Datamation has a nifty article on Protecting Ubuntu. Touching on a number of topics such as Java exploits and Linux Malware.
Follow it here.
2012-10-25
Splash Data's "Worst Passwords of 2012"
Splash Data has released their list of "Worst Passwords of 2012". Splash Data has compiled their list of passwords based on databases of stolen passwords by hackers. Let's take a look at the first 25:
1) password (unchanged)
2) 123456 (unchanged)
3) 12345678 (unchanged)
4) abc123 (up 1)
5) qwerty (down 1)
6) monkey (unchanged)
7) letmein (up 1)
8) dragon (up 2)
9) 111111 (up 3)
10) baseball (up 1)
11) iloveyou (up 2)
12) trustno1 (down 3)
13) 1234567 (down 6)
14) sunshine (up 1)
15) master (down 1)
16) 123123 (up 4)
17) welcome (new)
18) shadow (up 1)
19) ashley (down 3)
20) football (up 5)
21) jesus (new)
22) michael (up 2)
23) ninja (new)
24) mustang (new)
25) password1 (new)
The best types of passwords have a mixture of letters, numbers, special characters, capital letters. I recommend a password of at least 16 characters, is easily memorable, still look like mashing on the keyboard to others, but has meaning, only to you.
Take this for example, take one of your favorite songs and choose a line or two of it that you have memorized. Then take the first letter of each word and you have a pretty secure password. But lets not stop there. Capitalize those letters at random, maybe change a letter or two with a number/special character (such as s = 5 or s = $), or possibly add at random special characters / numbers to your password. Here is an example:
Journey - "Don't Stop Believin"
Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
40jA$tgliAlwsttmtgA/\jAcbbAri5dhttmtgA?/
Using this method I've created a memorable 40 character password that can have meaning to only me. Not only is this password long, but it also looks like mashing on the keyboard. This makes for a very secure password. Now this isn't the only method of making passwords, you can take this tweak it and make it your own, such as adding something about the website your using it on.
Disclaimer: Do NOT use this password ANYWHERE, because I have created it and posted it on the web it is no longer secure. However this method is tried and true.
Source [MaximumPC]
1) password (unchanged)
2) 123456 (unchanged)
3) 12345678 (unchanged)
4) abc123 (up 1)
5) qwerty (down 1)
6) monkey (unchanged)
7) letmein (up 1)
8) dragon (up 2)
9) 111111 (up 3)
10) baseball (up 1)
11) iloveyou (up 2)
12) trustno1 (down 3)
13) 1234567 (down 6)
14) sunshine (up 1)
15) master (down 1)
16) 123123 (up 4)
17) welcome (new)
18) shadow (up 1)
19) ashley (down 3)
20) football (up 5)
21) jesus (new)
22) michael (up 2)
23) ninja (new)
24) mustang (new)
25) password1 (new)
The best types of passwords have a mixture of letters, numbers, special characters, capital letters. I recommend a password of at least 16 characters, is easily memorable, still look like mashing on the keyboard to others, but has meaning, only to you.
Take this for example, take one of your favorite songs and choose a line or two of it that you have memorized. Then take the first letter of each word and you have a pretty secure password. But lets not stop there. Capitalize those letters at random, maybe change a letter or two with a number/special character (such as s = 5 or s = $), or possibly add at random special characters / numbers to your password. Here is an example:
Journey - "Don't Stop Believin"
Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere
40jA$tgliAlwsttmtgA/\jAcbbAri5dhttmtgA?/
Using this method I've created a memorable 40 character password that can have meaning to only me. Not only is this password long, but it also looks like mashing on the keyboard. This makes for a very secure password. Now this isn't the only method of making passwords, you can take this tweak it and make it your own, such as adding something about the website your using it on.
Disclaimer: Do NOT use this password ANYWHERE, because I have created it and posted it on the web it is no longer secure. However this method is tried and true.
Source [MaximumPC]
2012-09-13
Motorola announces CLOUDBB Android-Powered desktop with 18.5in touchscreen.
Motorola has announced a rather interesting computer based around Android in China that serves up some entertainment content. The HMC3260 has an 18.6in LED touchscreen that plays TV, movies, games, browses the web and hmmm..... oh yea.... runs Android Apps. Now its Spec time.....
- Freescale iMX53 ARM Cortex at clocked at 1GHz
- 1GB DDR RAM, 4GB NAND Flash Memory
- 18.5in LED [1366x768 @ 60Hz, widescreen] Touchscreen Display
- Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, with customized Android Launcher
- TV and video client
- Broadband internet via EuroDOCSIS and LAN (DHCP /PPPoE, etc.)
This is not the first android based desktop to hit the web, but its once in a blue moon that we see one form a big name such as Motorola. Speaking of which, coming from Motorola (a Google owned company) one would think to see a least Android 4.0 ICS on a device like this, so I wouldn't expect a lot from a device such as this.
There no word from Moto on availability or pricing, but if you wish to (page is in Chinese) you can find more info at the source link below. I for one, love the idea of Android one day becoming a common place on the desktop, but Android 2.3 Gingerbread isn't it.
Source: [Motorola]
Hey Apple.... that new Nano you got there.... it looks a bit familiar.
As shown in the picture (from BGR) the Apple's new iPod Nano looks a bit like the Nokia Lumia. Hmmmm..... maybe another lawsuit coming soon?
Read more here at BGR.
2012-08-09
Safari For Windows is Abandoned By Apple, Leaving Users Vulnerable With No Warning
"The lack of confirmation kept us from writing up a definitive post on this last week, however I think it’s now safe to finally report that Safari for Windows is officially dead. Apple released its newest operating system on July 25th, and along with it came Safari version 6, a full point ahead of the most recent Windows release. Since then Apple has removed any reference to Safari for Windows from its website, and is more or less acting like it never happened."
Read more here.
Justin Kerr [Maximum PC]
Read more here.
Justin Kerr [Maximum PC]
2012-08-06
Left 4 Dead 2 Linux Port Runs Better on Linux.
2012-07-24
Woah.... I see what you did there, Microsoft........
It appears that M$ may be snooping in to your text messages and possibly video calls on Skype. But thats not all, read more here: http://goo.gl/nSdLE
2012-07-17
Anonymous declare's war on pedophiles
‘Anonymous’ hacker group declares war on pedophiles [video]
Anonymous a few days ago declares war on the pedophiles if the internet. The op dubed Operation PedoChat aims to eradicate them from the internet.
2012-06-07
Minecraft Server Script
So I've created a Minecraft server in which will go live in about a week or two, and for easy management just by logging on to my server via ssh I have created a script to help out. It is far from a 1.0 release but the current beta is stable.
Here is the pasetbin link: http://pastebin.com/dCysXi94
Here is the pasetbin link: http://pastebin.com/dCysXi94
2012-04-07
The Hacker Manifesto
With all the stuff happening on the net today from Anonymous, and Lulzsec, to PIPA and SOPA. I figured it was a good a time as any to reiterate the great, famous, and immortal words from our "Mentor".
The Hacker Manifesto
by
+++ The Mentor+++
Written January 8, 1986
Another one got caught today, it's all over the papers. "Teenager Arrested in Computer
Crime Scandal", "Hacker Arrested after bank Tampering"...
Damn kids. They're all alike.
Bud did you, in your three-piece psychology and 1950's techobrain, ever take a look
behind the eyes of a hacker? Did you ever wonder what made him tick, what forces
shaped him, what may have molded him?
I am a hacker, enter my world...
Mine is one that begins with school... I'm smarter than most other kids, this
crap they teach us bores me...
Damn underachiever. They're all alike.
I'm in junior high or high school. I've listened to teachers explain for the fifteenth time
how to reduce a fraction. I understand it. "No, Ms. Smith, I didn't show my work. I did it
in my head..."
Damn kid. Probably copied it. They're all alike.
I made a discovery today. I found a computer. Wait a second, this is cool. It does that I
want it to. If it makes a mistake, it's because I screwed up. Not because it doesn't like
me... or it feels threatened by me... or thinks I'm a smart ass... or doesn't like teaching
and shouldn't be here...
Damn kid. All he does is play games. They're all alike.
And then it happened... a door opened to a world... rushing though the phone line
like heroin though an addict's veins, an electronic pulse it sent out, a refuge from
the day-to-day incompetencies is sought... a board is found. "This is it... this is where I belong..."
I know everyone here... even if I've never met them, never talked to them, may never hear from
them again... I know you all...
Damn kid. Tying up the phone line again. They're all alike.
You bet your ass we're all alike... we've been spoon-fed baby food at school when we
hungered for steak... the bits of meat that you did slip though were pre-chewed and
tasteless. We've been dominated by sadists, or ignored by the apathetic. The few that
had something to teach found us willing pupils, but those few are like drops of water
in the desert.
This is our world now... the world of the electron and the switch, the beauty of the baud.
We make use of a service already existing without paying for what could be dirt-cheap if
it wasn't run by profiteering gluttons, and you call us criminals. We explore... and you call
us criminals. We seek after knowledge... and you call us criminals. We exist without skin
color, without nationality, without religious bias... and you call us criminals. You build
atomic bombs, you wage wars, you murder, cheat, and lie to us and try to make us
believe it's for our own good, yet we're the criminals.
Yes, I am a criminal. My crime is that of curiosity. My crime is that of judging people by
what they say and think, not by what they look like. My crime is that of outsmarting you,
something that you will never forgive me for.
I am a hacker, and this is my manifesto. You may stop this individual, but you can't stop
us all... after all, we're all alike.
[mentor] your words will stand the test of time, they have become immortal. As we move on... new, young inspiring hackers will find and read these words, adopt, and live by them. We are legion.
‘Anonymous’ hacks Chinese government, protest freedom and civil rights
‘Anonymous’ hacks Chinese government, protest freedom and civil rights:
Notorious hacker group “Anonymous” on Thursday claimed responsibility for attacks on several government Web sites in China. The group has launched various Internet attacks on the country over the past week in response to what it believes to be strict and unfair laws. “All these years, the Chinese Communist government has subjected its People to unfair laws and unhealthy processes,” the group wrote on one Chinese website. “Dear Chinese government, you are not infallible, today websites are hacked, tomorrow it will be your vile regime that will fall.” The group goes on to warn that further attacks are on the horizon. “So expect us because we do not forgive, never. What you are doing today to your Great People, tomorrow will be inflicted to you. Nothing will stop us, nor your anger nor your weapons. You do not scare us, because you cannot afraid an idea.” Anonymous also acknowledged the Chinese people directly, telling them to remain optimistic, “Don’t loose hope, the revolution begins in the heart.”
Read
via [BGR]
Notorious hacker group “Anonymous” on Thursday claimed responsibility for attacks on several government Web sites in China. The group has launched various Internet attacks on the country over the past week in response to what it believes to be strict and unfair laws. “All these years, the Chinese Communist government has subjected its People to unfair laws and unhealthy processes,” the group wrote on one Chinese website. “Dear Chinese government, you are not infallible, today websites are hacked, tomorrow it will be your vile regime that will fall.” The group goes on to warn that further attacks are on the horizon. “So expect us because we do not forgive, never. What you are doing today to your Great People, tomorrow will be inflicted to you. Nothing will stop us, nor your anger nor your weapons. You do not scare us, because you cannot afraid an idea.” Anonymous also acknowledged the Chinese people directly, telling them to remain optimistic, “Don’t loose hope, the revolution begins in the heart.”
Read
via [BGR]
2012-04-04
0x10c: Minecraft Developer Notch’s Next Game Will Be A MMO Space Epic
0x10c: Minecraft Developer Notch’s Next Game Will Be A MMO Space Epic: 
In the world of indie gaming, Minecraft is undoubtedly in a league of its own. The sandbox game has already sold more than 5 million copies and has spawned its own subculture of fan sites and clones. Now, the game’s creator Notch (nee Markus Persson), has announced his next project called 0x10c: a multi-player space game set in 281,474,976,712,644 AD. Besides the usual space battles, trading and mining we have come to expect from these kinds of games, 0x10c will also feature a fully functioning emulated 16 bit CPU that will control your spaceship and which will be fully programmable by the player.
As if having a programmable computer at the core of the game wasn’t enough, 0x10c has what must be one of gaming’s geekiest premises: the reason it is set in 281,474,976,712,644 AD is due to the simple fact that in 0x10c’s parallel universe, the space race never ended and that a computer bug in a new “deep sleep cell” introduced in 1988 caused a large number of people to sleep for 0×0001 0000 0000 0000 years instead of the planned 0×0000 0000 0000 0001 years.
For now, only the specifications of the 16 bit processor are available and Notch hasn’t released any screenshots yet. Just like he did with Minecraft, though, he plans to release early beta versions as they become available. One major difference with Minecraft is that 0x10c will feature a recurring monthly fee, as all the physics and in-game computers will continue to run in the cloud, even when the players themselves are not online. Users will have the option to play the game in a single-player mode as well, though, which won’t have recurring fees.
In a way, this feels like the natural next step up from Minecraft. While Notch’s first game was built around mining and “crafting” tools (with some multi-player options thrown in for the hardcore fans), this new game takes this concept further by offering users a bigger world to play in and even more customization options through the built-in programmable computers. It’s worth noting that users will also be able to share their programs, which will surely give rise to a whole new real-world ecosystem around the game and, as Notch himself acknowledges, maybe even viruses.
via [TechCrunch]
In the world of indie gaming, Minecraft is undoubtedly in a league of its own. The sandbox game has already sold more than 5 million copies and has spawned its own subculture of fan sites and clones. Now, the game’s creator Notch (nee Markus Persson), has announced his next project called 0x10c: a multi-player space game set in 281,474,976,712,644 AD. Besides the usual space battles, trading and mining we have come to expect from these kinds of games, 0x10c will also feature a fully functioning emulated 16 bit CPU that will control your spaceship and which will be fully programmable by the player.
As if having a programmable computer at the core of the game wasn’t enough, 0x10c has what must be one of gaming’s geekiest premises: the reason it is set in 281,474,976,712,644 AD is due to the simple fact that in 0x10c’s parallel universe, the space race never ended and that a computer bug in a new “deep sleep cell” introduced in 1988 caused a large number of people to sleep for 0×0001 0000 0000 0000 years instead of the planned 0×0000 0000 0000 0001 years.
For now, only the specifications of the 16 bit processor are available and Notch hasn’t released any screenshots yet. Just like he did with Minecraft, though, he plans to release early beta versions as they become available. One major difference with Minecraft is that 0x10c will feature a recurring monthly fee, as all the physics and in-game computers will continue to run in the cloud, even when the players themselves are not online. Users will have the option to play the game in a single-player mode as well, though, which won’t have recurring fees.
In a way, this feels like the natural next step up from Minecraft. While Notch’s first game was built around mining and “crafting” tools (with some multi-player options thrown in for the hardcore fans), this new game takes this concept further by offering users a bigger world to play in and even more customization options through the built-in programmable computers. It’s worth noting that users will also be able to share their programs, which will surely give rise to a whole new real-world ecosystem around the game and, as Notch himself acknowledges, maybe even viruses.
via [TechCrunch]
2012-03-30
[How-To] Kindle Fire 6.3 update Root
So the other day Amazon released an update to the Kindle fire, and what a surprise it breaks root..... shocker. There is a very simple way to regain root an re-install the TWRP recovery that I found on XDA.
DISCLAIMER..... This assumes you have ADB and fastboot working and installed. If you do not know what ADB and fastboot are, then stop reading now.
fbmode.zip - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1414832
twrp2 - http://teamw.in/project/twrp2/79
su - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8699733/kindlefire/su
fastboot + adb for your OS of choice.
unzip fbmode.zip
adb push fbmode /data/local/fbmode
adb shell chmod 755 /data/local/fbmode
adb shell /data/local/fbmode
adb reboot
Your kindle will "get stuck" on the kindle fire screen, but really it's just in fastboot mode.
fastboot -i 0x1949 boot twrp-blaze-2.0.0RC0.img
Your device will now boot into twrp recovery, and flash the firefirefire bootlaoder. When done it will prompt you to reboot. Upon reboot you will get stuck on the "yellow triangle" screen of firefire fire.
fastboot oem idme bootmode 5002
fastboot reboot
Once in recovery
adb shell mount system
adb push su /system/xbin/su
adb shell chown 0.0 /system/xbin/su
adb shell chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su
Lets disable the root check before rebooting
adb shell mv /system/bin/check_rooted /system/bin/check_rooted.bak
adb shell idme bootmode 4000
adb reboot
If you need to install (or reinstall) Superuser head here, or pick it up in the Play Store (formerly known as the Android Marketplace). This method worked for me, your mileage may vary.
All credit goes to pokey9000 for the exploit, and jcase for the guide.
via [XDA-Deveopers]
DISCLAIMER..... This assumes you have ADB and fastboot working and installed. If you do not know what ADB and fastboot are, then stop reading now.
fbmode.zip - http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1414832
twrp2 - http://teamw.in/project/twrp2/79
su - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8699733/kindlefire/su
fastboot + adb for your OS of choice.
unzip fbmode.zip
adb push fbmode /data/local/fbmode
adb shell chmod 755 /data/local/fbmode
adb shell /data/local/fbmode
adb reboot
Your kindle will "get stuck" on the kindle fire screen, but really it's just in fastboot mode.
fastboot -i 0x1949 boot twrp-blaze-2.0.0RC0.img
Your device will now boot into twrp recovery, and flash the firefirefire bootlaoder. When done it will prompt you to reboot. Upon reboot you will get stuck on the "yellow triangle" screen of firefire fire.
fastboot oem idme bootmode 5002
fastboot reboot
Once in recovery
adb shell mount system
adb push su /system/xbin/su
adb shell chown 0.0 /system/xbin/su
adb shell chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su
Lets disable the root check before rebooting
adb shell mv /system/bin/check_rooted /system/bin/check_rooted.bak
adb shell idme bootmode 4000
adb reboot
If you need to install (or reinstall) Superuser head here, or pick it up in the Play Store (formerly known as the Android Marketplace). This method worked for me, your mileage may vary.
All credit goes to pokey9000 for the exploit, and jcase for the guide.
via [XDA-Deveopers]
2012-03-28
Google Drive, My Thoughts and Predictions
Just the sound of Google releasing a cloud storage solution makes my mouth start salivating like no tomorrow. A free Dropbox like sync, but from Google and baked into android; sign me up. However, there are several different features Drive needs to have if Google wants to be the de facto standard in cloud storage.
1) Like Dropbox and several others, Drive needs to be 100% cross platform. I don't just mean supporting Linux/Windows/Mac/Android/iOS, but must be cross architecture as well. That means x86/x64, ARM, PowerPC. I to this day still use a Powermac G5 for any and all media editing.
2) Encryption, Encryption, Encryption. I said it 3 times so it must be important. Encryption should be enabled by default, however I believe that we should be given the option to take away the keys from Goolge. One thing I can't stand about dropbox is that, yes my files are encrypted, and that gives me a tad bit of peace of mind, however they hold all the keys. I don't like the idea that any Dropbox employee with the right credentials can look at all my stuff. We need to be able to take control of our data.
3) Seamless sync. On the desktop, a simple app and "home" folder (Drive Folder) much like Dropbox with selective sync. However in Android, it needs to be baked right in to the OS, and by baked in I mean by mounting a "virtual" sdcard as your Google Drive. No syncing required, with the option to selective sync some files for off line access. But when you select a file to sync, It gets placed on the actual sdcard, but only viewable in the "virtual" drive. Think Google Music Beta (Now Google Play Music).
4) Open APIs. One of Dropbox's key to success is their open API's. This allows third party developers to (such as DropSync) to develop with the service. Without this I wouldn't be able to sync my tablet/phone the way I want to. This will also allow developers to integrate their application to Google Drive.
5) Touching back to point #1, Chrome OS integration. Drive needs to be as seamless as possible, like the way it should sync with android. Currently Chrome OS is kinda useless, face it, its useless even as just a browser. But bring seamless Drive sync in (and letting us use a windowed environment, a file system, and local apps) and you have a win.
6) FREE Drive Space. Box.net gives 1GB, Dropbox 2GB with various ways to get more free space, iCloud 5GB, and Windows SkyDrive a whopping 25GB. Google Drive needs to meet or exceed these numbers. I would be happy with 10GB, but really come on Google, you can give us more. Google gives us 7.6GB for email, 1GB each for picasa and docs, and an unknown amount for Play Music (I have about 14K tracks there totaling to about 90GB), so by going with those numbers, I'd say google has about 125-150GB of storage space dedicated to each user, for free. So when I look at that number, I would love to see 25-50GB of space free. Matching and/or exceeding Micro$oft. And of course the option to have more space for a small fee.
So this is more of a wish list than anything else, but at the same time, Google should already know every thing I touched on here. Thus, also all predictions. From what I hear from across the net, we'll see something more and know more sometime in April. I for one, can't wait.
The Dude abides......
Update: According to GigaOm's own Om Malik, his strong sources say that Google Drive could arrive sometime as early as next week [gigaom].
1) Like Dropbox and several others, Drive needs to be 100% cross platform. I don't just mean supporting Linux/Windows/Mac/Android/iOS, but must be cross architecture as well. That means x86/x64, ARM, PowerPC. I to this day still use a Powermac G5 for any and all media editing.
2) Encryption, Encryption, Encryption. I said it 3 times so it must be important. Encryption should be enabled by default, however I believe that we should be given the option to take away the keys from Goolge. One thing I can't stand about dropbox is that, yes my files are encrypted, and that gives me a tad bit of peace of mind, however they hold all the keys. I don't like the idea that any Dropbox employee with the right credentials can look at all my stuff. We need to be able to take control of our data.
3) Seamless sync. On the desktop, a simple app and "home" folder (Drive Folder) much like Dropbox with selective sync. However in Android, it needs to be baked right in to the OS, and by baked in I mean by mounting a "virtual" sdcard as your Google Drive. No syncing required, with the option to selective sync some files for off line access. But when you select a file to sync, It gets placed on the actual sdcard, but only viewable in the "virtual" drive. Think Google Music Beta (Now Google Play Music).
4) Open APIs. One of Dropbox's key to success is their open API's. This allows third party developers to (such as DropSync) to develop with the service. Without this I wouldn't be able to sync my tablet/phone the way I want to. This will also allow developers to integrate their application to Google Drive.
5) Touching back to point #1, Chrome OS integration. Drive needs to be as seamless as possible, like the way it should sync with android. Currently Chrome OS is kinda useless, face it, its useless even as just a browser. But bring seamless Drive sync in (and letting us use a windowed environment, a file system, and local apps) and you have a win.
6) FREE Drive Space. Box.net gives 1GB, Dropbox 2GB with various ways to get more free space, iCloud 5GB, and Windows SkyDrive a whopping 25GB. Google Drive needs to meet or exceed these numbers. I would be happy with 10GB, but really come on Google, you can give us more. Google gives us 7.6GB for email, 1GB each for picasa and docs, and an unknown amount for Play Music (I have about 14K tracks there totaling to about 90GB), so by going with those numbers, I'd say google has about 125-150GB of storage space dedicated to each user, for free. So when I look at that number, I would love to see 25-50GB of space free. Matching and/or exceeding Micro$oft. And of course the option to have more space for a small fee.
So this is more of a wish list than anything else, but at the same time, Google should already know every thing I touched on here. Thus, also all predictions. From what I hear from across the net, we'll see something more and know more sometime in April. I for one, can't wait.
The Dude abides......
Update: According to GigaOm's own Om Malik, his strong sources say that Google Drive could arrive sometime as early as next week [gigaom].
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