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The "Not Quite Amiga but still computer related category" => Alternative Operating Systems => Topic started by: blobrana on August 10, 2006, 03:44:25 PM

Title: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: blobrana on August 10, 2006, 03:44:25 PM
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is recommending that Windows Operating Systems users apply Microsoft security patch MS06-040 as quickly as possible. This security patch is designed to protect against a vulnerability that, if exploited, could enable an attacker to remotely take control of an affected system and install programs, view, change, or delete data, and create new accounts with full user rights.

http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=5789

(ed- a follow-up statement warning about the dangers of leaving windows open while away from your house is to be published later)
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: Gojirax on August 10, 2006, 04:38:11 PM
Add Microsoft's KB914388, KB917159 and KB917283 to that as well then. Those are all recent remote code execution or remote control vulnerabilities.

I wonder why they picked KB921883 to freak out about?
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: blobrana on August 10, 2006, 05:59:45 PM
Hum,
perhaps they are suggesting that all good patriots should stop using Windows, or that Microsoft has Al-Qaeda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Qaeda) links?
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: Vincent on August 10, 2006, 07:51:55 PM
I did mine yesterday :-D

Didn't think it was serious enough for the DHS to issue a press release though.
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: magnetic on August 10, 2006, 08:37:59 PM
Yeah what a fcking joke. The DHS is.

magnetic
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: weirdami on August 10, 2006, 09:35:38 PM
@magnetic

Yeah, security shmecurity. Give me chaos and death any day. I mean, really. Who do we think we are, protecting ourselves from dangers.
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: Jiffy on August 11, 2006, 07:45:58 AM
I don't like countries with a 'Department of Homeland Security', sounding much to 1984-ish for my liking... :-(
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: SyrTran on August 11, 2006, 12:15:25 PM
@Gojirax

Quote
I wonder why they picked KB921883 to freak out about?


Affected TCP/IP ports:

139 - NetBIOS Datagram Service
445 - Microsoft-DS

Basically, if you're running a Windows NetBIOS (SMB/CIFS) network without a firewall or MS' latest patches, you're vulnerable.

If you're doing -any- Windows Printer/File Sharing, you're running with these ports open.

This affects a -lot- of Windows networks.  Maybe even DHS' own network. ;-)
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: Gojirax on August 11, 2006, 12:18:56 PM
And the other ones affect DHCP service, Mail Service and ASP.NET... a pretty widespread set of vulnerabilities as well.

I still fail to see the significance that makes it worthy of the DHS claiming people should download this over others.

Quote

SyrTran wrote:
@Gojirax

Quote
I wonder why they picked KB921883 to freak out about?


Affected TCP/IP ports:

139 - NetBIOS Datagram Service
445 - Microsoft-DS

Basically, if you're running a Windows NetBIOS (SMB/CIFS) network without a firewall or MS' latest patches, you're vulnerable.

If you're doing -any- Windows Printer/File Sharing, you're running with these ports open.

This affects a -lot- of Windows networks.  Maybe even DHS' own network. ;-)
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: LoadWB on August 11, 2006, 02:10:47 PM
Important instructions for speaking the name "Homeland Security" in public.  All steps must be performed simultaneously.

1. Stand at rigid attention
2. Click heels together
3. With hand extended flat with palm down, extend arm completely raised to front at 45-degree angle from body


DHS is too broadly reaching and too poorly organized.  IIRC, they recently received an "F" or a "D-" in security rating.

Cloaked warrants which prevent even the suspect from knowing why he/she is being investigated.  No judges involved.  DHS and PATRIOT have trampled all over every citizen's freedoms, liberties, and constitutional rights.  It's the McCarthy era all over again, substitue "terrorists" for "communists."

(Conspiracy-theorist food follows :-))

One day after DHS mandates the use of Paladium -- in whatever incarnation it currently does or will exist -- the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, classic Mac, etc. becomes illegal because the system does not allow the spooks to watch and authorize what you do.  Amiga users become known as terrorists and family members are encouraged to report family members.

1984, McCarthy, The Running Man (if you have the 2 DVD set, it's worth watching the second DVD,) name your favorite.

I heard an interesting commentary on the radio last week about how Americans have lost their love of freedom, and the government is more than happy to step in and take control of their lives because that's what the people want.  OH, and that night I heard a commercial for the Free State Project.  hehehehe  Good stuff out there.
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: irishmike on August 11, 2006, 04:14:30 PM
This is why I use only *NIX systems.
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: Piru on August 11, 2006, 05:29:39 PM
@irishmike
Quote
This is why I use only *NIX systems.

You damn terrorist.

Hopefully you aren't a communist (http://images.indymedia.org/imc/ontario/linux-communism.jpg) aswell? (It's true, Microsoft says so (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/07/31/ms_ballmer_linux_is_communism/)! ;-))
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: adolescent on August 11, 2006, 06:27:02 PM
@Piru

Are you saying Linux isn't?   :crazy:
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: SamuraiCrow on August 11, 2006, 06:37:03 PM
Quote

adolescent wrote:
@Piru

Are you saying Linux isn't?   :crazy:


If you follow the links you'll see that he is saying that Linux IS communism.  (If Linux is communism and Microsoft is capitalism then I'll take a helping of communism any day.  Of course if they are trying to sell my on communism lock, stock, and barrel, then they've got another thing coming.)
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: irishmike on August 11, 2006, 07:13:36 PM
@Piru

Well, I have used Linux and I do think it is a great OS, albeit I have trouble with those who say that it is ready for the desktop, because I do not feel that it is that far along yet, but given time and development, it might get there.  The main problem I see with adoption of Linux to the Desktop is that the Linux community can not or perhaps more accurately, will not agree upon any standards.  Until this can be worked out, Linux is not viable as a desktop OS.  Though many servers are happily running it fine!

My choice (since that seemed to be called into question) is actually FreeBSD and Mac OS X.  FreeBSD on Intel for servers and Mac OS X for the desktop.

While I think the Amiga is a great platform as well, I think it's future is also going to be based on some *NIX underpinnings.  Heck, we could right now write a GUI that acted and felt like our Amiga (most likely looking like OS 3.9 mostly) and put our GUI ontop of FreeBSD which is modified for our purposes (eg Darwin) and we have a modern AmigaOS.  This is my grand vision for this beloved platform... combine that with high end hardware and a good base of developers and you have a MS killer.  

I feel that MS is the Communist party, they are the ones that feed propaganda to further their cause.  They to me, represent all that is unholy and wrong in the world.  That is purely my own opinion!  Heck, if Open Office would become Macintosh (Mac OS X) native, I would dump MS Office now.  That is the ONLY arguement for the Linux desktop (again speaking in my own opinion).

Generally, I only deal with MS products where I have to.

Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: orange on August 11, 2006, 07:48:18 PM
The only problem I see on Linux are the damn fonts with BCI problem. It took me weeks to get non-anti-aliased fonts in KDE, and I still cant get them in OpenOffice..  :cry:
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: rdolores on August 11, 2006, 07:58:23 PM
*NIX underpinnings, OS3.9 mostly... Sounds like Amithlon.

Quote:
While I think the Amiga is a great platform as well, I think it's future is also going to be based on some *NIX underpinnings. Heck, we could right now write a GUI that acted and felt like our Amiga (most likely looking like OS 3.9 mostly) and put our GUI ontop of FreeBSD which is modified for our purposes (eg Darwin) and we have a modern AmigaOS. This is my grand vision for this beloved platform... combine that with high end hardware and a good base of developers and you have a MS killer.
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: maffoo on August 11, 2006, 08:35:43 PM
Quote

irishmike wrote:
Heck, if Open Office would become Macintosh (Mac OS X) native, I would dump MS Office now.


Have you tried NeoOffice (http://www.neooffice.org/)?
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: dammy on August 11, 2006, 09:25:00 PM
I bit the bullet and updated, and my XP box is now more stable then it was prior.  Here I thought it was the CPU going bad...

Dammy
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: irishmike on August 12, 2006, 12:44:48 PM
@mafoo

Neo Office is very slow due to the front end being Java based (for me it was PAINFULLY slow) and while it worked, it is NOT native.  It has been a while since I tried it, but IIRC, it was still using the 1.1 OpenOffice code, not the 2.0. EDIT:  Just looked at NeoOffice.org and I must state that they have changed this, the 2.0 code is in Alpha :-)


Also, OpenOffice.org recently stated that they would no longer be backing the NeoOffice pony and that they were once again looking for developers to work on OO for Macintosh natively.  (If I was a better programmer, I'd work on it, but I don't think that they want a little bit more than "hello world" experienced person :-))

check out this link (http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/FAQ_Openoffice.org_and_NeoOffice)
Title: Re: Homeland Security Warning
Post by: blobrana on August 14, 2006, 05:17:13 PM
Hum,
Microsoft’s August 8 security patch, MS06-042 update, has a nasty habit of causing Internet Explorer to crash.
The problem affects Internet Exploder 6 with Service Pack 1 on Windows XP and Windows 2000 systems. If a user looks at a version 1.1 of HTTP alongside compression, the browser will crash.

Read more (http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33731)