General Security and Learning plus links!
Author- Ennis
E-Mail- nho@hackermail.com
Ok, here is all my big posts here at Antionline combined. This is just a newbie text on General Security. First is a simple guide to learning followed by a list of links and last but not least a text on understanding hackers.
Hope you all find them useful.
The following post is an attempt at helping those new to security get information quickly and with ease. Here goes.
Ok, Im guessing since you are reading this that you are a member of a board or forum, these places hold a wealth of information in its users. Post relevent questions and you will get answers easily.
This is a great place to begin and there are great forums [in fact hundreds] of forums security or hacker related these days.
Im not going to plug them here as its not nice to those who make this board what it is.
Next after youre basic hunger has been fulfilled you will desire extra information, the obvious way of getting valid info is a good search engine.
www.google.com www.alltheweb.com
or you could get a program to this for you, I recommend Copernic 2001 Pro, you could buy it but for those without morals its available at nearly every warez site.
Warez is pirated software, it is illegal and whether you wish to use it is your choice but be careful warez sites are full of pop-up ads, misleading links and possibly trojans so be extra careful.
www.warez.com provides a search engine for programs, just type in Copernic 2001 Pro.
Of course you can always just check out the Warez boards here.
The next step is getting in contact with helpful users in which you can learn from, maybe forum members you get along with, people on ICQ or any friends or relatives you know with good computer skills. A great way of learning is on a one to one basis unless you feel you work better alone.
IRC is a great place to meet people on learn, unfamiliar users will be shocked by its old fashioned ways at your firewall going crazy but once you learn those commands you will learn so much.
Go to www.mirc.com and take it from there.
Programming can amazingly improve your computer skills [obviously] so I recommend buying a good book on the language you hope to approach first [ most go for C/C++ or Basic] however pick the language the suits you even if its Python, Pascal or Assembly.
Books are great for learning, I am currently surrounded by many computer books, go to your local shop and take a look around your bound to find something.
Learn HTML its easy and webpages wont look so fancy anymore, try follow this up by Javascroipt which is more of a challenge.
READ, I can not stress this enough, read tutorials/how to's etc. until your eyes bleed. There is a good archive here at antilonline so check it out or try these links.
www.cyruslabs.com/tutorials.html/ www.lameindustries.org/tutorials/index.shtml/
These sites provide tutorials from newbie up to advanced level so check them out.
Getiing Linux installed can be a daunting task for any newbie. Dont rush into Linux simply to look good, if you do not feel comfortable with change stick with Windows.
Get help the first time you install Linux, or perhaps partition your hardrive so you can keep Windows and still learn what all those guys on IRC were talking about.
Get a firewall at www.zonelabs.com or www.networkice.com these will help secure your box against possible attacks.
Learn how to be anonymous on the web, read up on proxies Ill post a tutorial soon.
Do not get involved in illegal activities to look "l337", this includes defacement, virus writing, trojan use and DoS. Imagine ending up in prison or fined $1000 because you scribbled
"1 0\/\/¬ j00 suX0r5!" or whatever crap they write. It aint worth it and you will impress nobody important just other script kiddies.
Or if you are gonna do it, do it right.
Oh, and if you are into handles dont pick one from the film "Hackers", I have seen so many 'Zero-Cool's and 'Acid Burn' handles to make me sick.
Ok, I know this is basic stuff, I just hope it helps out somebody here.
Here are some links and tutorials to get you started.
I hope some of you find the following links useful.
Please report any misleading links and add your own if you want.
Security
www.nemohackers.com
www.blackcode.com
http://rofhackers.cjb.net
www.lameindustries.org
http://blacksun.box.sk/books.html
http://vodka.at/caliberx
www.fromesh.f2s.com
www.cyruslabs.com
www.hackersincorporated.org
http://neworder.box.sk
www.hm2k.com
www.rootkidd.com
www.smarthack.com
www.haxor.ipfox.com
http://redsky.advknowledge.net
www.cyberarmy.com
www.securitywriters.org
http://xatrix.org
Programming
www.programmersheaven.com
www.codecranker.com
www.codepile.com
www.cprogramming.com
www.programmerszone.com
www.vcworld.f2s.com
Anonymity
www.multiproxy.org
Virus
www.ebcvg.com
http://hvx.cjb.net
Trojan Removal http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Qu.../new/sub7guide
Operating Systems
MS-DOS www.easydos.com
www.freedos.org http://liberty.mas.vcu.edu/~resler/...l/tutorial.html
Open/Free BSD
www.openbsd.org
www.bsdtoday.com
www.freebsd.org
Linux
www.linux.com
www.linux.org
www.linux.ie
www.redhat.com
www.debian.org
www.linuxtoday.com
www.kernal.org
Microsoft Windows
www.windows-help.net
www.helponthe.net
Unicode
www.sec33.com
www.unicode.org
Tools/Programs
www.system7.org
www.djtozz.ws
Challenges
www.area6.f2s.com
www.arcanum.co.nz
Ok, I had a lot of times on my hands today, so Ive decided to write on a subject that comes up here often in the Antionline forums. It concerns the ethics, misconceptions and just general talk of hackers.
I think it is important to understand hackers in order to fight hackers. *Note: If you are uncomfortable with the term hacker being used imagine it is cracker*.
And as you know I am not a cracker but I do know crackers and I have learned to secure my OS from my experiances with them
Anyway here goes...
Hacker Skills
In order to understand hackers we need to know their skills. What can a hacker do? Well any real hacker should know their Operating System inside out. Windows users should be able to manipulate the registry and Unix users should understand their OS and how the kernal works. Here at AO there is a strong amount of Linux users, which is a better alternative OS to Windows for any aspiring hacker.
They should also know some programming language [at least two]. Many hackers are programmers, in fact some know multiple languages. Here at Antionline people have asked which are the best languages to learn. Well I think some of the most important are C/C++, Perl, java and ASM, although different people enjoy or find uses for different languages.
Windows users should have a look at batch programming and Unix users should try Shell code.
Types of Hackers
There are many types of hackers and I will try explain the vast majority of them here beginning with the good and branching into the undesirables...
Newbies/Neophythes
Newbies are only well new to hacking, they are striving to learn and it is at this stage they decide what path they will take. A newbie could become anything if not taught early the code of the hacker. The usually go through a process of learning from their mistakes.
Neophythes are newbies who are beginning to show some knowledge and are contributing to the hacker society. Many hackers remain at this stage and few move on the 'uberhacker' status.
Lamers
Lamers are the people that just wont learn, they are not interested in real hacking instead looking for easy ways to impress their freinds etc. Everything they do is accomplished without any innovative ideas, just basic copying of old exploits, tools etc.
Script Kiddies
*Ennis cringes* Yes we all them, the bottom of the hacker culture is fulll of wannabes, these malicious kids are lamers with enough knowledge to lets say, deface a site or execute DoS attacks, creat simple virii etc. They are the people that give hackers a bad name.
Black Hat
Yopu may have heard this term tossed around this forum a couple of times, Black Hats are crackers out to gain something from their computer knowledge. Basically they are the crimanals you hear about from the media.
White Hat
You guessed it, the good guys. The find holes in systems and may patch them up or warn the sites administrator. These people are the moral conscience of the hacking world.
Grey Hat
Kinda myth-like, apparently the old crackers using their skills have root on many sites but do not deface the site or cause damage. They may install backdoors and sites. They do not talk to anyone or release their exploits to other hackers.
Input from MsMittens
quote:
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My understanding was someone who is a white hat but accepts or does activities occassionally that a black hat might, e.g., takes software home that belongs to the company and make copies or put backdoors on systems they are supposed to monitor.
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UberHacker
The true hackers of the world, who have become respected pillars of knowledge in hacking cultures. They have immense ability and skill. Any self-respecting hacker aims to be a uberhacker.
Crackers
Crackers come in two forms, those that deface sites for 'fame' and those who crack programs. They are malicious and not nice people. Many people believe the word hacker in the media's eyes should be changed to cracker.
Warez d00ds
People who allow other internet users to download copyrighted software of the internet for free. These people also promote porn and their sites are full of misleading links and pop-up ads.
Virus Programmers
People who create malicious in an attempt to disrupt or destroy home or business computers. These people are usually pretty good programmers just with a bit of a sick attitude.
Input from Kezil
quote:
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not all virus writers are malicious, some just do it for fun or to learn about viruses
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Various Hacking Culture Traits
The hacking world is full of its own oddities and set rules, Ill explain what I can here for all the Antionliners!
Flame Wars
Now we all know this one, the flame.
Anywhere when ideas are so freely expressed people are gonna get angry, forums, IRC and BBS are breeding grounds for flamers. Some are great at it [Negative] and use it wisely to point out mistakes, teach lessons, others are childish with their flames and lose general respect for it.
Anyway being sensible and not flaming others means you can avoid being flamed yourself.
1337 speak!
Yeah, I know script kiddie talk, well exactly. How can people give clear info or comminicate when you are writing with numbers. Anyway it can be a source of amusement but dont try impress anyway with this kinda talk. Lots of people here are excellent at English [grammar,grammar,grammar!] and some can speak more than one language. Why waste this talent wit this 1337 Sp3/\|<?
Microsoft Windows & Hackers
Lets face it, most people use Windows right, so bascially crackers have a field day with it's lame security.
So how can you secure yourself, well get a firewall, they cost from 0 to very costly. Try www.zonelabs.com for ZoneAlarm, a very popular choice among the people here at Antionline.
Firewalls watch your ports for attacks.
Youll also need a Virus Scanner, in this day and age when new virii are created daily, you must keep it updated also. Go to
www.symantec.com for Norton Antivirus which you will have to pay for.
The trojan
Trojans consist of a server and a program. The server is sent ot your victim which must be executed and then you can gain access to their computer. Simple but so lame.
Only script kiddies would use trojans and I advise any self-respecting human not to use these things...
To avoid getting a trojan on your PC, watch what you are downloading and get a virus scanner.
Social Engineering
Be wary of people you meet on the web, there are socail engineers on the web proving sometimes you dont need amazing hacking skills when you have people skills. Social Engineers spend lots of time perfecting the ability to manipulate admin's and users for sensitive information on a network.
Thats it.
Ennis.
