Critical Windows Update

October 23rd, 2008

If your OS is newer than Win2k then you need to update it with an out-of-band update from Microsoft. This update came down today and there doesn’t appear to be a whole lot of talk about it though it is rather odd that this came down on a day other than Patch Tuesday.

According to The Register Microsoft hasn’t released a patch outside of their regular schedule in 18 months.

In short that means roll this patch out ASAP and get it into testing and then production as rapidly as you can.

Microsoft’s information page says:

This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the Server service. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if an affected system received a specially crafted RPC request. On Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability without authentication to run arbitrary code. It is possible that this vulnerability could be used in the crafting of a wormable exploit. Firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect network resources from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter.

Note that this is a critical update and, as such, should be implemented as soon as possible.

Where the hell is a KGIII?

October 15th, 2008

Galen is, well, here now. Sort of.

I just, finally, moved to a new place and after a bit of wrangling have internet access that is fairly reliable and *gasp* even broadband.

So I am here but I’m tired, expect more in the future.

If you’re wondering where I have been then you probably didn’t look out your window as I drove by. We toured the country searching for “real America” and, well, ended up back in Maine. Go figure?

My daughter turned ten this week, we had her come spend the night and spent Too Much© on her as I am wont to do. It was worth it to see her smiling face. There’s an interesting story about her at the moment but, alas, it is so personal she didn’t even want to tell me until she found out that it was normal so I won’t share it with random people on the internet.

I have decided that it is time for me to author a book. For those that don’t know, many years ago, I was actually an author but not a good one. I was a journalist for a local newspaper and, well, it didn’t pay well and my ideals got me pretty much fired. (I tried to publish a series based on the polluting of the river by the paper mill only to find out that that same paper mill provided the paper to the newspaper at a rather decent price as well as had a few of their executives on the paper’s board.) Ho hum.

I dunno? I’m thinking about open sourcing the book. I know that sounds odd but, well, I’m thinking about it.

Mostly I am thinking that I dislike the length of copyright but not the idea of copyright. I think I want to hope for the best (that it is well regarded as literature) and keep it in print form only and then, on the fifth year, I’d like to use a Creative Commons (or some other license) license on it if, of course, I can get the publishing house to do that and, even more important, I can get it published.

It is a bit of a philosophical work. If you want a snippet or two then simply holler via email and I’ll happily send you off a copy of the start. I warn you, ahead of time, it’s mostly about kicking the reader in the head and not at all a work of art and not at all very good.

So, for those who can do the work, you know my email address and I’ll happily send some of it out to you if you’d like to take a gander.

Email to SMS (Cell Phone)

September 29th, 2008

SMTP Email Settings

Please Note: While this protocol is popular, it was not designed for paging and as such it is not time sensitive, there can be delays in the reciept [sic] of the email depending on the routing (this does not have anything to do with the software but the design of the protocol). If your carrier supports SNPP or WCTP we would suggest using those protocols if time is an issue!

I got a new cell phone with a new carrier recently and I like to be able to forward certain server alerts and other things to my cell’s SMS service. For instance, if a server drops I want to be able to fix it quickly or at least know about it so I can call someone to have them fix it or to double check to see if someone is already working on it.

I searched and searched my provider’s site for the information. It is usually 2075551212@some.domain.com (my last one was utext.com). So I went on a quest. I searched and eventually dug down to this site.

It has a lot of providers there, not just those in the United States. So you might find this page of interest. Either way, it is worth a peek and a bookmarking. (I imagine my faithful three readers will find this of absolutely no real worth.) ;)

Adobe Flash Ads Security Flaw

September 25th, 2008

It seems that a new security problem has come up that users of Windows, Macs, and Linux should be aware of.

See this link at ZDNet for more information.

Malicious hackers are using booby-trapped Flash banner ads to hijack clipboards for use in rogue security software attacks.

In the Web attacks, which target Mac, Windows and Linux users running Firefox, IE and Safari, hackers are seizing control of the machine’s clipboard and using a hard-to-delete URL that points to a fake anti-virus program.

While I am not entirely sure what the effect of a “fake anti-virus program” would be for either Mac or Linux users (probably nothing) that isn’t the only likely potential with this.

So, to all of the faithful three and a half readers of this site… I’d recommend you remain alert and, of course, browse the web as securely as you can. Blocking those ads at this time would be a good idea.

Update: I’m not sure why ZDNet had this on their front page as new news. I looked again and noticed that the date was over a month ago. The same principle applies. Browse as securely as possible and a new caveat is, “Check the dates before you post something.”

ITLAPD

September 19th, 2008

Ahoy there matey! Today be International Talk Like A Pirate Day! Arr…

If ye be turning yer browser to the Googleship ye mights find this interrrresting!

Google fer Pirates

If ye be unable to talk like a pirate then ye might want to be triming yer mainsail and going this way lad…

Automagicarrrly Talk Like a Pirate and not some lubberrrr!

WSJ Goes Social Networking

September 15th, 2008

WSJ.com, one of the few news sites to restrict many of its stories to paying subscribers, is changing its layout to help nonpaying visitors navigate and identify free, ad-supported content. Those visitors will see a different home page from users who sign in as subscribers.

Read more about it here.

Indeed, at first I was going to talk about that. I think, in short, that this is a sign that things aren’t going that well for the Wall Street Journal and that those who are also in the same boat might want to look at their change in strategy.

But then I started thinking and looking at the Boston Globe site and it occurred to me that their technology section is in their business section. I figured it would be in their science section. That is where it belongs.

So I started looking around and, you know, they don’t have a science section. They have some science articles scattered around but nope, no section for science.

It isn’t the end of the world, just heralding to the time when science is even less important than it is now.

Microsoft’s Commercials?

September 12th, 2008

I enjoyed the latest of the Microsoft commercials. The latest one is 4½ minutes long and can be seen here:

Watch the commercial in a higher definition than found at YouTube.

I think that one of the oddest things is how it doesn’t appear to be pushing any product in specific but rather just aiming for an improved image in general. I also think it is odd that Gates is in the ads when he’s not really active in the day to day happenings with Microsoft but I suppose that’s okay as he’s actually the most recognizable person in Microsoft.

Meh… I’ll try embedding it here as well:


Video: New Family

Bringing the Blog back?

August 6th, 2008

Well, I figure why not? It has been a long time since I have posted anything so it is time that I get off my lazy arse and start again.

No promises or anything but, well, I’ll see if I can get something going here.

Keep an eye on this space. ;)

Searching this Site?

August 31st, 2007

Alright.

So, I was going through the stats for this blog’s subdomain and it seems that there are a lot of people who actually read it but that there are a lot of strange people there too. Let it be known we have no viagra, no mesothelioma lawyers, and certainly no penis enlargement pills here to read about.

Embassy Governement Email Hack

August 31st, 2007
Usernames and passwords for more than 100 e-mail accounts at embassies and governments worldwide have been posted online. Using the information, anyone can access the accounts that have been compromised.

Hacks hit embassy, government e-mail accounts worldwide - Network World

Yup. Just, yup… It won’t be long now. ;)