Blog for "the-enabler" of the letsnet.org network

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June 25, 2004 (4:19 p.m. EST)
By Gregg Keizer, TechWeb News

A widespread attack on Web servers and sites continued Friday, but the Russian hacker site that was delivering malicious code to client machines has been shut down, removing -- at least temporarily -- the danger to users of Internet Explorer.
Although the site was up as late as early Friday morning, later in the day it was inaccessible. Multiple security firms confirmed that the site was down, and TechWeb was also unable to reach the site.

The attack, considered to be among the most sophisticated to date, first compromises Microsoft IIS servers, then appends malicious JavaScript code onto each page served by the infected site. End users who simply view an infected page are invisibly redirected to the Russian hacker site, which then loads one of several backdoor components and a key logger to the PC.

“The [hacker] domain is no longer available,” said Ken Dunham, director of malicious code research at iDefense. “Although it could be due to high levels of traffic to the site, it's more likely it's been made unavailable because of the malicious content it was hosting.” McAfee's virus research manager, Craig Schmugar, also confirmed that the site was down.

While that eliminates the immediate threat to Internet Explorer users -- with the site offline, nothing can be downloaded to compromised machines -- this is nowhere near the end of the story, said security experts.

“This [attack] is only in the early stages,” said Dunham, “and the IP address [for the Russian site] could easily be changed in future variants. Even as these hacker sites rise up and fall down, we still have the attack issue to deal with.”

More attacks are probably in the offing because of the group behind the attack. “It looks like the HangUP Team out of Russia is doing this,” he said. F-Secure, a Finnish anti-virus firm that's been aggressively analyzing the attack, also pegged HangUP as the most likely culprit.

HangUP, a for-profit malicious code-cutting group out of Russia, developed the backdoor Trojan horses that were uploaded to client systems exploited by Friday's attack. Those Trojans “are designed to steal credit card and other information that is then marketed to organized identity theft markets,” said Dunham.

The reason why Dunham and others expect additional attacks is because of HangUP's past practice with the Korgo worm, which the group is also suspected of writing. Korgo, now in its eighteenth variation, exploits the LSASS vulnerability in Windows which was made public several months ago.

“It's highly likely that we'll see additional attacks, if, in fact, HangUP is behind this, because of the number of Korgo variants it's put out,” said Dunham.

Other reasons why hackers will continue to exploit the situation are the ongoing confusion about how the servers -- and the sites hosted on them -- became infected in the first place, and the ongoing vulnerability of Internet Explorer.

“That's the biggest mystery,” said Mikko Hyppönen, F-Secure's director of anti-virus research. “Nobody seems to know how they were initially infected.” Security firms are still trying to puzzle out whether the servers were exploited through a known vulnerability -- the most likely culprit is one patched by Microsoft in April-- or a so-called “zero-day” vulnerability. Exploits of zero-day vulnerabilities attack flaws for which no patch is available, and are considered worst-case by security experts.

Internet Explorer also remains vulnerable, said Dunham, contrary to Microsoft's claim. The client can be infected by such attacks through two vulnerabilities. One was patched in April but the second is a zero-day vulnerability called ADODB. (A patch against ADODB was issued in November 2003, but it doesn't protect against this newest exploit.)

“Microsoft has said if you're fully patched you're okay,” said Dunham, “but we took live exploit code and ran it on a fully-patched client, and the code ran just fine.”

In a document classified as “Critical,” Microsoft tells users to visit Windows Update, the company's security update service, to protect themselves against the attack.

The stakes are high. End-users' systems not only were infected by backdoors, but also by a key logger. Early Friday morning, F-Secure's Hyppönen said, “[The key logger] is stealing confidential information from thousands or tens of thousands of machines. That information can be passwords, usernames, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, anything really.”

According to Symantec, the key logger trapped and transmitted authentication info -- usernames and passwords -- used to log in to major Web sites, including eBay, PayPal, EarthLink, Juno, and Yahoo.

“The key logger is stealing credentials of those going to those sites,” said Alfred Huger, vice president of engineering for Symantec's virus watch group, “but that doesn't mean the sites themselves are infected.”

With such stakes -- high volume identity theft -- in play, it's increasingly clear that Friday's attack will be only the first of many.

“It looks like this is something that we'll have to learn to live with,” said Symantec's Huger. “The JavaScript is out there, the exploit is out there. Hopefully, we'll never be put in the position of having to walk away from the Web because we don't know which sites are safe, and what aren't. If that happens, we've lost.”

Until a solid patch is available, some experts are advising users to disable JavaScript in Internet Explorer, or switch to a non-IE browser.

“You can configure IE to be more secure, and disable the funationalty of JavaScript,” said McAfee's Schmugar. “But that puts users between a rock and a hard place.”

Huger of Symantec took a different tack. “At this point, I think it's totally appropriate to have two browsers,” he said.





MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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Don't forget Fahrenheit 9/11 opens the weekend. Information is power, see all sides. The more input the better.

MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=569&ncid=738&e=1&u=/nm/20040624/tc_nm/tech_spyware_dc

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional committee on Thursday approved a bill designed to crack down on deceptive "spyware" that hides in users' computers and secretly monitors their activities.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 45-4 for a bill that would require software makers to notify people before loading new programs on their machines that collect information about them.

Spyware can sap computing power, crash machines and bury users under a blizzard of unwanted ads. It can capture passwords, credit-card numbers and other sensitive data.

Several states have passed or are considering anti-spyware legislation, and business groups have called for a national law to avoid conflicts.

The bill introduced by California Republican Rep. Mary Bono and New York Democratic Rep. Ed Towns would allow the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to seek millions of dollars in fines for some of the practices lawmakers consider most egregious, such as logging users' keystrokes or stealing their identities.

It also would require that spyware be made easily removable.

Several Democrats said the bill was moving too quickly, noting the version approved by the committee was not made available until after midnight the night before.

California Democratic Rep. Anna Eshoo, whose Silicon Valley district is home to many high-tech companies, said she was concerned the bill could hinder legitimate surveillance, such as eBay Inc.'s efforts to catch auction fraud.

"I just don't think that there's been sufficient opportunity to consider the implications of this bill," Eshoo said.

Backers said they had tweaked the bill to address concerns of high-tech companies and would be open to further modifications before it comes up for a vote on the House floor.

"This bill has been open more than many, many bills I've seen," said Florida Republican Rep. Cliff Stearns, whose consumer-protection subcommittee approved the legislation last month.

A spyware bill has been introduced in the Senate, but lawmakers have not yet taken it up for a vote.

Separately on Thursday, lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee introduced a bill that would establish prison sentences of up to five years for those who use spyware to commit identity theft or other crimes.

That measure could be folded into the Commerce Committee's bill or advanced on its own, staffers said.


MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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The Story on how he makes $$$ off the spam he gets. A WINNER and one of the members of letsnet.org, find him there so he can teach you how.

And here's another win for letsnet.org, on the whole this time, our newest member will soon be up and flying. His name T, ID=Poncho, the Cisco guy. For those of you who are too young to know or remember, there was a TV show in the 1950's, a western, about two partners, Poncho and Cisco. Cisco was the good looking hero type. And Poncho was the lovable sidekick (pic to fellow). And at the end of the show, and after Cisco had save the day or the girl, Poncho would find a way to say, "Oh! Ceeeesco". And Cisco would say, "Oh! Ponchooo" Enough of what you don't need. Poncho has already started, one of days entery is due to him.

Again CONGRATES to Steelhoof, and where are we go'n for lunch?

MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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Don't just download any "SPY WARE" program... There are many many more imposters then there are REAL spyware removers. Ad-aware from www.lavasoft.com

MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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If you're installing a home or small-office network for the first time—or if your network isn't working the way you'd expect—take advantage of Windows XP's built-in networking set-up and troubleshooting tools, found in the Network Connections applet in the Control Panel. Select Set up a home or small office network from the left-hand panel, and Windows will walk you through network configuration and help you choose sensible settings. If you're trying to fix an existing network, try the Network Troubleshooter in Windows Help and Support.



MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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As more and more of your life's records and memories are stored in digital form, it makes sense to explore the best ways to keep them secure. All methods have drawbacks, some of them glaring. Floppy disks are now all but dead as a format. ZIP disks are expensive for their capacity. CD/DVD backups are great—if you remember to make them. A lone hard disk will fail, sooner or later.

What's left? Backing up to another hard drive, either an external disk or one on a dedicated PC. Lets tackle refurbishing an older PC for use as a backup data server (a computer devoted to storing backups from all your other computers).


As many users get new PCs every two to five years, it's likely that you have an older PC around that's available for duty. This may be your most cost-effective backup solution. We will steer a course midway between doing the job inexpensively and ensuring that a hardware failure is unlikely. You can get a whole new PC for $400 to $500.

Any Pentium III, and probably Pentium II, PC should be fast enough for our purposes. PCs built since 2000 have the best chance of being converted to run Windows XP. Nearly all consumer PCs since fall 2001 come with Windows XP, which saves you the cost of upgrading. If the PC was built before 2000, it's probably not worth the effort. If you don't know its age, stick with Pentium III, Athlon, or newer models. Computers less than five years old probably have enough life left in their mechanical components to be worth reusing.

If your server-in-waiting has been in storage, boot it up before making any enhancements. (First, shake it gently to make sure there are no loose screws inside that could cause a short circuit.) If it doesn't boot, check for the obvious—an unseated CPU or memory card (check with the power line unplugged) or a bad power connection—and decide how much you're willing to tinker with the system. Many computer stores have a minimum shop rate of $100.

The cost of components can quickly add up, so shop around for the best prices. Make this a month-long project, and you'll find most of what you want on sale. Sites such as Techbargains.com can help direct you. The items you're most likely to need—hard drive, memory, network card—are among those most often on sale.

Nearly every PC has room for two hard drives; consider keeping the existing one to handle the OS, and store backup files only on the new drive. With hard drives so affordable, you should buy more capacity than you need. A huge hard disk will let you keep a complete image of your PC (created by Norton Ghost or similar program) just in case. For the greatest savings, look for products marked "refurbished."


For the most security, consider RAID, or redundant array of inexpensive drives. In this configuration, data is spread across two or more drives. To keep RAID affordable, you want RAID 1, where the same data is mirrored on each of two drives. The controller can be software or a hardware add-in card. Figure $200 to $500 for the controller and the pair of drives. You can buy either standard or serial ATA controllers (if SATA, make sure to buy power cable adapters). If you go with RAID, make sure the controller and drives work together, and verify OS support. Though RAID costs more than a standard hard drive, it may be one of the best places to spend your money, for if you don't keep backups elsewhere, RAID will ensure that a single-disk failure doesn't wipe you out.

You might need a network card. Consider gigabit Ethernet adapters if you think the server will still be functional by the time your other devices (and switch) are upgraded. If yours is a wireless house, add a wireless PCI card. Spend a little more for 802.11g. You might want add a USB 2.0 adapter card ($20) for direct transfers.

To get your PCs to see the new server, you'll have to run the Windows network setup wizard from each PC. Go to Control Panel, choose Network and Internet Connections, then Set Up or Change Your Home or Small Office Network. Mostly, you can accept default prompts. If you have broadband Internet access and your PCs are linked through a switch and router, generally check "residential gateway" as your Internet connection method. Give the same workgroup name to all PCs (MSHOME is a Microsoft default; GATEWAY is common, too; if a broadband provider set it up, it may be, for example, COMCAST). If the machines aren't all running Windows XP, you may need to create a setup disk to use on the others; otherwise, choose Just Finish the Wizard and go on to the next computer.

You'll need to enable shared access to folders on the PCs being backed up. Go to My Computer, click on the folders you want backed up, and drag them to Shared Documents (in Other Places). You may want to map your drives or folders, making drives or folders on other PCs appear as if they're one more local drive. If your backup method is to send files to the server, you'll need to make the server a local drive on each PC you're backing up. First, find the server in My Network Places, then find the drive you're backing up to. Right-click on the drive and choose Map Network Drive, pick a drive letter (S for server is good), and check the Reconnect at Logon box. (You can also find a Linux server this way.)

If the server is pulling files from your PCs, do the same thing, but from the server: Find each PC to be backed up in My Network Places, then map the drives, but with a different letter for each PC. You can choose to make My Documents, rather than the whole C: drive, into a mapped drive.

Given the price of Windows XP, free Linux—say, Red Hat or Suse—is worth considering. Linux is definitely reliable. Make sure all your devices are supported, particularly wireless cards and drive controllers. Linux also offers free or low-cost backup utilities. It is easy to install; see our sister site, extremetech.com, and/or invite over a Linux-using friend.

While you can use Windows' own backup utility with its limited across-the-LAN backup abilities (it will back up to mapped network drives), you may prefer third-party software, which can do the job better. Look for software that does versioning (multiple iterations of the same file). Dantz and NTI offer some products affordable for individuals For example, Dantz Retrospect Professional 6.5,($90 street)—a PC Magazine Editor's Choice; see our Utility Guide (June 8, page 96)—works on three PCs, one of which can be a server, and lets you use a single PC to schedule backups for all PCs.

Once you're up and running, figure out what you want backed up. By Windows convention, almost all your data files will be in My Documents, but you may have important files in c:\downloads, and you'll want to back up your system registry. It's possible to make incremental backups (of only the data that's been changed since the last backup) and compressed backups, but once a week you might want to do a full, uncompressed copy, so you have a drive full of up-to-date data that most any PC can read. Don't forget to maintain antivirus software on your new server.

For insurance, use another method to take backups offsite. Use a CD or DVD recorder to make a one-time full backup, then make weekly or monthly incremental backups. For your most valuable data, consider online backup (free to $50 a month).

An older PC can often be converted into a backup data server. Refurbishing costs, though, can quickly add up.Before proceeding, be sure to determine what needs updating, and whether it's worth the price.END By Bill Howard & Tom Gerber.


MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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Link to download for ZoneAlarm updateThe download update ID is 5.0.590.043



MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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I heard it this morning on CNBC. Damn, another "Day-of-Change", and not in a good way.


MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/index.html

MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2004 09:56:27 -0700

Microsoft, be advised that your mediaplayer application has taken to launching itself.

Two times in the last hour it has launched in conjunction with modifying the url in the browser address window. When the Mediaplayer launches it brings up advertising content that results in rewvenue to Microsoft.

Be advised that this behaviour is not acceptable and we will bill microsoft for the privilege of launching the Windows mediaplayer v 9.00.00.3133 to display advertisements.

Microsoft does NOT have permission to make money off of my personal or business use of the internet unless microsoft explicitly provides me a notice of intent to do so, describing in clear and concise language that you are going to do so with my permission, and you must provide a simple and clear remedy to allow me to avoid such uses that would lead to Microsoft
using my browsing to develop revenue for microsoft. This is global in scope, excluding, of course, active browsing on websites owned or controlled by microsoft, that I may visit.

In the futrure Microsoft will recieve a billing of $50 for each automatic launch of Mediaplayer that displays advertising content.

This billing will begin 1 July, 2004.

Please advise.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Bill Ries-Knight *** Stockton, CA.

Please donate blood.
You will be glad someone else did when you need it.

My views on spam and SCO
http://www.ries-knight.net/index.html

To report spam Email : uce@ftc.gov. "UCE" stands for Unsolicited Commercial Email.


MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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The web page that I'm put here http://driverguide.com/ is a site where you can usually find whatever driver your looking for. And it's been gaven by a newest member of letsnet.org group. Now, when you get to the driver site use the UserName: driver and the password: all, then "go look'en".
Back to our newest contributor, as soon as he picks himself an ID, I'll add him to the home page and set him up to contribute to the blog. Alway a nice thing. He's a networking guy. Ya know, Cisco. He's not so old that think he'd like being called a Hobbiest, so he's a tech. He makes a living at it so as soon as he's up and flying gave him something to fix.
And yes I'm still working on getting everthing moved to steelhoof's server. And no he hasn't been swamped with new hosting so don't be shy. And just in case you need it http://www.yourcomputers.org/



MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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Got problems printing some web pages. The margins go off the page and there's nothing you can do to fix it. If the page you're printing has a table or frames, this can cause problems, according to Microsoft. They say this behavior is by design. Try printing in Landscape mode (use the Page Setup... command to change that). OR

You may have better luck using the free Firefox, a browser from Mozilla . I like Firefox for many reasons, including the "shrink to fit" printing command.

Sorry people but, you'll have to it's like it's a "having the right tool for the job" thing. If your a farmer, you drive a truck, if your a business guy maybe you drive a 4-door sedan, if your a college studant, a sports car. So, 3 or 4 browsers is something you'll have to have to really enjoy the Net as you want to do more with the info you take from the World Wide Web.


MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".

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In the desert skies over Mojave, Calif., we'll witness the opening of a new era of manned space flight when a privately developed rocket plane will launch into history in an attempt to be the world's first commercial manned space vehicle. Ever if today is only a test.
The Story with pics. And if you want to be there for the day they try for $10 million as again today is just a test. But it's the first day of Privately funded space travel check out this websiteAmerica's First Inland Spaceport .
And yes, the Paul Allan in the picture with Mike Melvill, the 62-year-old selected to become the first civilian ever to pilot a privately developed craft into space, at the Mojave Airport site is the same Paul Allan that co-founded Microsoft.

And just so we alway have images to see, here:

The rocket and Mother plane together. Rocket ship under Mother.

Rocket ship alone.

Mike Melvill(on right) with Paul Allan(left) and other.

God Bless America & the free enterprise way of life. And congrates too to Michael Melvill the first civil astronaut. The man knows how to get HIGH! Over 100 kilometers high. And way to go Engineer, Burt Rutan. You, legedary aerospace designer, you. Burt Rutan can spends Paul Allan's money really really well!

More images to fellow in later post on the lets blog.

What's next? The try for the Ansari X Prize, which is $10 million for the first team that puts three people, or an equivalent weight, on a manned space vichicle 100 kilometers above the earth and repeats the trip within two weeks.

Damn, I am one happy techie.




MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".