Redhat 9

Setting the E-Mail Client

2009-01-31T08:23:00.000-08:00

You need to configure an e-mail client (MUA) before you and your users can receive and send e-mail. The MUA(s) you decide to configure depend on user preferences and which user interfaces are available on your computer. If your Red Hat Linux system has no GUI, you must choose a text-based e-mail client. The next sections show you how to configure one GUI MUA (Netscape Messenger) and three of the most popular text-based MUAs (mail, elm, and Pine). Although the steps vary for other clients, the basic concepts are the same for configuring all MUAs.

Configuring POP3

2009-01-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

The steps involved in setting up POP3 include:
1. Installing the package that contains the POP3 daemon
2. Editing the file /etc/inetd.conf to make POP3 services available
3. Restarting the inetd daemon to make the changes in step 2 take effect
4. Checking that the POP3 daemon is accepting connections

Your Linux operating system installation procedure may have already set up POP3 for you. Before you start setting up POP3, therefore, you should use your favorite package manager to query whether POP3 is already installed.

Sending Files to a Ubuntu PC

2009-01-26T09:31:00.000-08:00

Follow these steps to send files from a Bluetooth device to your PC :

Select Applications ➤ System Tools ➤ Bluetooth File Sharing. Nothing will appear to have happened but, in fact, a new icon will have been added to the notification area. This indicates your computer is ready for incoming Bluetooth connections.
On the Bluetooth device from which you wish to send the file, start the file transfer. On the Nokia 6680, I clicked the file and selected Send ➤ Via Bluetooth.
When the file transfer is initiated, a dialog box will appear on your computer asking if you wish to accept the file, as shown in Figure 8-17. Click OK. (If the two devices are paired, the file transfer may happen instantly without the confirmation dialog box.) The file will be saved to your /home directory.

Installing Client for Microsoft Networks

2009-01-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

To install File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks :

Click Add.
Click Service, and then click Add in the Select Network Component Type box.
Click Microsoft, and then click File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks in the Select Network Service box.
Click OK.

Restart the computer as required. After the computer restarts, you see a network login window asking for a username and password. Click Cancel for now because there are a few more items that

need to be set up.

Install a Nvidia Driver

2009-01-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

The Nvidia driver supports practically all Nvidia 3D cards produced in recent times everything from the latest GeForce cards to the oldest TNT cards from the mid-1990s.
To install support for Nvidia cards, follow these steps:

Select System ➤ Administration ➤ Synaptic Package Manager.
Click the Search button and enter nvidia-glx as a search term. In the list of results, click the check box next to nvidia-glx and also nvidia-settings, so that both are marked for installation. Then click Apply.
After the installation has completed, open a GNOME Terminal window (Applications ➤ Accessories ➤ Terminal) and type sudo nvidia-glx-config enable.
Reboot your system.
To further configure the Nvidia card once your PC is back up and running, open a GNOME Terminal window and type nvidia-settings

Install an ATI Driver

2009-01-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

To install support for ATI 3D cards, follow these steps:

Select System ➤ Administration ➤ Synaptic Package Manager.
Click the Search button and enter xorg-driver-fglrx as a search term. Find your card among those listed in the Description box. Click the box next to the entry in the results list and select Mark for Installation. Then click Apply.
When the Synaptic Package Manager has finished installing the driver, open a GNOME Terminal window (Applications ➤ Accessories ➤ Terminal) and type sudo fglrxconfig. This will configure your X.org configuration file to work with the ATI drivers. Note that you will need to answer some questions about your keyboard and mouse. In most cases, the default answers should work fine.
Once the configuration program has finished, reboot your system.
When the system is up and running, you will be able to further configure the card by opening a GNOME Terminal window and typing fireflcontrolpanel

Configuring an NIS Client

2009-01-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

After you have successfully configured at least one master NIS server, you are ready to configure one or more NIS clients. The general procedure for setting up an NIS client involves the following steps:

1. Set the NIS domain name.
2. Configure and start the NIS client daemon.
3. Test the client daemon.
4. Configure the client’s startup files to use NIS.
5. Reboot the client.

The following subsections describe these steps in detail and discuss the command and configuration file syntax. Note that there is some overlap between configuring a client and a server, so discussion emphasizes client configuration tasks. The final subsection configures an example NIS client to illustrate the process of setting up a no-frills NIS client system that connects to the server configured at the end of the previous section.

Configure The Proxy

2009-01-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

Some networks in offices require that you use a web proxy (often referred to as an HTTP proxy). You’ll need to speak to your system administrator to see if your office uses a proxy. If it does, your administrator will most likely give you an address, which may take the form of a web address or an IP address.

Follow these steps to configure the proxy:
1. Open a GNOME Terminal window (Applications ➤ Accessories ➤ Terminal).
2. At the prompt, type the following to open the bash.bashrc file in Gedit:
sudo gedit /etc/bash.bashrc
3. Scroll to the bottom and add the following to the file:
export http_proxy=http://username:password@address:port_number/
Replace username and password with your own details. If your proxy doesn’t use usernames
and passwords, simply leave them out (type http_proxy=http://address:port_number/).
Replace address and port_number with the relevant details.
4. Add the line shown in step 3 to the /etc/username/.bashrc file in exactly the same way.
Open the file in Gedit and add the line to the bottom of the file.
5. Save the file, and then log out and back in again.

Install Ubuntu

2009-01-20T08:33:00.000-08:00

Installing Linux is a surprisingly quick task and shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes on a modern PC.

Step by Step how to install ubuntu :

Boot from the CD-ROM
Select Your Language
Confirm Your Keyboard Layout
Wait During Hardware and Networking Autodiscovery
Set a Hostname
Partition the Disk
Wait During Automated Package Copying
Set the Time Zone
Set Your Real Name, Username, and Password
Install the GRUB Boot Loader
Reboot for the Second Installation Phase
Wait During Package Installation
Configure Your Monitor
Boot for the First Time

When installation has finished, the system will boot straight into the Ubuntu login screen,

Configuring an NIS Server

2009-01-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

The simplest NIS configuration consists of a single NIS server and one or more clients. In this case, NIS server configuration involves the following steps:

1. Setting the NIS domain name.
2. Configuring and starting the server daemon, ypbind.
3. Initializing the NIS maps.
4. Starting the NIS password daemon.
5. Starting the NIS transfer daemon if you use slave servers.
6. Modifying the startup process to start the NIS daemons when the system reboots.

If your NIS configuration also utilizes slave servers, you also need to perform configuration steps on the slave servers.

Building a New Kernel

2009-01-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

Rebuilding the kernel involves the following steps:

1. Downloading and installing the kernel source code
2. Configuring the kernel
3. Building the kernel
4. Building and installing kernel modules (if any)
5. Installing the kernel and setting up the GRUB boot loader

Create a Secure Server with SSL

2009-01-17T08:25:00.000-08:00

A secure Web server consists of two components: the SecureSockets Layer (SSL) protocol and, usually, a digital certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA). SSL provides encrypted communications and handles authentication needs between a Web browser and your Web server. A CA provides a generally accepted digital certificate and provides an additional level of authentication for your Web server because the CA guarantees that your Web server is, in fact, your Web server and not someone else’s.

To create a secure Web server, you must have at least the following four packages installed:

apache — Provides the Apache Web server.
mod_ssl — Installs the mod_ssl Apache loadable module, which provides strong encryption for Apache and gives Apache the ability to use SSL and its companion protocol, Transport Layer Security (TLS).
openssl — Implements the SSL and TLS protocols and a general purpose encryption library.
mm — Enables multiple instances of Apache to share state information.

Setting Up a Network Interface Card

2009-01-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

Every Red Hat Linux distribution includes networking support and tools that can be used to configure your network. In this section you’ll learn how to configure a computer for connection to an internal and external network. Even if the computer is not connected to outside networks, an internal network functionality is required for some applications. This address is known as the loopback and its IP address is 127.0.0.1.

You should check that this network interface is working before configuring your network cards. To do this, you can use the ifconfig utility to get some information. If you type ifconfig at a console prompt, you will be shown your current network interface configuration. Make sure the loopback (IP address 127.0.0.1) is working before you begin to configure your network cards. If your loopback is configured, the ifconfig shows a device called lo with the address 127.0.0.1.

Setting up Netscape Messenger

2009-01-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

Setting up Netscape Messenger consists of three main parts:
1. Filling out forms.
a. The Identity form tells Messenger who you are.
b. The Mail Server form tells Messenger which e-mail server to retrieve your mail from.
2. Configuring the Incoming Mail Server.
3. Configuring the Outgoing Mail Server.

Creating the Red Hat Boot Disk

2009-01-13T08:02:00.000-08:00

To boot Red Hat Linux for the first time and start the Red Hat Linux installation program, you need a Red Hat boot disk.

To create the Red Hat boot disk under Windows, follow these steps:
1. Open an MS-DOS window (select Start > Programs > MS-DOS Prompt).
2. In the MS-DOS window, enter the following commands at the MS-DOS prompt.

d: (use the drive letter for the CD-ROM drive)
cd \dosutils
rawrite
Enter disk image source file name: \images\boot.img
Enter target diskette drive: a
Please insert a formatted diskette into drive A: and press -
ENTER- :

3. As instructed, you should put a formatted disk into your PC’s A: drive and then press Enter. RAWRITE.EXE copies the boot-image file to the disk.

When the DOS prompt returns, remove the Red Hat boot disk from the A: drive
and label it as a Red Hat boot disk.

How To Install Firestarter

2008-12-30T18:00:00.000-08:00

Follow these steps to downloading and install Firestarter.

Select System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager. You’ll need to enter your password when prompted. Click the Search button, and enter firestarter as a search term. In the list of results, locate the program, and click the check box. Then choose to install the package, and click Apply on the Synaptic toolbar.
Once the desktop is back up and running, select System -> Administration -> Firestarter. When you run Firestarter for the first time, it will walk you through a wizard.
Click the Forward button to continue the wizard beyond the introductory page.
The first step asks which network interface Firestarter should configure.
Put a check in the “IP address is assigned via DHCP” box, unless you’re using a dialup modem. If you are using a dial-up modem, select “Start the firewall on dial-out” check box. After making your choices, click the Forward button.
You’re asked if you want to enable Internet connection sharing. This allows you to turn your computer into an Internet router and can be very useful in certain circumstances. You can activate this later on by running the wizard again. Click Forward to continue.
The wizard will finish. Click the Save button to save your settings to disk. In addition, ensure the Start Firewall Now box is checked. After this, the Firestarter main window opens.

How to Use the Bluetooth Applet

2008-12-25T17:57:00.000-08:00

Here are steps to use the Bluetooth applet to send file :

Right-click the Bluetooth icon in the navigation area and click Send File.
In the Choose Files to Send dialog box, navigate to the file you want to send and click Open.
In the Select Device dialog box, select the target Bluetooth device and click the Connect button.
The target Bluetooth device might prompt you to accept or deny a file transfer request from Ubuntu. Choose to accept it.
After the file has been received by the Bluetooth device, click Close

Boot Floppies Debian Linux

2008-12-24T08:21:00.000-08:00

Three ways to make a boot floppy debian linux :
You must decide from which kernel you want to boot. That means look in /boot

Install the package debianutils. Issue the command
You may be able to boot off your rescue disk/CD, and elect the create boot floppy option from the menu
Insert a preformatted (DOS or EXT2) floppy disk into your drive and type cat /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.18 > /dev/fd0

Sending Files from a Ubuntu PC to Another Device

2008-12-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

There are two ways to send files to another Bluetooth device from your Ubuntu PC. The first is to use the Bluetooth applet. The second is to right-click the file in question and select Send To. The second method is useful if you wish to send many files at once, and you will have the option of automatically zipping the files into a single archive (but bear in mind that the Bluetooth device receiving the file will need to be able to subsequently
unarchive the file).

How To Install Simple Backup

2008-12-17T18:06:00.000-08:00

Simple Backup is a series of programs that enable quick and easy backup and restoration of personal data, as well as system configuration files. Its output, which takes the form of backup directories containing an archive of the files, plus configuration data, can be written to your hard disk (or a network mount attached to it), or to a remote Internet location, such as an FTP server.

Simple Backup was created courtesy of the Google Summer of Code sponsorship scheme and was designed with the help of Ubuntu developers. To install Simple Backup, open Synaptic Package Manager (System -> Administration), and then search for sbackup. Click its entry in the list of results, mark it for installation, and click Apply. You’ll then find entries for the backup and restoration components of Simple Backup on the System -> Administration menu.

Install The Driver Using NdisWrapper

2008-12-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

On the Ubuntu computer on which you wish to install the drivers, you should now have the .inf file from the previous steps, plus the .sys and possibly .bin files that constitute the driver. Here are some tips how to install the driver using NdisWrapper :

Click System ➤ Administration ➤ Windows Wireless Drivers. Enter your password when prompted.
Click the Install New Driver button.
The Install Driver dialog box appears, prompting you to select the .inf file for your wireless device. Click the Location drop-down list to open a file browsing dialog box.
Navigate to the .inf file you copied to your system, which you have placed in the driver folder on your desktop. Double-click the desktop folder, and then doubleclick the driver folder listed in the right column. Select the .inf file you copied in the driver folder and then click the Open button.
Back in the Install Driver dialog box, click the Install button.
At this point, you should see the driver listed at the left column of the Wireless Network Drivers dialog box. It specifies the name of the driver installed and whether the hardware is installed.
No reboot is necessary and your wireless network card should work immediately. To test if the driver works, click the NetworkManager icon and see if there are wireless networks listed. If it works, click Close to exit the Wireless Network Drivers dialog box.

How To Install ClamTk

2008-12-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

You can install ClamAV and ClamTk through the Synaptic Package Manager, as follows:

Select System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager. You’ll need to enter your password when prompted.
Click the Search button, and enter clamtk as a search term.
In the list of results, locate the program, and click the check box.
Choose to Mark for Installation.
When prompted to mark additional required changes, click the Mark button. This ensures ClamTk, ClamAV, and their dependencies will be installed.
Click the Apply button on the Synaptic toolbar.

Making and Burning DVDs with Growisofs

2008-12-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

Using the growisofs command, you can combine the two steps of gathering files into an ISO image (mkisofs) and burning that image to DVD (cdrecord). Besides saving a step, the growisofs command also offers the advantage of keeping a session open by default until you close it, so you don’t need to do anything special for multi-burn sessions.

Here is an example of some growisofs commands for a multi-burn session:
$ growisofs -Z /dev/dvd -R -J /home/chris Master and burn to DVD
$ growisofs -Z /dev/dvd -R -J /home/francois Add to burn
$ growisofs -M /dev/dvd=/dev/zero Close burn

If you want to add options when creating the ISO image, you can simply add mkisofs options to the command line. If you want to burn a DVD image using growisofs, you can use the -dvd-compat option. Here’s an example:
$ growisofs -dvd-compat -Z /dev/dvd=image.iso Burn an ISO image to DVD

Create a Virtual File System

2008-12-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

If you want to try out different file system types or simply make a file system that is more portable (in other words, not tied to a physical disk), you can create a virtual file system. A virtual file system is one that sits within a file on an existing file system. You can format it as any file system type you like, move it around, and use it from different computers.

Virtual file systems are useful for such things as creating live CDs or running dedicated virtual operating systems. In the example that follows, you create a blank 500MB disk image file, format it as a file system,

Control Keys for Editing with Nano

2008-12-08T20:14:00.000-08:00

This below control code function key description nano

Ctrl+g : F1 Show help text. (Press Ctrl+x to exit help.)
Ctrl+x : F2 Exit nano (or close the current file buffer).
Ctrl+o : F3 Save the current file.
Ctrl+j : F4 Justify the current text in the current paragraph.
Ctrl+r : F5 Insert a file into the current file

Ctrl+w : F6 Search for text.
Ctrl+y : F7 Go to the previous screen.
Ctrl+v : F8 Go to the next screen.
Ctrl+k : F9 Cut (and store) the current line or marked text.
Ctrl+u : F10 Uncut (paste) the previously cut line into the file.

Ctrl+c : F11 Display the current cursor position.
Ctrl+t : F12 Start spell checking.
Ctrl+- : Go to selected line and column numbers.
Ctrl+\ : Search and replace text.
Ctrl+6 : Mark text, starting at the cursor (Ctrl+6 to unset mark).

Ctrl+f : Go forward one character.
Ctrl+b : Go back one character.
Ctrl+Space : Go forward one word.
Alt+Space : Go backward one word.
Ctrl+p : Go to the previous line.

Ctrl+n : Go to the next line.
Ctrl+a : Go to the beginning of the current line.
Ctrl+e : Go to the end of the current line.
Alt+( : Go to the beginning of the current

How OpenSSH Works

2008-12-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

When OpenSSH starts, it first establishes an encrypted connection and then authenticates the user. Once these two tasks are completed, OpenSSH allows the two systems to send information back and forth. OpenSSH uses two key pairs to negotiate an encrypted session: a host key pair and a session key pair. The host key pair is a set of public/private keys that is established when you install the openssh-server package

The first time an OpenSSH client connects with an OpenSSH server, you are asked to verify that it is connected to the correct server. After verification, the client makes a copy of the server’s public host key. On subsequent connections, the client compares the key provided by the server with the original key it stored. Although this test is not foolproof, the next one is quite secure

The client then generates a random key, which it encrypts with both the server’s public host key and the session key. The client sends this encrypted key to the server. The server, in turn, uses its private keys to decrypt the encrypted key. This process creates a key that is known only to the client and the server and is used to encrypt the rest of the session

How To Remove a Windows Partition

2008-12-06T19:57:00.000-08:00

If you can delete a big enough Windows partition, you can install Linux in its place. To delete a Windows partition, you must have multiple partitions under Windows and be willing to lose the data in the partition you delete. In many cases, you can move the data from the partition you will delete to another Windows partition. Once you are sure a partition contains no useful information, you can use the Partition Editor to delete it. After deleting the partition, you can install Ubuntu Linux in the free space left by the partition you removed

Upgrade a System Ubuntu Linux

2008-12-05T19:51:00.000-08:00

Before you upgrade a system, it is a good idea to back up all user files on the system. The following procedure assumes that you have a desktop system that is connected to the Internet.

Follow these steps to upgrade a system ubuntu :

Open the Update Manager window by selecting Main menu: System -> Administration -> Update Manager.
Regardless of whether the window says, you can install updates or not, click Check. This step ensures the software package database is up-to-date.
If the window displays You can install updates, click Install Updates. This step ensures all software packages on the system are up-to-date.
At this point, if a new release is available, the window displays the message New distribution release 'X.XX' is available. Click Upgrade.
The utility displays the Release Notes window. Read the release notes and then click Upgrade.
The utility downloads the upgrade tool and updates some files.
You are asked if you want to start the upgrade. Click Start Upgrade.
When the upgrade is complete, reboot the system.

Install Ubuntu Linux From CD/DVD

2008-12-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

Here are steps the process of installing Ubuntu Linux from a CD/DVD.

Insert the installation CD/DVD in and reset the computer
You can press function keys to display options, select an item from the initial install screen menu, and begin bringing up a live session or installing Ubuntu when you are ready.
As part of the process of bringing up a live session or installing Ubuntu, The installer copies tools required for the installation or to bring up a system from a live/install Desktop CD/DVD to the RAM disks.
The installer prompts you with questions about how you want to configure Ubuntu Linux.
When the installer is finished collecting information, it displays the Ready to install screen/ When you click Install, it writes the operating system files to the hard disk.
The installer prompts you to remove the CD/DVD and press RETURN; it then reboots the system.
The Ubuntu Linux system is ready for you to log in and use.

Install Desktop CD Linux

2008-12-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

When you boot a live/install Desktop CD/DVD, it brings up a GNOME desktop, you are running a live session. When you exit from the live session, the system is as it was before you booted from the CD/DVD. Booting a live/install Desktop CD/DVD is a good way to test hardware and fix a system that will not boot from the hard disk. A live session is ideal for people who are new to Ubuntu or Linux and want to experiment with Ubuntu but are not ready to install Ubuntu on their system.

Fedora 7 Is Here

2007-05-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

This morning, in a press release, Max Spevack said: "Beyond the usual set of upstream changes and improvements, our latest release is by far the most exciting and flexible to date. With our new open source build process, our community of contributors will enjoy much greater influence and authority in advancing Fedora. The ability to create appliances to suit very particular user needs is incredibly powerful."

Spevack mentioned among the most important improvements in Fedora 7, the inclusion of the nouveau open source nVidia drivers, a lot more wireless cards than "just work" and Revisor, a new application for the creation of customized Fedora 7 distribution.

You can view the whole release announcement here.The Fedora Project is a Red-Hat-sponsored and community-supported open source project. It is also a proving ground for new technology that may eventually make its way into Red Hat products and it is not a supported product of Red Hat.

The goal of The Fedora Project is to work with the Linux community in order to build a complete, general purpose operating system exclusively from free software. Development will be done in a public forum. The project will produce time-based releases of Fedora Core about 2-3 times a year with a public release schedule.You can download Fedora Core 7 now from Softpedia.[via]

Microsoft Advances with Interoperability Camelot

2007-05-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has called its interoperability customer council around the Redmond round table for the second time since 2006. The host of the council meeting, Bob Muglia, senior vice president of the Server and Tools Business at Microsoft was joined by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and by Microsoft Senior Vice President and General Counsel Brad Smith, Microsoft Business Division President Jeff Raikes together with other company executives to focus on interoperability issues. The Interoperability Executive Customer Council is a Microsoft initiative designed to provide fertile ground for a discussions in which Microsoft would better understand the needs of its customers.

"We wanted to engage in a direct, active discussion with companies that have highly sophisticated IT environments — companies that need to address interoperability issues day in and day out. We wanted their help identifying real-world interoperability scenarios and priorities from the customer perspective, and working with us on solutions. With that in mind, we brought together CIOs and CTOs from large organizations, which included corporate customers in a cross-section of industries and governments in a range of geographies, with the idea of having an ongoing and constructive dialog about interoperability," Muglia revealed.

The last time the council convened was in October 2006 on the Redmond campus following the creation of the group in June last year. Muglia made it clear that Microsoft has put its money where its mouth is, and that in excess of 70% of all the interoperability issues that were raised in the council have already been dealt with.

"We believe interoperability is all about connecting people, data and diverse systems, and our goal is to deliver "interoperability by design." By that I mean we develop products with compatibility in mind from the start. We take a holistic approach to interoperability. First, we think about how we build our products, which includes deciding which protocols we use, which data formats we use, what sort of documentation we create, what kinds of development tools we make available and so forth," Muglia added.

One More Antivirus Proves Us That We're Not Safe

2007-05-29T18:38:00.000-07:00

Although I believe we don't need any evidence that our computers are not safe anymore, another antivirus solution joins the list of the vulnerable applications making our systems opened to attacks. This time, the vulnerable program is Avira AntiVir, a security solution that was designed to fight against viruses, malware files, spyware and other threats. Security company Secunia rated the flaw as highly critical adding that the affected versions are Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic 7.x, Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Premium 7.x, Avira AntiVir Premium Security Suite 7.x, Avira AntiVir Server 6.x, Avira AntiVir UNIX MailGate 2.x and Avira AntiVir Workstation 7.x.

"An error when processing LZH files can be exploited to cause a buffer overflow via a specially crafted LZH file. Successful exploitation may allow execution of arbitrary code. A divide-by-zero error when processing UPX-compressed files can be exploited to crash the application via a specially crafted UPX-compressed file. An error when processing TAR files can be exploited to cause an infinite loop consuming available CPU resources," Secunia sustained.

The solution is to update the AVPack to version 7.03.00.09 and the engine to the 7.04.00.24 version. However, you are advised to keep your auto-update feature enabled because the antivirus solution needs up-to-date virus definitions to discover and block all the threats.

In the past, most of the famous antiviruses were affected by more or less critical security flaws that opened our computers and made them vulnerable to attacks. No matter if it was NOD32, Symantec Norton Antivirus, Kaspersky Antivirus or BitDefender, most of the antivirus products were vulnerable to attacks and, instead of making our computer more secure to attacks, they are causing several problems. That's why it is recommended to remain secure by avoiding visiting untrusted websites or unknown files.[via]

BeaFanatIX Review

2007-05-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

Some of you have probably heard a few years ago about a project called BeatrIX - a small GNU/Linux LiveCD distribution, which was pretty popular at that time. Unfortunately, the BeatrIX project has been discontinued since 2005.

The BeaFanatIX project started as a remaster of BeatrIX. The team extracted BeatrIX, changed some stuff, and put everything back on the CD. It was still BeatrIX, but with a face lift. You can find a lot of descriptions about BeaFanatIX (BFX for short) on the Internet, like "BeatrIX reloaded" or "Debian built on Knoppix", but what is BFX really? You might be surprised, but BeaFanatIX is a customized LiveCD based on Ubuntu 5.10 (codename Breezy Badger). However, because the Ubuntu LiveCD is loading rather slow, the BeaFanatIX development team used the techniques from the Knoppix Linux LiveCD distribution in order to get a fast bootable CD.

First BootI've downloaded the ISO (approx. 157 MB in size), burned it on a blank CD and put it in my CD-ROM, in order to boot from it. After a few seconds, I was prompted with a customized GRUB splash, the BeaFanatIX logo/mascot – the black cat. First option is "Boot from first harddisk", which is not a common thing as some users many not look at the bootloader screen and just press enter. So, in order to start the LiveCD environment, you need to press the second option - "BeaFanatIX 2006.2 *default* (1024x768x16, english) - (why it is marked as *default* I really don't know, hopefully they will fix this bug in a future version). Please wait a few seconds for the LiveCD to load. You will see a lot of text on the screen as the CD tries to discover your hardware and load all the necessary services and modules. I have an Optiplex 740 machine from DELL, and I was amazed when BeaFanatIX recognized the AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+ that comes with my PC.

Under the hood

The main components that power this version of BeaFanatIX 2006.2 are:

• Linux kernel 2.6.15 with patch ck7 (compiled with gcc-4.0.1

• libc6-2.3.5

• GCC 4.0.1 compiler

• Xorg 6.8.2

• Gnome 2.12.2 desktop environment

For more information, please visit : news

The Downsides of 64-bit Windows Vista

2007-05-28T18:56:00.001-07:00

Microsoft delivers Windows Vista in both 32-bit and 64-bit flavors. While a system configuration with a x64 processor certainly recommends one of the 64-bit editions of Windows Vista, these versions of the operating system do come with downsides that customers need to be aware of. Being essentially identical to 32-bit Windows Vista, the 64-bit editions will deliver support for 32-bit applications without any problems.

This aspect is one of the pillars of the transition to 64-bit. Users are encouraged to adopt the next wave in computing technology while still being able to enjoy the same programs they used to on their 32-bit system. However, 64-bit Vista does not offer support for 16-bit applications or components. Old solutions designed for platforms that preceded 32-bit will not function on x64 Vista.

64-bit Windows Vista also features an additional line of defense against buffer overflow attacks. Vista's Data Execution Prevention (DEP) will work in conjunction with the 64-bit processor to prevent exploits, but one major shortcoming is the fact that legitimate applications and processes will be stopped if the operating system detects a buffer overflow condition.

Another problem that users will face on 64-bit Vista is the generalized lack of driver support. Drivers in x64 Vista are a completely different deal than on 32-bit Windows platforms. And although 64-bit Vista supports 32-bit applications it does not do the same with 32-bit drivers. The products have to be prepared for 64-bit Vista, as the operating system brings to the table a feature called Signed Kernel Mode Drivers. 64-bit kernel-mode drivers will not be installed in Windows Vista without digital signatures. Also automatic registry and system file redirection specific to the 32-bit operating systems have not made it into 64-bit Vista.

And last but not least, the x64 version of Windows Vista introduces Kernel Patch Protection. PatchGuard is a technology designed to prevent access to the core of the operating system. All applications – including legitimate programs such as security solutions – that needed to access the operating system's kernel in order to function will fail under 64-bit Vista.[via]

Windows Vista Quality Tests

2007-05-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has applauded Vista as the most secure Windows platform to date. But when it comes to fresh releases of Windows, security advancements are nothing short of a leitmotif for Microsoft, and Vista makes no exception to this rule. However, James A. Whittaker, Security Architect at Microsoft claims that assessing the quality of a product before its release is impossible.

"You can’t test quality in." It’s a truism coined long ago and an accepted fact of software development," Whittaker explained. But this is not to say that Windows Vista is not the most secure operating system to come out of Redmond. This is of course the merit of the Security Development Lifecycle. And Whittaker managed to offer an insight into the inner workings of SDL, because while the overall quality of Vista will only be proven in real life scenarios, the platform has been tested extensively.

"Yet, for security, testing is arguably the most talked about aspect of the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL). When we get security wrong, the first criticism we almost always hear is, "Didn’t you guys test this thing?" It is no great stretch to say that many of the most famous industry security folks made their reputation by finding vulnerabilities (through, no doubt, testing). You simply can’t avoid the subject of testing when you talk about security, and you can’t be sure you’re secure without testing," Whittaker said.

Windows Vista is the first Microsoft platform to also be a complete Security Development Lifecycle product. And as the testing process is a repetitive occurrence in all the stages of the SDL, it was implemented into all the phases of the operating system's growth.

"Testers are involved in architecture review, security design reviews, threat modeling, code reviews and many other things that happen both before and after the actual testing phase. In each of these instances, testers bring a valuable how-I-would-break-this slant to these endeavors. This contribution has been valuable enough to spawn a big push around the company to move testing activity to earlier phases of the lifecycle and, though some might not agree, I think the practice of threat modeling can be ascribed to this movement. The idea of thinking through threats and understanding attack vectors has been our focus in security testing for years, and threat modeling represents the extraction of this process as its own standalone entity," Whittaker revealed.

The end purpose of the SDL is to educate engineers to write code with exploits in mind. Windows Vista code has been authored under the constant pressure of "attack scenarios, threats and test cases." Building, designing and writing code in Windows Vista under the SDL umbrella is a process aimed at delivering a guarantee of tested security.[via]

First Three Ubuntu 7.04 PCs from Dell Will Ship Today

2007-05-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

Today, 24 May 2007, is a historical day for every Ubuntu fan out there, because Dell will finally release the first three systems with Ubuntu 7.04 pre-installed. The systems offered by Dell are:
• XPS 410n Desktop
• Dimension E520n Desktop
• Inspiron E1505n Notebook

The above systems will be available for customers today at www.dell.com/open by 4 PM CST. The XPS 410n desktop system will have a starting price of $849, and the price for the E520n desktop and the E1505n notebook starts at $599.Dell will offer hardware support for these systems and all the customers can get help and latest updates from the Dell Community Forum & the official Dell Linux website. On the other hand, Canonical will offer support to everyone who buys a Dell system with Ubuntu pre-installed; these fee-based options include 30-day Get Started, One-year Basic and One-year Standard.

John Hull, Manager of Linux OS Technologies at Dell, and the Dell Linux team will continue to work with hardware vendors to improve the Linux drivers’ stability: "That’s part of our longer-term goal to increase the number of drivers that work at the kernel level—something Direct2Dell readers made very clear. We’ll get there, it just takes time."

On February 16, when Dell first launched the Dell IdeaStorm website, someone named dhart submitted this wonderful idea - to have pre-installed Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE) on Dell desktops and notebooks. Over 30,000 community members supported this idea and more than 100,000 people completed the Linux survey to tell Dell what they think about having pre-installed Linux OS on their systems.

Please watch this interview with the Dell Linux team leaders, starring John Hull, Roger Noriega, Rezwanul Kabir and Hatim Amro. The interview was taken by Lionel Menchaca from Direct2Dell website. Enjoy![via]

Three Steps to Pimp Your Vista and Get a Mac Feeling

2007-05-28T05:06:00.000-07:00

Some of you believe that Windows Vista was somehow inspired by Apple’s Mac OS X because the Redmond-based company intended to develop a similar operating system with all the tools bundled into it. Windows Vista was released but, as some of you had the chance to notice, it is more than different from Mac OS X or at least this is what we’re able to see at the first look. Now, I guess all of you desire to have that eye-candy dock, the nice looking mouse cursor and the very efficient search function provided by Spotlight. Obviously, these features can be implemented into Windows Vista using additional applications able to provide almost the same functions as the original Mac OS X tools.

Step 1: The DockThe dock is a graphical user interface that redefines the concept of the taskbar used by Windows because it is based on well-looking effects and a nice appearance. Basically, it is actually a program launcher as it allows you to run a program with ease. The dock was implemented by Apple into Mac OS X and is meant to represent the alternative for the old fashioned taskbar used by Windows. If you want to add a dock into your Microsoft operating system, you can do it with RK Launcher, a simple application that brings almost the same functionality as the original Apple dock. "RK Launcher is a free application that will allow the user to have a visually pleasing bar at the side of the screen that is used to quickly launch shortcuts. With support for themes, PNG's and ICO's and with smooth amazing animations, RK Launcher is a versatile and great taskbar replacement," the developer describes the application. The program is quite easy to use so I’ll let you explore it for yourself and find the amazing feature it offers. Have a look at the following pictures to familiarize with the tool.

Step 2: The Search UtilityApple’s Spotlight is an extremely useful tool because it allows Mac OS X users to find any format of file straight from their desktop in no time. At this time, Spotlight can search your computer for documents, pictures, music, applications, System Preferences, as well as specific words in documents. Obviously, the function is available only for the Apple customers so there’s no chance to have it in Windows. However, the search giant Google has the solution: Google Desktop. Recently, the Mountain View company developed the Mac flavor of Google Desktop, making it the perfect alternative for Spotlight. As the application is also compatible with Windows, the Microsoft customers can implement the program into their operating system. Basically, Google Desktop works exactly like Spotlight because it indexes all your files and then it returns results almost instantly. The program can be accessed by pressing the CTRL button for two times and will open a popup window to type your search query. However, Google Desktop is more than a simple application because it provides a lot more functions than the basic search abilities. Download it from this link and view the following photos to see Google Desktop

Step 3: The CursorsThere is no Mac feeling if you’re working on the computer without the Apple mouse cursor. I agree that Windows Vista’s cursors are quite attractive but, if you really want to transform your Microsoft operating system into a high-looking Mac OS X, you need to use the original cursors. Although there are a lot of cursor packs on the Internet, I decided to choose the set offered by WinMatrix and available on this link. This time, you need to configure the cursors manually so here’s what you must do to setup the Mac OS X mouse interface: right click on the desktop and choose Properties. Click on the Mouse Pointers link and then select the Pointers tab. Double click on the Normal Select field and navigate to your downloaded cursors and open the Normal one. Repeat this action for all the cursors on the list. When you’re ready, press Apply and you should be able to use the nice looking Mac OS X cursor.

Obviously, all these programs are also compatible with Windows XP but I preferred to try them on Vista as some of the users sustained that Microsoft’s operating system copied Apple’s application. Please keep in mind that these are only some simple applications to add or modify Vista’s features so, if you have some other cool tools, feel free to share them. Meanwhile, have a look at the three programs in action.[via]