UNIX on

Surface Book, Windows 10, and WSL: A year in review from a UNIX Geek

Sun, 05 Nov 2017 04:15:57 +0000

TL;DR Unix geek tries Windows 10 for a year. For the most part it works, but lots of growing pains. Going back to the land of GNU.

Introduction

A year ago, I started an attempt to give Windows another try. I jump around different platforms to stay current and cognisant of the industry shifts professionally. The need to get back to Windows happen to coincide with need for a new laptop.

-fno -fno -fno stack protection

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 11:46:54 +0000

2 days straight now on IRC (##security on irc.freenode.net if you want to say hi) I have had to help someone compiling a program deal with it failing mid-stream. This is especially prevalent on security packages like fuzzers and such. First, what is stack protection?

Buffer Overflow Protection

In software, a stack buffer overflow occurs when a program writes to a memory address on the program’s call stack outside of the intended data structure; usually a fixed length buffer.^[1]^[2] Stack buffer overflow bugs are caused when a program writes more data to a buffer located on the stack than there was actually allocated for that buffer. This almost always results in corruption of adjacent data on the stack, and in cases where the overflow was triggered by mistake, will often cause the program to crash or operate incorrectly. This type of overflow is part of the more general class of programming bugs known as buffer overflows.^[1]

What Linux/UNIX do you use?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:59:07 +0000

At work I often get asked what UNIX/Linux I use. Truth of the matter is I am an OS harlot :) I run NeXTStep and Rhapsody for fun. When I buy systems I force myself to use them for at least 3 days online to learn them better. Anyways, below is the questionnaire on how I pick a distro/OS

Do you want to use learn Linux for work?
- CentOS or RHEL
Do you want to actually learn the innards of Linux?
- Gentoo or Arch
Do you want to use Linux for day-to-day usage?
- Ubuntu, Debian, or OpenSuSE
- Do you want to use UNIX for day-to-day usage?
- Buy a Mac and install macports
Do you want to use linux for development of bleeding edge packages?
- Fedora or Foresight
Do you want to learn UNIX, but hear a lot about Linux?
- FreeBSD is a better SysV learning platform
Are you a paranoid security type?
- OpenBSD
Did you buy a lot of old equipment on eBay or Craigslist and can’t stand the vendor OS?
- NetBSD
Are the type of person that has flashing lights and fans on your computer? Do you want matching bling in software?
- Linux Mint RC
Are you building a server for home?
- Debian Stable
Are you building a file server to run NetApp out of town?
- OpenSolaris ZFS builds
Are you building that same file server but Solaris packages make you want to poke your eyes out?
- Nexenta
Are you doing embedded systems for a special project?
- NetBSD
Building a wireless mesh network with captive portals?
- OpenBSD
Or in the end you are as geeky as Nick and change OS like you change clothes
- Build a Vmware/Xen server and run them all

Open Source Security Professionals

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:21:52 +0000

In economic times such as these it is imperative that architects and leads alike look beyond the glossy software catalog and instead to the web. In the past we often discounted open source as unsupported and hacker-like in the development efforts. One would hope that in this day of enterprise open source powering the majority of web applications that we could back away from the mantra of yesteryear.

The argument often heard in corporate America is without a company backing it, how can you trust the source of the code? In the same bated breath they will speak to Microsoft and Oracle as pristine trophy holders of American Ideals. In this global economy and 24×7 development cycle there is very little code still developed stateside only. The pond and time zone allow for rapid development cycles and releases. It is ignorant to think that Microsoft’s code is not spattered with code developed in foreign countries. The bazaar development paradigm has extended well upon the weird GNU hackers in their basements, even Microsoft and other commercial entities have opened the doors to this development process.

OpenSolaris Shortcomings

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 07:37:15 +0000

I want to like OpenSolaris. I love compiling away on my Sun Machines at the house. The simple fact is though the “Open” is a misnomer of great proportions. What makes me excited about OpenSolaris is the lineage it stems from. For UNIX admins everywhere, it is truly one of the last of the old guard. HP-UX, Tru64, and the host of other dead UNIX OS showcase how much impact the BSD and Linux world has had on mainstream POSIX.

Project Indiana (Ian’s OpenSol…

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 03:38:08 +0000

Project Indiana (Ian’s OpenSolaris) and OpenBSD 4.2 released with Leopard in the same week?!?! How can I be expected to work!?

My UNIX Adventure Timeline

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 11:15:53 +0000

1984 I was born grunting binary, ugh and ahh. Parents knew no better.

1989 Parents finally realize it was binary and buy me a C64 to conquer Frogger. Fall in love with CLI

1994 Dad brings home a AST Advantage! Plus 486 DX/33. I fall in love with Prodigy and the internet becomes my playground.

1995 Dad buys Windows 95 upgrade and installs on the beloved AST. I throw up in my mouth.