June 22 Notice

As of tomorrow, I'll be returning to school life.. Recently I'm extremely busy dealing with all the projects at hand, I do apologize to you guys for my inability to make detailed posts the last few rounds. Please do allow me some time to iron out my schedule. Don't worry though, I do frequently add pictures, revise my posts etc. If you do notice anything that needs improvement, do post it at the comments tagbox.

File Sharing

Alright, this post on File Sharing is as requested by 'baldbubba'. In which, I'll venture into one of the grey areas of the Internet.

About File Sharing
File sharing in Internet context is the act of 'sharing'/propagating on-demand data through any form of Internet medium(e.g. Instant Messaging).

Common File Sharing Mediums
Briefly Ranked:
1-Torrents
2-File Hosting Sites
3-Instant Messaging
4-Forums
5-Email

File Sharing Security
Basics
Use a 3-tier defence structure to help prevent any form of malicious attacks that may originate from the downloaded file. Click on the underlined links to learn more.

Protection
-Privacy
If you're concerned about your privacy- especially when torrenting, check out your software for privacy features such a uTorrent's 'Protocol Encryption' etc..


Note
Support: Additional information will be posted should I make any new discoveries

Routers 101

A post dedicated to my friend TPCO Clement as he counts down 38 more days to his SG return from the Philippines OSIP.

Inspiration:
Alright, first day over there you(Clement) called me on networking problems. Yup, I was totally dumb founded at that time, as I'd usually deal with Cisco routers. But! It was a good experience for me when I managed to get around with the 'Consumer' routers.

In this post, I'll deal mostly with 'Wireless Broadband Routers'

About 'Routers'
The 'routers' we use at home are usually Broadband/Wireless Routers which very often comes with inbuilt modems. So they work rather differently from Cisco routers in terms of user interface & connecting the hardware. Routers basically spend their life on forwarding packets of information to other networks/routers, humbly working in the background.

Unpacking & Pre-Set Up
-Check all contents provided against the 'Contents List' (when you first open the box)
-Put the router aside first
-Gather these hardware: Power Plug, Lan Cable(s), Wall Phone Line Splitter(usually built with DSL filter)

-Checkpoint '2 Paths'-
From here there are usually 2 possible paths to set up your router:
1-As an access point to the Internet
Or
2-As a access point to pass packets to an existing router


1-Setting up router as an access point to the Internet
1. Look for a good location to place your router, preferably:
-Near to Phone Line Jack (Critical)
-Near to Power Socket (Critical)
-Common location, such as Main Hall (to maximize coverage)
-Open-air, or in transparent display cabinet (preferable)

2. Connect these hardware:
-Ensure that the Wall Phone Line Splitter is connected to the phone line jack, and that your line-phone is connected to the 'Phone' jack of the Splitter.
-Prepare to connect the phone-line from the router's 'Phone' jack to the Splitter's 'Modem' jack (DO NOT connect the phone line yet)
-Connect the Power Plug to the router's power jack

3. Power on your computer first, then the router. (save power! don't rush all at once and end up waiting for your computer to start up while the router uses power to do nothing)

4. Establish a Local Area Connection to configure your router
-Connect a LAN cable from your computer's/laptop's LAN jack to one of the router's LAN jacks.
-Open up your Internet Browser(Mozilla is recommended, but does not affect set up)
Yup, I know, It says 'The page cannot be displayed' or 'Address not Found' etc. No Worries.

-Checkpoint 'Router Local Configuration'-
From here, you can follow the network set-up instructions provided by the manufacturer, if the general steps below do not work due to different router factory configurations
-Type '192.168.0.1' (without quotes), to access the router configuration page
Note: The connection is established in Local, remember that you have not connected your router's phone line jack yet.

-Navigate around and Configure these settings:
1*Service Set Identifier(SSID) Name
-Name your network with a unique SSID for identification
2*Wireless Security
-Enable 'Network Authentication', use WPA settings such as 'WPA-PSK' , 'WPA2-PSK' etc.
-Use TKIP/AES encryption
-Enter your Password/Pass phrase (used later when you establish a wireless connection)
-Edit other settings you're familiar with

-Checkpoint 'Establishing LAN Internet Connection'-
After you've finished with the configuring the router on Local, connect the phone-line from the router's 'Phone' jack to the Splitter's 'Modem' jack (preparations to establish Internet Connection)

I assume most users use a Home Internet Service Solution, so the following steps will deal with connecting to your Internet Service Provider(ISP)
*1. Look for 'Connection Settings' or something similar
*2. Enter your username (as provided when you signed up for your Internet plan)
*3. Enter your password (your Internet plan's password, NOT the router's password.. And- using default password? you might want to change it by logging on to your ISP's portal, or by contacting your ISP thru phone service)
*4 Select your connection type: 'PPPoE' , 'PPPoA' , 'Routed IPoA' etc. (this connection setting MUST adhere to your ISP's setting for your Internet plan, contact your ISP's help desk if you're unsure)
*5 Establish a connection (Click the 'Connect' button, or something similar)
*6 You should be able to connect on 'LAN Broadband setting'

-Checkpoint 'Establishing Wireless LAN Internet Connection'-
Rather simple to set-up actually:
*1. Boot up your laptop (or any other device that has wireless adapter)
*2. Bring up the 'Wireless Network Connection Manager' (or something similar)
*3. 'Scan for Wireless Networks in Range'
*4. Select your Network Name & follow the steps prompted by the 'Wireless Network Connection Manager' to establish the connection.
Note: Do select the correct Network Authentication(WEP, WPA) & Data Encryption(TKIP, AES) protocols.

Note
Support: Additional information will be posted should I make any new discoveries

Vista Comics

Back from a 2-day TPCO CCA camp, nearly depleted of my "Li-ion(Lithium Ion) battery" ._. but will make a short post for comic lovers..

Alright, managed to find some hilarious comics about Vista after a light dive.. Compilation credits given to the author of the article at cybernetnews.com.

I will showcase 2 of the funniest comics, as for the rest.. do check it out Here. Enjoy =)

Do click on the images to view in full size:

Vista Dilemma


Vista Upgrade Flowchart


Alright, I'm still working on upcoming posts so don't worry =)

June 13 Updates

An Image I found


New Updates
-Added a Poll complementing my post on 'Stunningly Beautiful Laptops'
-Added images to my previous posts

Revisions
-Re-expression of certain sentences, ensuring correctness
-Background coding revised, all images & links now open in new window

Upcoming Post
Will be based on feedback

Stunningly Beautiful Laptops

Alright, my previous posts were filled with tech terms and might be overly wordy, so... for this post: Eyes-only, visually-stunning pictures of chio laptops!

To fully enjoy image details, you might want to click on the respective images. Not to worry, I background coded it to open in a new window =).

Acer Ferrari 1005


Acer Ferrari 1100


Asus Lamborghini VX2S


Apple MacBook Air


OLPC XO-2


Alright, thats all for now. Stay tuned for my upcoming post!

Ad-Aware vs Spybot S&D

A post dedicated to my friend Tow Yuan.

Inspiration:
Tow did a scan using 'Ad-Aware Free 07' today(Wed) prior to system shutdown. When asked of his opinion on 'Spybot Search & Destroy', he expressed that Ad-Aware is able to detect and remedy a wider array of threats as compared to the former. The stage is set =)

Note that the following test is based on my perspective, and results produced are analysed based on observation. As such I urge you to use any information posted for reference only.

Test Criterion:
-Is Ad-Aware able to detect threats after a Spybot S&D scan?
*If (the above is) true- how significant is the threat(s) detected?- On a scale index of 1(Low) to 10(Critical)
-Will Ad-Aware interfere with the operation of Spybot S&D?
*If (the above is) true- to what extent is the interference?

Software Edition: Ad-Aware 2008 Free
Interface:


Process:
-Spybot S&D Scan History: Did a full scan the previous day(Tue), using the latest updated definitions
-Installed 'Ad-Aware 2008 Free', system not restarted
-Runned 'Smart Scan', scanned using default settings

Results:
87 Infections, but on further analysis:
-2 Adware.Agent threats with threat index 5(medium): A .sys file and a Registry key
-3 Most Recently Used (MRU) lists (like recent documents) with threat index 0
-82 Cookies from Firefox and Internet Explorer with threat index 3
*The main concern here is the 2 Adware.Agent Medium threats. MRU lists are fairly insignificant, and Cookies can be detected by Spybot S&D too.

*But on a side note, Ad-Aware's scanning rounded Cookies from both Internet Explorer and FireFox(by scanning 'Program Files')- Something Spybot S&D didn't do, because my default browser is Mozilla FireFox(so, is Spybot's scanning oriented to the default browser only? Possibly overlooking possible cookies from other browsers, but this only applies to non-Internet Explorer users).

Conclusion:
-Is Ad-Aware able to detect threats after a Spybot S&D scan?
Ans: Yes, on a small scale if you're using a 3-tier defence structure(Anti-Virus, Firewall, Anti-spyware 'Spybot S&D') which is similar to mine. As for threat significance, according to an index of 2 detected threats at 5(Medium)- there might be some concerns depending on the type of threat detected by different users.

-Will Ad-Aware interfere with the operation of Spybot S&D?
Ans: Possibly- from my experience, Spybot S&D displayed a notification message indicating possible interference on program startup after I installed 'Ad-Aware 2008 Free'. It's true: Strangely, I was not able to remove the Internet Cookies being detected on the first try(Error message was produced stating that I had aborted the 'Scan'- somehow unrelated?), but that worked out after rescanning.

This is what I observe as for now, will update this post if new dicoveries are made

Computer Security 2: Deploying 3-Tier Defence

Continued from Previous Post
Alright! I'm back with this post to continue from where I've left off. The next step in securing your precious computer's OS is to implement a 3-tier defense against malware. A 3-tier defense structure includes: Anti-virus, Firewall(non-windows), Anti-Spyware.

Discalmer: All programs that I've mentioned below are governed by their respective copyrights and international laws. Apart from that, this post is prepared by the author(me) using information that is believed to be reliable and accurate, but I make no warranty as to the performance and reliability with regards to different user environments- And will not accept responsibility in an event of System Failure, Data Loss or any form of system abnormality. If you do not agree with any part of this disclaimer, please DO NOT click on any links in this post.

Step 2: Implementing your arsenal
Phase 1: Bring up the Anti-virus
In this phase, the most basic defence: anti-virus software, is being installed. My personal recommendation is 'AVG Free Anti-Virus'. With Version 8.0 launched on 24th April 2008, you can expect a more intuitive user interface, and better anti-virus, anti-spyware protection engine. Best of all, it comes free!


Direct download from AVG Free site Here
AVG Free 8.0 details Here

Phase 2: Deploy the Firewall
In my previous post I've mentioned crappy system firewalls. In order to leverage security, one has to posses a more capable firewall. 'ZoneAlarm Basic Firewall' is my nifty defence against programs and malware which slyly target your system when you install a program, open a file or browse the web. The FOC basic firewall protection covers your network and programs, sufficient for the layman user. What about the (Windows) System Firewall?- Disable it, as its plain trash and does nothing more than providing repeatedly irritating admin confirmation messages (for Vista), false alarms, and very "Helpful" advice.


Direct download from ZoneAlarm site Here
ZoneAlarm Basic Firewall details Here

Phase 3: Complete your protection with Anti-Spyware
No ah kong ah ma story to explain this- The crux here is to guard against Trojans, Root kits, Internet Cookies and other forms of Spyware from sniffing your personal details, account passwords, Internet surfing activities etc. The solution?- 'Spybot Search & Destroy'


Looking for the direct download link?
Here's a quest for you:
Look for and download the 'Spybot Search & Destroy' anti-spyware program installer Here
Quest Rewards:
-Anti-Spyware Protection
-Computing Experience

Phase 4: Scanning & Reinforcing
Now is the time to put the programs you've acquired into good use:
1: Scan for Spyware using Spybot Search & Destroy
2: Scan for Viruses using AVG Free 8.0
3. Make necessary adjustments to AVG Free 8.0 ,Zone Alarm Firewall & Spybot Search & Destroy. Details may include setting automatic scanning schedules etc.
*My above prescribed order is for the benefit of time.

Phase 5: Continuing your protection
-Remember to update all your programs regularly:
AVG Free 8.0: Everyday
Spybot Search & Destroy: At least once a week
ZoneAlarm Firewall: When the newest engine is released

-Scan your computer for malware regularly
-Never allow programs that you're unsure of past the ZoneAlarm Firewall
-Backup all your precious data in external devices such as a Thumb Drive or External Hard Disk

-Also note that for Anti-spyware protection, some sources recommend more than one program to handle the task. In my prescription, AVG Free 8.0 alongside with Spybot Search & Destroy provides the base level of protection, while Zone Alarm Basic Firewall comes in as a secondary form of user intervention. If you seriously want to consider a 4th measure, try Ad-Aware by Lavasoft.
Note: Do read my post on Ad-Aware vs Spybot S&D


Conclusion
Notice that all the programs in my prescribed solution are without trail dateline and best of all, free? With the best programs out in the market, reliable computing security can be achieved at no monetary cost. But most important of all, we cannot be complacent and must understand that there will always be loopholes in the Windows OS which are vulnerable to malware attacks. As such, we must always be on guard to handle the next attack... ironic isn't it?

Computer Security 1: Knowing your enemy

In my first post, I would like to discuss computer security...

'Ignorance is a bliss', as said by some.. but come to discover its absence in the area of security. Security should be accurately addressed as a 'measure' to protect and prevent malicious attacks, not as a pre-installed 'feature' that comes with our computers.

While the Internet facilitates information exchange, it has also been a playground for many budding virus writers. Worst of all, the Operating System(OS) we commonly use is Windows- very ironically recognised as the "standard" OS, one which allows many possible forms of system attacks.

And in case you were wondering about the boasts of Vista's "invulnerable" firewall, the Blue Pill breached its firewall in 1ms (milli seconds).. and uh oh.. >.<. Click Here to see the Blue Pill article.
Don't worry though, it's created by a virus researcher to prove her point on stealth malware- very much for research purposes.

Besides, most would regard the Vista firewall to be a phenomenal pain in the butt, and the XP firewall is merely an empty shell.. So how exactly can we implement security measures in our computers if the system firewall is trash?

Step 1: Know your enemy
Below is a brief overview of popular malicious codes in the 'market'...

-Viruses (often loosely used to describe any form of malware)

Has an 'engine' for propagation- meaning it has to infect files to spread, and usually a 'payload' which contains codes to execute after infection.





-Worms

Self-replicates and propagates itself over a network without having to infect files.







-Trojans

Does not propagate by infecting files or self-replication. Usually appears as harmless executable(.exe) files, but upon tricking user into execution, will inject malicious codes which can do anything from sniffing passwords to opening backdoors into the system.








-Spyware

Software installed on the system without the user's knowledge, to gather information for later retrieval. 2 main categories are:
*Surveillance*
Basically to capture data without the user's knowledge
Includes: Key loggers, screen capture devices, Trojans
*Advertising* (also called Adware)
Installed alongside other software or via Internet ActiveX controls, usually without the user's knowledge or without full disclosure. Used for gathering personal information and/or showing ads.


Step 2: Implementing your arsenal












Will be discussed in my next post. Stay tuned!
Continued Here