Tibuan, New Blog

Friday, February 23, 2007

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I just started this other blog to chronicle the adventures of a local band that I really like. They are called 'Tibuan' (the Kapampangan word for 'origin' or 'roots'). Please check the blog out at tibuan.blogspot.com and come back every now and then for gig updates and pics. Link to it too if you like what you see. :-)

Protect Your Wireless Network

Thursday, February 22, 2007

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I recently saw several news articles online about drive-by pharming. Researchers posted a proof of concept online and the attack is made possible by the fact that so many people use their routers with the default passwords on. Because of the nature of my work, friends often ask me how they could secure their home networks or how they could set-up wireless at home. To them I offer the following advice (just sharing here) :
  • Change the router's default username and password - this should be the first thing anyone should do. As indicated in the news article I linked to above, you'd be securing yourself from a lot of exploits just by changing your password. Router defaults are well-documented in user manuals and help forums online. Anything from default passwords to factory settings can be found online. Even lesser known models will have some obscure user documenting his use of it somewhere in the vast Internet. So change the default password 'admin' on that WRT54G, right now.
  • Change the router's SSID - a brand name is a start. These default SSID names are well-documented online. Once snoops know what router your using, they could choose the best attack to speed up breaking into your network.
  • Disable SSID broadcasts - don't advertise your network to the neighbors. Routers with SSID broadcast turned on inform every computer or wireless device nearby that your router is there. Piggybacking on your connection is just one concern. What if they're bright enough to break into your network and snoop on your computer? If its there, with big signs and bright lights, its bound to catch some bad guy's attention.
  • Turn on the firewall - when you set your router up, it will in most cases ask that you set rules for your firewall. Routers are great firewalls because they're "dumb". They don't reply to strangers knocking on the door. If some other computer on the Net wanted to connect to yours, the router simply ignores the request if it were unexpected and doesn't reply back. The effect is the other computer will think nothing is there.
  • Use WPA-PSK, not WEP - WPA-PSK is quite a common feature now in wireless routers. WEP is older and easier to hack into. WPA2 only comes in the newer (and more expensive) routers. So right now WPA-PSK is the best choice. How to use it? Go to this Windows guide, a bit old but the basics are still the same. For Ubuntu, the Ubuntu Guide provides a kernel of wisdom in that direction. One additional piece of advice I can give is to use a Pre-Shared Key by generating a random one from https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm. This page generates very strong random passwords that you can use on your router. I use the 63-character printable ASCII set because that's what most routers (I've tinkered with) accept. Note: the more random it is, the harder it is to crack it.
These are not professional grade tips but rather lessons I've learned while tinkering. I hope they prove as helpful to you as they have been to my friends. :-)

XM-Sirius Merger

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

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The uneven ground upon which the XM-Sirius Satellite radio merger stands was clarified in a news article on the Washington Post. I was first exposed to XM radio stations when I stumbled upon it while using AIM. I never really gave it much attention until I realized how good the music selection was in their channels. So naturally, it interested me when I found out that XM's merging with Sirius, its direct competitor in the satellite radio business. Anti-trust and monopolistic concerns aside, I think the merger can make a difference in their collective bottomlines. Competition between the two has gotten so worse that they're losing a lot of money and satellite radio isn't taking off that fast. Investor confidence wasn't taking off as well, that is until they announced they'd merge. If they get past all the regulations and do merge, I hope their next step would be to go international. Maybe accept subscriptions from some country near the Pacific with long historical and cultural ties with America? ;-)

Anyway, I was just thinking. If everybody had such a wide selection of music playing on good high quality radio, wouldn't that discourage file-trading? Wouldn't it be easier to just change the channel instead of downloading music online from strangers who's computers might be loaded with viruses and malware? Convenience would be another advantage. I play music from my phone's MP3 player. I have the CDs tucked away somewhere. It's a hassle to juggle the files around when your mood suddenly changes and you want to listen to something different. If only satellite or hi-def radio were available here. I'd buy something like this to keep on myself or something like this in the car. If only...

AMD Updates Athlon 64 Line

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

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AMD beefed up its line of processors with new models. They released the 45-watt Athlon 64 single-core processors in 3500+ and 3800+. They also introduced the AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor 6000+, yet another option for all you speed fanatics with deep pockets. These newer models are continuing the trend of low-power high-performance chips that AMD churned out the later half of last year. Everything looks promising. Looks like the days of dual-core Semprons (budget chips) are drawing nearer.

Ubuntu Ultimate

Saturday, February 10, 2007

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I just recently found out that is such a thing as an ultimate Ubuntu. I think this will be the easiest thing for switchers as they don't need to get hassled with a learning curve for getting everything to just work. Granted I found many of the things I needed to work easily by participating in the Ubuntu community. My experience though is contrary to those I've given Ubuntu CD's to. They find the solutions I have to be puzzling. Ubuntu Ultimate is headed the way of the keeping it simple for new users. That is something I like.

Now, I know most of the people who are directly involved with Ubuntu's development will probably frown upon this, much like they did at Automatix. But for users who aren't necessarily as tech savvy or as patient as the regular 'Nix user, these solutions are a godsend. You can get info on Ultimate here: http://www.ubufied.com/2007/01/28/ubuntu-ultimate-edition/

Isn't it a nice coincidence that this free Ubuntu variant is similarly named as another $400 OS ?

When the Law Does Not Protect the Innocent...

Saturday, February 3, 2007

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Case in fact, a substitute teacher is in trouble for being in the same room as computers that exposed kids to pornographic pop-ups. Sounds like Adware to me, which is something most Windows users don't really have control over. Adware is everywhere on the net and its hard enough to avoid getting them. Why put a subbie in jail for 40-something years for something the school's IT person was probably in more at fault with? I don't get it. Or was it just a technology-shunning judge or district attorney that made it possible? An erring defense attorney, maybe? This woman should not go to jail for this. It's just wrong.

Shout Out...

Friday, February 2, 2007

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Barely a day after the official launch of Vista, a novel hack had already been publicized. Several news articles covered the hack that was made possible through Vista's voice recognition function. I remember hearing someone on a podcast say that if there is a system, someone will hack it. This was exactly what he meant by that. This must be a record of some sort, a hack exposed the day after the OS was launched. I bet you many are now going to adopt a wait-and-see on Vista, at least the people following the news.

Put More G's in Your Pocket

Thursday, February 1, 2007

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Seagate unveiled yet another use for tiny hard drives. They seem to be churning out smaller and smaller hard drives every six months or so - LOL. In yet another twist to the mobile storage arena, they are marketing a portable 20GB hard drive with WiFi and Bluetooth. Oddly enough, they're calling it D.A.V.E. and its being marketed as a wireless storage appendage to mobile phones. What's even stranger is that they used to call the thing "cricket". It ain't as cool as that Scion xB they had at CES, but yeah I reckon I'd buy me a D.A.V.E. of me own.
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