Tracker Book Material - Online

"Frode" <> wrote in
news::

> For anybody somewhat curious but too lazy to check the site. She's sent 4
> "chapters" (a few lines of text each), and it's the exact same junk
> (literally, looks like copy'n'paste) she's been posting here repeatedly for
> ages now. My personal favorite is still how your computer's clock will tell
> you if you've been compromised.

I particularly like *this*:

> > > HACKERS SECRET WEAPONS:
> > > A. Hackers disable your Daylight Savings Time.

Exactly *why* would a hacker disable your DST? (And does that mean that,
since we do not *have* DST here in Queensland, that we are a more attractive
target for hackers? One less step for them to perform once they've taken
control of our machines...)

Overall, I get the impression of it being more paranoid ramblings than
anything else, with generous helpings of FUD and little or no technical (or
otherwise useful) information.

*shrug*

Pete.

In article <89f8b.29459$>,
says...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> On fredag 12. september 2003, 01:58 Leythos tried to express an opinion:
>
> > I block most non-US countries.
>
> Why? *just beeing qurious*

My servers are part of my development business - like some companies
doing remote development, I have servers in the USA for in-country
remote development teams. The servers run about 50 sites that provide QA
and Development staging areas for products. None of these sites are the
customers production sites, they are to provide the developers and
customers team with access to what we are building.

In monitoring my firewall logs, I see that most of the scanning of my
network addresses comes from foreign countries - since all my
clients/developers are US based, I block as many foreign subnets as
possible. While blocking does not prevent anything itself, if they are
blocked that's one more layer where they can't start trying anything.

In my experience, blocking Asia, Middle Eastern and Eastern countries
has done no harm to my network, but it has cut down on the log files and
even spam email.

--
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(Remove 999 to reply to me)

In article <>,
says...
[snip]
> For anybody somewhat curious but too lazy to check the site. She's sent 4
> "chapters" (a few lines of text each), and it's the exact same junk
> (literally, looks like copy'n'paste) she's been posting here repeatedly for
> ages now.

While I agree with you - it's the same short material we've seen before,
I have asked Tracker(s) to send more material so that we can either
validate them or show them where they are misguided. Here is a copy of
the email I sent requesting more copy and an explanation of why:

Tracker,

Yes, I know it's your book. The intent of offering you this opportunity
was for you to put your best examples of your knowledge on the site so
that the lead technical people in the security groups could provide
truly constructive feedback, so that you might be able to correct some
things, and so that if you could see true constructive feedback in a
positive light that you might change your path.

The information you've sent is full of the same stuff I've seen you post
many times before and I hate to say this (don't be offended) it's very
poorly written. The entire 4 sections you've sent should be under one
chapter on the website, there is only enough content in those 4 sections
for one chapters worth, not 4 chapters worth of content.

If I can take the time to do this for you, and if you are going to take
me up on the offer, I would hope that you would at least provide your
best examples of what you want the security specialists to see.
Remember, many of the people that are in those groups get paid/make a
living off knowing security and many (like me) have more than 15 years
experience. Most of us started off reading the Usenet posts and now we
are giving back to Usenet to help others. Helping you with this
understanding, like I am now, is the most extreme I've gone too
(website, multiple emails, etc) for anyone.

You should really understand, to be taken seriously in a security group
(or any group), you are going to have to show a lot of technical
knowledge in the subject matter. I would suggest that you send a lot
more information for me to post.

This should be your shining moment - the people in the security groups
are going to judge your merit based on your work (that I'm taking the
time to post on a website for free), not any personal prejudice that
they have built up over the last couple years. I've seen to it that only
constructive feedback will be given, I will filter any abusive comments,
and I will start sending you the comments this weekend. This is your 15
minutes of fame - use it well or you will never live this one down. I've
given you the keys to being authenticated in the security groups, it's
up to you to use them.

Mark


--
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"Peter Jones" <> wrote in message
news:Xns93F4D779AB9D1prjpp1516202119@210.49.20.254 ...
>
> Exactly *why* would a hacker disable your DST? (And does that mean that,
> since we do not *have* DST here in Queensland, that we are a more
attractive
> target for hackers? One less step for them to perform once they've taken
> control of our machines...)

Perhaps hackers ... er, malicious hackers ... took over Queensland long ago
which is why you do not observe daylight savings time. (Sneaky little
bastards.)

On 12 Sep 2003 06:54:13 GMT, donut <> wrote:

>Yes, she is correct that a malicious hacker (thanks for using that term,
>Debbie, as we all know that most hackers are not malicious) could install a
>Trojan Horse on your computer and control it, even disabling your firewall.
>This is basic first grade security stuff.
>
>What she does not explain (so far) is how the Trojan Horse can get there in
>the first place if:

I agree. That seems to be a glaring omission. "They install a Trojan
Horse which disabled your anti-virus and firewall protection".

How??? Debbies solution to this, as posted here many times is... to
install anti-virus and firewall programs, and disable some Windows
services.

Those Windows services, according to Debbie, make the anti-virus and
firewall programs useless. That is flat out false. You can have every
service Windows offers active. All the popular firewall programs, by
default, prevent *any* connection to the net.

That means you have to configure the firewall to allow access. Now that
does involve some security mindedness and a bit of knowledge. But that is
something about which Debbie, as far as I have seen, has never uttered a
single word.

I took a look at the site. It goes without saying that chapter 1 and
chapter 2 are essentially talking about the same thing. Why two
"chapters"? Note that the term chapter must be taken loosely. Each
consists of only a few paragraphs.

Chapter 3, outlining the curious, and apparently magical, way in which
malicious hackers install trojans and replace your firewall and anti-virus
software, also contains the following odd statement.

"If you want to learn more about computer security, if you’re a beginner,
one avenue is to read-up on configuring your mail and browsing
applications. Google and Yahoo also have Newsgroups and message boards
pertaining to the aforementioned. If utilizing a Windows platform, do some
reading on configuring your Windows Internet Options both Internet and
Local Settings. Also, spend time learning what applications in Windows are
running and on what port they run on. "

??? I thought the book was supposed to *be* the security training... It
would seem rather disheartening to buy a book about computer security and
right off the bat being given the advice "Read some books on computer
security".

I hope Debbie doesn't move on to writing software. I can see her releasing
a powerful new combination anti-virus/firewall "program" that consists of a
single text file that says: Step 1: Get yourself Visual Basic and write an
anti-virus/firewall program.

Chapter 4 contains Debbie's usual list of strange and altogether
unexplained beliefs about how to know when your system is hacked.

A. Hackers disable your Daylight Savings Time.

How? Why? Why would the malicious hacker leave an obvious clue on your
system for absolutely no benefit?

B. The clock on the desktop can be one hour ahead or one hour behind, on
occasion.

Well wouldn't that be the expected result of your Daylight Savings Time
setting being changed? I think she is padding her list.

C. Your Network Places Icon on the desktop disappears.

How? Why? These malicious hackers, according to Debbie, have the ability
to install Trojan Horses on your system, replace your anti-virus and
firewall programs, etc, etc. And again they leave such an obvious clue
when doing so is of absolutely no benefit to them.

D. If using a Windows platform: when you start your computer, your original
screen will pop up, but since the hackers need to boot into their Networks,
or Server(s), the system will quickly re-boot and the original screen will
appear twice. But your system may re-boot twice instead of once when
loading Windows OEM versions.

Another fully unexplored statement. Why exactly would this happen? What's
this extra network? Precisely what registry settings or config files cause
the system to run this extra network? It has to run *somehow*, yet no
details are offered.

Etc, etc. Debbie presents a long list of commonly known Windows bugs or
symptoms of common problems and suggests that malicious hackers are behind
it all. No details, no proof.

And apparently no proof *reading* either. The writing is so bad that it
gives the impression of having been translated from Russian to English by a
Japanese person, who knew neither Russian nor English, with the assistance
of a Chinese friend who did know both Russian and English but only spoke
broken Japanese.

But hey, that *does* give Debbie a readily identifiable style...



---
Our subconscious minds have no sense of humor, play no jokes and cannot tell the
difference between reality and an imagined thought or image. What we continually
think about eventually will manifest in our lives.

- Madwed, Sidney

Mark,

You are either validating a nutcase or feeding a troll. Please
stop.


--
Jim Higgins, quasimodo AT yahoo DOT com
icbm: 33.55.34N, 80.24.21W

"CyberDroog" <> wrote in message <

<SNIP>

> ??? I thought the book was supposed to *be* the security training... It
> would seem rather disheartening to buy a book about computer security and
> right off the bat being given the advice "Read some books on computer
> security".
>
> I hope Debbie doesn't move on to writing software. I can see her
releasing
> a powerful new combination anti-virus/firewall "program" that consists of
a
> single text file that says: Step 1: Get yourself Visual Basic and write an
> anti-virus/firewall program.

LOL! I don't wish to wade into this TRACKER/debbie controversy, but
couldn't stop laughing here...

R Green
Tech Support
--------------
WoWsat.com
--------------

In article <>,
says...
> Mark,
>
> You are either validating a nutcase or feeding a troll. Please
> stop.

Jim, there are many ways to "work" with people and to educate them. As
many of us have seen, what has been tried before is NOT working. I hope
to be able to show her what is valid and what is not valid and hope that
we can get on with the group - surely a weeks time will not impact us
any more than the constant flames that appear ever time Tracker posts
anything.

It can't hurt and it may help.

--
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Leythos Spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed
in <>:

<snip>

> In my experience, blocking Asia, Middle Eastern and Eastern
> countries has done no harm to my network, but it has cut down on the
> log files and even spam email.

I started blocking China Telecom, and my scan logs went down by
20%...so this is completely understandable...

NOI

On Sat, 13 Sep 2003 07:37:20 -0400, Thund3rstruck
<> wrote:

>Leythos Spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed
>in <>:
>
><snip>
>
>> In my experience, blocking Asia, Middle Eastern and Eastern
>> countries has done no harm to my network, but it has cut down on the
>> log files and even spam email.
>
> I started blocking China Telecom, and my scan logs went down by
>20%...so this is completely understandable...

True, but Europe is another thing

I was blocking email from Japan, but someone there wanted to
buy something and had to resort to the fax,

--
Jim Watt http://www.gibnet.com