http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/ en x13317@yahoo.com Copyright 2008 2008-07-03T15:05:08-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/how-to-install-vista-in-two-minutes/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/how-to-install-vista-in-two-minutes/#When:16:05:08Z Okay, so I’m slow to post this. Generic Geekery 2008-07-03T16:05:08-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/serial-console-quick-fix/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/serial-console-quick-fix/#When:23:05:00Z A common problem with remotely managed Linux servers is console access. Not everybody is lucky enough to have KVM-over-IP readily available, but for most uses a simple serial console on a hardwired line to a suitable box nearby suffices. The configuration is simple enough. First, to run a login prompt on the serial line, add this to /etc/inittab: T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 115200 vt100 Second, to run both the VGA and serial console, add this to /boot/grub/menu.lst (on Debian, for other distros, take your pick): serial --unit=0 --speed=115200 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1 terminal --timeout=10 serial console timeout 10 This will set up the VGA and serial consoles and prompt on both for attention and once that timeout expires, the grub boot timeout will commence. In a nutshell, this setup gives an operator on either the VGA or serial console a chance to intervene and interact with grub (to pick the kernel to boot, say); failing any interaction, the server will (try to) boot unattended. To make the kernel aware of all of this, an additional edit in menu.lst is required. Append console options to grub’s default kopt line # kopt=root=/dev/mapper/server-root ro console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8 and then run update-grub (on Debian). Generic Geekery 2008-06-01T23:05:00-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/gotta-love-microsoft/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/gotta-love-microsoft/#When:17:12:00Z Microsoft Windows Root Certificate Security Issues I don’t know how much of a problem this is in practice, but be glad if you can run Linux instead. In the news, IT Security 2007-07-25T17:12:00-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/interesting-denial-of-service-idea/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/interesting-denial-of-service-idea/#When:19:24:00Z MIT Project aims human buffer overflow at Secret Service Apparently the Secret Service takes an interest in people who value their privacy and inquire about the yellow-dotted “serial numbers” some or all color printers emit as a way to identify counterfeiters. It’s a thought to sign up as many people as you can to send their own inquiries to the printer manufacturers. On the other hand, does anybody know if a (carefully selected) pattern of yellow dots wouldn’t solve the privacy problem with less exposure? In the news 2007-07-21T19:24:00-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/another-reason-to-give-vista-a-clear-miss/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/another-reason-to-give-vista-a-clear-miss/#When:15:57:00Z Forget about the WGA! 20+ Windows Vista Features and Services Harvest User Data for Microsoft That’s quite a lot of phoning home… Generic Geekery 2007-07-12T15:57:00-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/linux-genuine-advantage/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/linux-genuine-advantage/#When:23:58:00Z Linux Genuine Advantage™ is an exciting and mandatory new way for you to place your computer under the remote control of an untrusted third party! According to an independent study conducted by some scientists, many users of Linux are running non-Genuine versions of their operating system. This puts them at the disadvantage of having their computers work normally, without periodically phoning home unannounced to see if it’s OK for their computer to continue functioning. These users are also missing out on the Advantage of paying ongoing licensing fees to ensure their computer keeps operating properly. To remedy this, we have created a new program available as a required free download: Linux Genuine Advantage™! I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Generic Geekery 2007-02-10T23:58:00-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/come-again/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/come-again/#When:04:35:01Z Release Notes for Windows Media Player 11 Beta 2 for Windows XP Backing up and restoring licenses Windows Media Player 11 does not permit you to back up your media usage rights (previously known as licenses). However, depending upon where your protected files came from, you might be able to restore your rights over the Internet. Enough said. In the news 2006-10-06T04:35:01-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/blast-from/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/blast-from/#When:13:45:00Z The Register reports that the (Bombe) that broke Enigma code is rebuilt, the culmination of a ten-year project. Too bad I don’t live in the U.K. anymore, I wouldn’t mind taking a gander. In the news 2006-09-11T13:45:00-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/debian-forks-cdrecord/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/debian-forks-cdrecord/#When:01:49:00Z The short version is that cdrecord tools is apparently comprised of source files and a build environement sporting a mix of licenses, the specific combination thereof the Debian team deemed as unacceptable, because in their opinion it would prevent them from distributing binaries for the cdrecord package. There’s an amusing thread on /. about whose interpretation of the license is right or wrong - among other topics. Most posters miss the point entirely, though. It doesn’t matter whose interpretation of the legal situation is correct - the only issue that matters is whether or not the author of cdrecord can convince the relevant people at Debian that they can legally distribute his software; failing that, they had no choice but to remedy the problem, which in this case led to the creation of a fork from the last unencumbered version. Interestingly enough, Fedora reached a similar conclusion. There’s precedent for this pattern, other “characters” have been deemed to difficult to work with, to the point where it’s less painful to rewrite or fork their code. It will happen again. Generic Geekery, In the news 2006-09-06T01:49:00-06:00 http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/so-about-the-lack-of-pc-games/ http://www.itsecuritygeek.com/itsgeek/so-about-the-lack-of-pc-games/#When:16:31:00Z I haven’t done a lot of gaming in recent years, but I do peruse the shelves of game purveyors once in a while. I’ve noticed that in the last few years, console games are crowding out PC games. According to Id’s Kevin Cloud, it’s piracy whodunnit. Without a doubt, piracy results in lost revenue, although credible analysis is hard to come by and piracy as the default culprit for lagging sales is getting old. The people commenting on the story make a number of valid points. PC games have increased in price, while not offering much in return other than eye candy. The PC is a fragmented platform, which drives up development cost at a time when game publishers are squeezed to develop on the cheap. Intrusive copy protection and in-game product placement are not likely to boost sales. And so on… I myself am somewhat of a curmudgeon when it comes to games. I never cared for the types of games I associate with consoles and that well is poisoned beyond recall; on top of that, I’m not willing to spend money on (more or less) single purpose hardware, when I have plenty of perfectly good general purpose PCs around. I haven’t had all that much free time to play games in recent years, but I would make the time if there were games that I could get into. The Sims and other god games are fun, right up until the point when the inevitable micro-management spoils it. FPS and real-time strategy games don’t much interest me and decent adventure games are few and far in between. So what’s a gamer to do… Generic Geekery, In the news 2006-08-14T16:31:00-06:00