sudobangbang

GoodCall Guide: How to Teach Yourself to Code

2016-08-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

https://www.goodcall.com/career/coding/

Setting up software defined radio in debian...

2014-06-10T13:08:00.002-07:00

...is more challenging than I originally expected.

The most helpful site I can find is this one:
http://2h2o.tumblr.com/

Many of my questions were answered with this post:
https://forums.hak5.org/index.php?/topic/31717-got-my-sdr-kit-now-what/page-1

but alas it would appear that the gnuradio script takes care of much of the former:

$ wget http://www.sbrac.org/files/build-gnuradio && chmod a+x ./build-gnuradio && ./build-gnuradio

*I did have to update the build script to include 7.5 for it to run.

to enable or disable autologon in linux

2014-05-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

run the following command and flag "#" or unflag where needed:

sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

alfa awus036h keeps dropping connection and then reconnects only to drop again

2014-05-21T10:51:00.003-07:00

open the following file (with admin privileges):
/etc/rc.local

add these lines (before exit command):
sudo iwconfig wlan0 rate 5.5M fixed
sudo iwconfig wlan0 frag 2346
sudo iwconfig wlan0 rts 2347

No keyboard (doesn't work) after upgrading from Ubuntu 13.04 to 13.10

2013-10-22T12:33:00.001-07:00

After upgrading to Ubuntu 13.10 I couldn't enter my password to decrypt my drive. It looks like this is an issue with 3.11 kernel.

The solution is as follows:
1) hold shift when starting the computer
2) when grub loads choose an older kernel (for me it was 3.8)
3) run "sudo gedit /etc/initramfs-tools/modules"
4) add the line "ohci_pci"
5) save the file
6) run "sudo update-initramfs -u"
7) reboot
8) to verify you are running the latest kernel run "uname -r"

I plugged my Linux box into the tv

2012-10-26T18:23:00.001-07:00

And I didn't have any sound coming through the HDMI cable. I am currently using Lubuntu and everything else worked perfectly. The problem was I wasn't using the Nvidia drivers. I was seriously hoping to avoid using the Nvidia drivers since it doesn't play well with Lubuntu. All my text ends up super small. Therefore I switched to Ubuntu.

To get sound over HDMI I had to install pavucontrol:

sudo apt-get install pavucontrol

Then select HDMI as the output.

However my login screen still says Lubuntu. To change it to Ubuntu I issued the following command:

sudo update-alternatives - - config default.plymouth

And selected the Ubuntu option. The to make the changes permanent issue the following command

sudo update-initramfs -u

Now logging in says Ubuntu :-)

Sputnik Update

2012-10-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

The battery life on this thing is awesome!

Project Suptnik Update

2012-10-12T09:35:00.004-07:00

I just finished my first marathon coding session yesterday. I really like the keyboard. The keyboard's buttons are responsive and just big enough to prevent hitting 2 keys at once. The light up keyboard was a definite bonus when the sun was setting and I didn't have to break my train of thought when the sun was setting.

Kindle Fire vs Nexus 7: Which is the better ereader?

2012-09-28T07:21:00.001-07:00

First and foremost I like to read. When ereaders first came out there were quite a few studies indicating that people read faster when reading an actual book. This may be true. However I have found that I read a lot more when using an ereader. I specifically use the term ereader here instead of electronic device since I do not enjoy reading on a computer (this includes laptops, netbooks and ultrabooks). More specifically my reading list includes at least 5 dissertations (1000+ pages) in the last couple of months. If I had 15 minutes to spare I would pick of the ereader instead of the actual dissertation and edit as many pages as I could in the time allotted. With the paper copy I would wait for a sufficient chunk of time where I could knock out an entire chapter, which is typically "never". I even used an ereader to catch up on the 300+ journal articles that I wanted to "read later". Even journal articles that I review get done at a faster pace when using an ereader.

Most of the aforementioned reading and editing was done on my Kindle Fire. Consequently, I was really excited to when the Nexus 7. With the Nexus 7 I could ssh into my VPS, skype, install my favorite keyboard for sending emails on a a tablet, utilize all of my Google apps and still use it as an ereader. Personally I feel that the Nexus 7 is the "do it all tablet".

So which device do I use to read now? Answer... the Kindle Fire. Why? Because given the opportunity to do the aforementioned list, the Nexus 7 lets me do exactly that. Especially when I think of things to do while I am reading. Since I can't do those things on the Kindle Fire I get a lot more reading done with it:)

Project Sputnik

2012-09-25T18:41:00.002-07:00

I just recently setup my Dell XPS 13 laptop. I downloaded the ISO image and instead of following the directions I used unetbootin. The only hiccup I had doing this way was when I tried to replace the operating system from the installation menu; GRUB was installed in my thumb drive instead of the hard drive. I had to reboot of the thumb drive and do a manual installation choosing to install the boot manager on the hard drive. This worked and know I have Ubuntu installed. I haven't had a chance to play with it much but it does have gVIM and emacs already installed. Now I need to install the android SDK package.

SSH server

2012-08-14T12:10:00.002-07:00

I found this over at the Hak5 site. I highly recommend watching the full video:

Basic Client Setup in Linux

ssh -D 8080 user@host

The -D option, from the man pages

-D [bind_address:]port
Specifies a local dynamic application-level port forwarding. This works by allocating a socket to listen to port on the local side, optionally bound to the specified bind_address. Whenever a connection is made to this port, the connection is forwarded over the secure channel, and the application protocol is then used to determine where to connect to from the remote machine

Setting up a Linux OpenSSH Server
On a Debian based Linux machine setting up ssh can be as simple as issuing "sudo apt-get install ssh". In this segment Darren goes over some of the configuration lines you would find useful to modify in /etc/ssh/sshd_config.

AllowTcpForwarding yes GatewayPorts yes RSAAuthentication yes PubkeyAuthentication yes AuthorizedKeysFile %h/.ssh/authorized_keys AllowUsers bob alice PermitRootLogin no Protocol 2 Port 222 LoginGraceTime 1m ListenAddress ClientAliveInterval 60 ClientAliveCountMax 0

Be sure to restart the SSH deamon after editing the configuration. stop ssh;start ssh;service ssh restart;/etc/init.d/ssh restart #one of these should do it! :)
On a Linux OpenSSH server for example these key pairs will be found in /etc/ssh/*key*. The public keys will be world readable while the private keys can only be read by a superuser.
On a Linux client for example the key fingerprints of remembered servers are stored in ~/.ssh/known_hosts. Since SSH version 4 the username and hostnames associated with these servers are hashed.
To remotely verify the key fingerprint of an SSH server

ssh-keyscan -t rsa,dsa REMOTEHOSTNAME > /tmp/ssh_host_rsa_dsa_key.pub ssh-keygen -l -f /tmp/ssh_host_rsa_dsa_key.pub

Alternatively, on the remote server the key fingerprints can be found by:

cd /etc/ssh ls *key* cat ssh_host_key # this is the private key # permission will be denied if not superuser cat ssh_host_key.pub # this is the public key ssh-keygen -lf ssh_host_rsa_key.pub # field 1 = bit length of key # field 2 = fingerprint of key # field 3 = name of key
Setting up Key Pair Authentication in Linux with OpenSSH
On the remote host:

mkdir .ssh chmod 700 .ssh cd .ssh
On the local host:

ssh-keygen -t rsa scp ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub user@host:.ssh/authorized_keys2
Back on the remote host:

ls -la authorized_keys2 chmod 600 authorized_keys2 exit
On the local host:

ssh user@host

CAC

2012-08-14T12:08:00.004-07:00

This is a helpful tool for setting up CAC access in linux. Here is what I could find on it:

pcsc_tools

he pcsc_tools package provides an especially handy utility, pcsc_scan, which can help verify that your CAC reader really is talking to the OS, regardless of what any application is telling you:

$ pcsc_scan

The original way to install DoD root certificates, even on Windows XP, was to visit http://dodpki.c3pki.chamb.disa.mil/rootca.html and just click on each one to install.

Firefox Client Certificate Setup

Insert CAC into reader - the green light should flash.
Add CAC Module to Firefox as a Security Device
1. Preferences Menu
2. Advanced Section
3. Encryption Tab
4. Security Devices Button
5. Load Button
6. Enter CAC Module as the module name, and browse to /usr/lib/pkcs11/libcoolkeypk11.so for the module filename (or /usr/bin/libcackey.so or /usr/lib/libcackey.so if using the CACKey custom PKCS#11 library available from cackey).

Cisco vpn installer

2012-08-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

Cisco vpn installer:

sudo apt-get install network-manager-vpnc

Now you need to select IPV4 Settings tab click on routes

Here you need to select “Use this connection only for resources on its network” click ok otherwise your traffic significantly slowed down

Know Your Network: The Complete Guide [Night School]

2012-08-14T12:07:00.001-07:00

Know Your Network: The Complete Guide [Night School]:

We spent last week learning all about your home network, your routers, and all the cool things you can do with them. Here's the complete guide that will teach you how to pick out the best network hardware, get to know it better, make it perform at its best, and access just about anything on your network from practically anywhere in the world. More »

How to Build a Computer from Scratch: The Complete Guide [Video]

2012-08-14T12:05:00.003-07:00

How to Build a Computer from Scratch: The Complete Guide [Video]:

Last week, we showed you how to build your own custom PC, from picking the parts, to putting it together and installing your OS. Here's the complete guide, along with a printable PDF version that you can use as a reference. More »

Make and Host Your Own Customized, Personal Landing Page in a Few Minutes [Video]

2012-08-14T12:05:00.001-07:00

Make and Host Your Own Customized, Personal Landing Page in a Few Minutes [Video]:

Personal landing like Flavors.me are really popular right now, but we prefer more complete control over what Google has to say about us. Here's a Lifehacker-made, easily customizable, open-source solution that you can place on any server and have running in minutes. More »

How to Crack a Wi-Fi Network's WPA Password with Reaver [Video]

2012-08-14T12:03:00.001-07:00

How to Crack a Wi-Fi Network's WPA Password with Reaver [Video]:

Your Wi-Fi network is your conveniently wireless gateway to the internet, and since you're not keen on sharing your connection with any old hooligan who happens to be walking past your home, you secure your network with a password, right? Knowing, as you might, how easy it is to crack a WEP password, you probably secure your network using the more bulletproof WPA security protocol. More »

Connect to a network from the command line

2012-08-14T12:02:00.002-07:00

iwlist wlan0 scan | grep 'ESSID\|Encryption\|WPA'
wpa_passphrase ssid password
wpa_supplicant -B -Dwext -i wlan0 -c ssid"

Breaking into command prompts using Microsoft Paint!

2012-08-14T12:01:00.001-07:00

T thought this was too cool not to share:

Let’s face it, a lot of public Windows machines aren’t locked down properly. This trick, sent in by 0perator, goes to show how trivial it can be to obtain a shell using the notorious MsPaint tool. Begin by opening Paint and starting a new image with the dimensions of 1 px tall and 6 px wide. Then from left to right paint one pixel at a time with these custom RGB values:

10,0,0
13,10,13
100,109,99
120,101,46
0,0,101
0,0,0

Now save the image as a 24-bit bmp file. Rename the extension .bat, open and enjoy the shell.

To see what’s really going on here open the file in a hex editor. My favorite on Windows is HxD Hex Editor. It’s freeware. Of course it’s worth mentioning that any machine secured properly with group policies isn’t going to be susceptible to this attack, but you’d be surprised how many aren’t.

What Kind of Maintenance Do I Need to Do On My Linux PC? [Ask Lifehacker]

2012-08-14T11:56:00.001-07:00

What Kind of Maintenance Do I Need to Do On My Linux PC? [Ask Lifehacker]:

Dear Lifehacker,
You've gone through Windows and Mac maintenance, but what about Linux users? I'm pretty new to Linux, and I'm familiar with Windows maintenance, but don't know if the same rules apply. What do I need to do to maintain an Ubuntu system? More »

Embed a TrueCrypt Volume In A Playable Video File [Security]

2012-08-14T11:55:00.001-07:00

Embed a TrueCrypt Volume In A Playable Video File [Security]:

Steganography is the process of hiding an encrypted message in some otherwise innocent looking format. We've gone over some ways to do this in the past with image files, but now you can take it to a whole new level by hiding an entire TrueCrypt volume in an mp4 video file. More »

How to Create a Custom Windows Installation DVD or USB Install [Always Up To Date Guide]

2012-08-14T11:52:00.001-07:00

How to Create a Custom Windows Installation DVD or USB Install [Always Up To Date Guide]:

When you need to reinstall Windows, you shouldn't have to spend an entire day installing years of updates, drivers, and necessary software along with it. Here's how to create a Windows installation disc (or USB stick) that's up to date, customized, auto-installing, and far less time-sucking than your original. More »

CSS3 Generator Helps You Create and Learn New Complex CSS Code [Web Development]

2012-08-14T11:51:00.001-07:00

CSS3 Generator Helps You Create and Learn New Complex CSS Code [Web Development]:

If you learned learned to make a web site with us, or if you're just picking up HTML and CSS, you may have wanted to learn a few more complex styles. One of the best ways to learn is by looking at other code, and CSS3 Generator can write custom CSS code for you so you can learn how it works (or just use it). More »

Lock Down Your Computer Like the NSA [Security]

2012-08-14T11:50:00.001-07:00

Lock Down Your Computer Like the NSA [Security]:

Want to secure your computer with the same techniques used by the National Security Agency? Turns out the NSA has published guides for securing Windows, Mac, Linux, and Solaris operating systems using methods that "are currently being used throughout the government and by numerous entities as a security baseline for their systems." More »

How to Quickly Find and Replace Text Across Multiple Files with One Command

2012-08-14T11:49:00.002-07:00

If you need to find and replace the occurrence of a word, phrase, URL, or whatever, and it’s in several documents, this can be a really tedious task. If you’re running Mac OS X, Linux, or really any Unix-based operating system, you can use the command line to save you a lot of time and effort.

All you really need is this simple command:

perl -pi -w -e 's/SEARCH_FOR/REPLACE_WITH/g;' *.txt

The search string is what you need to alter. You want to replace SEARCH_FOR with the text you’re searching for and REPLACE_WITH with the text you want to use as a replacement. You’ll also want to change *.txt if you’re working with HTML files (or another type of text file). This command also assumes you’re in the directory you want, so you’ll also need to use cd to change to the directory you want or will have to specify the full path. For example:

perl -pi -w -e 's/stupid/awesome/g;' ~/Desktop/*.txt

The above command will replace all occurrences of “stupid” with “awesome” found in any .txt files on the desktop. Pretty neat!