    The versatility of “two way
    conversation” posts that you see in forums is what is lacking in many
    blogs. 

    Here is some code to put a forum in your blog.

     <object data=”http://Somelamefreeforum.com/” type=”text/html” width=”700″ height=”400″></object>

    Some webmaster voice concerns about methods that can be used to “steal web traffic.”  You should avoid embeding (or even improperly linking) to other peoples sites without permission.

    Sheila Ann Manuel Coggins of About.com has another method of adding a forum to a blog.

    References:

    Stealing PR/Traffic

    http://www.webmasterworld.com

    About.com

    Dawn Pedersen.  I'm the Boss of  me.

    Wielands Weblog. Dear Blogger User.

  • Putting a Del.icio.us, Digg, technorati and Slashdot button into your blog

    I have expanded my social bookmark article adding more details pictures and  how to add more social bookmarks (aka service links) to drupal.

    Click HERE for the expanded version of this social bookmarks article.  Hope this helps.

    This is fairly easy to do but you should have a basic understanding of HTML before you proceed. For those of us who are still learning, this will take patients and some reading.

    These are buttons on your blog that allow customers to submit your article to Digg, Del.icio.us and Slashdot at the click of a button.

    What is Digg, Del.icio.us, Technorati?  

    Digg is a user-defined news site similar to Slashdot only better. Del.icio.us is an online social bookmark site that allows you to have all your bookmarks in one place and access them from any computer connected to the Internet. Technorati has mastered tagging for blogs if you have blogware you already have a link for the Technorati Cosmos (code for added this feature are at the bottom of this post). All these tools are HIGHLY effective at getting more traffic, getting Google to index your site constantly and getting submerged into a niche online community that will get you “social traffic.”

    About This Instruction:
    This instruction uses specific Blogware/Blogharbor examples. If you’re content manager gives you the ability to get down into Template code you should be able to ad these buttons. Hopefully, this will serve as a decent guide regardless of your tools.

    If you’ve got mad skillz, the icons are in Step 1 and the code is in Step 4. Enjoy.

    Step 1. Get the icons.

    Here they are. Right click and “save file as.”

    Step 2. Getting to the code in Blogware and Blogger

    Once logged in to Blogware/Blogharbor (or reseller blogwares) go to the “Look & Feel” then click on “Template”

    For Blogger login and go to the Template tab.

    Step 3. What templates to edit (Google Bloggers go to the bottom of this step)

    Within Blogware you will see a bunch of Templates. But we are only interested in two templates: “Article” and “Category”

    If you look at any blog you it will usually see a permalink, comments, link, and/or trackback at the beginning or end of any article. This is what we are looking for when we go into the code.

    Click on the “Edit” link for Article template.

    You will be taken to the “Select Style” page. Once there, choose your style. If you, your administrator, or reseller hasn’t changed anything you will only have one option, “standard.”

    Finally, you’ll get to the “Edit Template” page.

    Back up the Template by selecting download from the Action drop down. We will not work from the downloaded copy. It makes a great reference if you have a hard time figuring out what you deleted to mess everything up. Just do a save as and hit the back but to get back to your template.

    Select “Copy” in the Action drop down box.

    I don’t recommend working from the download for this particular hack. Downloading automatically changes the paths to your local machine. If you’re lazy like me you don’t want to go back in and figure out all the original paths.

    Blogware is great because it will actually allow you to edit a live version of your blogs article template on the fly in what is called a “Staging Area.” From there you can preview changes and eventually save and make it live.

    Now you need to find the permanent link, comment code that allows the blog reader to interact with your blog posts. It will look something like this:

    BLOGWARE CODE

    {{publish_time.hour}}:{{publish_time.min}}{{publish_time.ampm}} ({{publish_time.zone}})

    on {{publish_time.month_name}} {{publish_time.day}}, {{publish_time.year}} &nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href=”{{url}}”>PermanentLink</a>{{if cosmos_url}}&nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href=”http://technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?url={{permalink_url}}”><img src=”/technorati.gif” alt=”See this page in technorati”>Cosmos</a>{{/if}}&

    You will copy and paste the my code in Step 4 after the Cosmos. (you’ll notice I added the technorati symbol just before the Cosmos.)

    BLOGGER CODE (located in Template)

    In the post module located here:

    <!– Begin .post –>

    Put this Code…

    <a href=”<$BlogItemPermalinkUrl$>” title=”permanent link”><$BlogItemDateTime$></a> &nbsp;

    <a href=”http://del.icio.us/post?url=<$BlogItemPermalinkUrl$>&title=<$BlogItemTitle$> “> <img src=”http://your.blog.com/delicious.gif” alt=”book mark <$BlogItemTitle$> in del.icio.us”>Del.icio.us</a> &nbsp;| &nbsp; <a href=”http://www.digg.com/submit” target=”_new”><img src=”http://your.blog.com/digman.gif” alt=”submit <$BlogItemTitle$> to digg.com”>Digg</a> &nbsp;| &nbsp; <a href=”http://slashdot.org/submit.pl” target=”_new”><img src=” http://your.blog.com/slashdot.ico” alt=”submit <$BlogItemTitle$> to slashdot.com”>Slashdot</a>

    Before and after this:

    <div>

    <$BlogItemBody$>

    </div>

    </div>

    Make sure you preview and test.

    You will want to add your code after the last item that allows blog readers to interact with your blog article. This could be the Permalink, cosmos, comment or time. In my case it is my technorati Cosmos search button. For the Techorati button see the code below.

    Step 4. Get the Code then Copy & Paste it.

    Here’s a break down of the code.

    Variables:

    Variables differ for each blog type (Table 1.1). No matter what blog type you use you will only need to use two variables for this hack, the permanent link (articles url) of the blog post and its title (name of the Article).

    Table 1.1

     

    Blog Type

     

    VARIABLES

    Blog Permanent Link

    Blog Title

    Blogware (blogharbor and MANY other resellers)

    {{permalink_url}}

    {{title}}

    MoveableType/Typepad

    See blog.del.icio.us

    <$MTEntryPermalink$>

     

    <$MTEntryTitle encode_url="1"$>

    WordPress

    See blog.del.icio.us

    <?php the_permalink() ?>

    <?php the_title(); ?>

     

    Blogger (see blogger code)

    <$BlogItemPermalinkUrl$>

    <$BlogItemTitle$>

    Make sure you upload the appropriate icons. Here is the code (replace the blogware variables with the appropriate variable:

    | &nbsp; <a href=”http://del.icio.us/post?url={{permalink_url}}&title={{title}} “> <img src=”/delicious.gif” alt=”Bookmark {{title}} in del.icio.us”>Del.icio.us</a> &nbsp;| &nbsp; <a href=”http://www.digg.com/submit” target=”_new”><img src=”/digman.gif” alt=”submit {{title}} to digg.com”>Digg</a> &nbsp;| &nbsp; <a href=”http://slashdot.org/submit.pl” target=”_new”><img src=”/slashdot.ico” alt=”submit {{title}} to slashdot.com”>Slashdot</a>

    Step 5. Check your work

    This is perhaps the most important step.

    Google’s Blogger:

    Click “Preview”

    Blogware:

    If you’re editing from the “Staging Area” with Blogware/blogharbor, you can “view blog test mode.” This link is located above the staging area. You will have to go to the full article with a permalink (or more link) to see your changes.

    Once you have the code how you want it, do the same thing (steps 3-4) with the Category template.

    Remember, the Article template only alters the code for the full page view of the article that is in the permalink. If you have little descriptions of each article on your main blog page then you will not see the changes unless you alter the Category template the same way.

    BONUS:

    To add the Cosmos Technorati search use this code:

    http://www.technorati.com/cosmos/search.html?url={{YOUR _PERMALINK_VARIABLE}}

     

     

    References:


    Joshua “Delicious.” Blog.del.icio.us. “This Bookmark”


    Absolutely-delicious-complete-tool. 
                    http://pchere.blogspot.com

    Mr. Peirce. Blog for Fun and for profit.            

    Blogharbor John. Blogharbor Manual: Editing Templates.
                    http://demo.blogharbor.com/

    More Links:

    Typepad user advice:
    http://www.sixapart.com

    In Deutche:

    http://www.einfach-persoenlich.de

    WordPress (found on Digg):
    http://www.davidbreyer.com/

     

     

      All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners.

  • Software Firewalls for N00bs: Zone Alarm Review

    Its all fun and games until some one owns your box and exploits your
    identity.  It is important to have more than one layer of Internet
    Security.  Application firewalls such as Zone Alarm are solid
    choice for home users and even some small business'. 

    Zone alarm was designed
    to protect your Internet connection from online criminals and attempts of the
    adware programs on your computer to connect to their servers. It
    basically contains a firewall, an application control, an Internet
    lock, and different zones of security.

    The firewall controls the door to your computer and allows only
    traffic that you understand and initiate. It gives you a whole
    documentation about all the access attempts and watches all the ports
    of your computer. When a connection is set, first it gives you a
    warning and also it gives the IP address of the connection. Therefore,
    it is a great tool to keep your ports under control and see the
    attempts of other users to hack into your computer.

    The application control allows you to decide which applications can
    and cannot use the Internet. When a program attempts to use your
    Internet connection Zone Alarm asks you what you want to do about this
    connection; allow or deny. By this way, you can eliminate the adware
    programs like gator (the most common one which gives pop-ups every five
    minutes) or bargains…etc.

    The Internet lock blocks Internet traffic while your computer is
    unattended or while you're not using the Internet. It can be activated
    automatically with your computer's screensaver or after a set period of
    inactivity.

    Overall, this program protects your computer in a very concrete
    way. Zone Alarm makes configuring a firewall, which sounds like a
    troubling task to the majority of computer users, incredibly easy with
    a wizard. Maintaining and updating settings also is a snap when you're
    using the stylish interface and its simple slider controls. It is an
    excellent firewall solution for about most average user. Most of you
    will feel more secure with this program; especially when you see the
    Internet logs of the software and zonal solutions that it offers.

  • WiFi Security That Really Works

    A great article that explains wireless security methods. Also has a good comparison of WPA and WPA2.
    • WPA uses 128-bit encryption called TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol). WPA is a subset of the official IEEE 802.11i standard.
    • WPA2 uses 128-bit encryption called AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), also known as CCMP (Counter-Model/CBC-MAC Protocol). WPA2 is a full implementation of IEEE 802.11i.

    read more | digg story

  • RSS To Carry Spyware Before Year's Out

    By the end of the year, spyware programs will have tripled in number, put Firefox in their sights, and have turned to RSS to distribute its key loggers and ad spawners, a security expert said Friday.

    read more | digg story

  • Hacking and Enlightenment: Ed and Me on hacking

    This is my conversation with ED on my misuse of the word hacker on one of my website:

    Whoa, whoa, ED…

    I think my wording has completely miss led you.  Here is my feeling about hackers:

    About Defcon13 and Hackers vs. “Security Pros”:
    http://elamb.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2005/6/2/904009.html#302474

    My discussion with Martin about hackers:
    http://www.mckeay.net/secure/archives/000450.html

    My thoughts on hacking and the non believers (at the bottom by Sun Tzu):
    http://elamb.blogharbor.com/hacked/igothacked.htm

    Dude, I love hackers.  I'd like to consider myself a hacker.. but I
    don't feel worthy.  I've got the passion but I don't have the gift. 
    I've already been to the Oracle (bad matrix joke).

    Perhaps I should reword that article.  I believe in taking the
    concept of hacking back to its original roots before it was hijacked by
    the media.  I DO NOT want to contribute to that dogma.

    The Phisher
    used a combination of mail fraud and manipulated email and even set up
    a server.  He probably got tons of money and merchandise from ebay
    customers. 

    Like computer and/or telecommunication devices, I beleive ANY system
    can be hacked.. email systems, smoke alarms in Delta air planes, bar
    code readers, RFID's, FEDEX, all can be reprogrammed, streamlined,
    reverse engineered,  exploited and manipulated for good or for evil
    purposes. 

    For me, that is what makes hacking so cool.  A true “hack” is done upon
    gaining a new understanding of a given system.  Of course, some hacks
    are discovered completely by accident, but the hacks that are done out
    of understanding, is like a form of enlightenment. 

    Check it out… Buddha hacked the Universe… (o.k. too much weed).
     
     

    On 6/13/05, ed <XXX@XXX.com> wrote:

    hey rob,

    this incident has absolutely nothing to do with hackers.  it's called “mail
    fraud” and “wire fraud”.  what computer or telecommunications system was
    “hacked” here?

    please
    call a spade a spade: the vast majority of hackers are not
    thieves.  sure, a few are–but that's like calling all car
    drivers “bank getaway car drivers.”

    you're not helping to solve
    the problem by blaming the wrong group of people.  you should
    be blaming criminals, not hackers–who have nothing to do with your
    unfortunate experience.

    thanks,

    -ed

    From: ME
    Subject: Phisherprice: Phishing on Ebay During the Holidays
    Date: 8 May 2005 16:13:28 -0700

    A
    hacker tried to get a free phone using a phishing technique that I had
    never heard of.  The phisher used a Western Union Auction
    Money order form (a fake number) and actually sent me the fedex lable
    and had
    fedex come to my house to pick up the phone.  Even though I didn't have the cash for the phone yet.

    The Phishing exploit relies on the buyers greed and the feverish haste of holiday spending.

    Here is the phishing exploit in detail:
    http://elamb.blogharbor.com/hacked/phisherprice.htm

    rob
    http://elamb.org