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The LangaList
Standard Edition

2001-06-14

A Free Email Newsletter from Fred Langa
That Helps You Get More From Your Hardware, 
Software, and Time Online

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1) Bad Site Improves; Good Site Gets Attacked

In response to the latest InformationWeek column ("Good And Bad Online Security Check-Ups" at http://www.informationweek.com/841/langa.htm ), the owners of the scam site I mentioned had a change of heart.

Before last week, the site was using a faked security test to dupe the unwary into buying security software they didn't need: The test always reported that it found security vulnerabilities, even when there really were none. But after the above article went live and people started writing to the site owner to complain about the bogus tests, the site owners quietly removed the sales link. As of this writing, the site stands as just a silly *and now harmless* hoax or joke page. 8-)

Ripping off unsuspecting users is dead wrong. I commend the site owners for cleaning up their act and no longer using the fake test as a sales tool.

That was the good news. The bad news is that Steve Gibson's excellent "Shields Up" site--- one of two which I enthusiastically recommend--- has been having problems. At first, it was a 13-year-old cracker using a script created by an adult hacker/cracker to launch a Denial of Service attack on Gibson's site. (Denial of Service is sometimes confusingly abbreviated DoS, with only the small "o" to differentiate it from DOS, the Disk Operating System.) The DoS attack flooded Steve's system with millions of small requests which totally saturated the system and made Shields Up and other services effectively unavailable.

Steve figured out what was going on, fixed it, and and wrote about it in an eye-opening report that looks deep into the world of malicious hacking, showing how easy it is for even children to bring down professionally-maintained and secured servers. But the report itself was so good and so popular that Steve created his own DoS situation when his servers became saturated with readers flocking to read what he'd written!

And that's why I've held off mentioning either the initial attack or the report until now: Sending you to a seemingly-unresponsive site only would have frustrated you and added to Steve's site-saturation woes. But now, the worst of the flood seems to be abating. You can read the full and amazing story of Steve's encounters with malicious hackers at http://grc.com/dos/grcdos.htm . Note that the site may still be slow; please be patient.

As part of his research into DoS attacks, Steve also discovered some very disturbing information about the way the forthcoming Microsoft XP implements a kind of "Socket" service. In the page at http://grc.com/dos/winxp.htm, Steve lays out a fairly convincing case that XP will be the "Denial of Service Exploitation Tool of Choice for Internet Hackers Everywhere." If you're even remotely considering using Windows XP when it ships later this year, you owe it to yourself to take a look at Steve's findings. (He also includes Microsoft's official response, which to me seems lame.)

Shields Up should be back online soon. But there are still five other sites you can use to test your online security RIGHT NOW, and for free: Just click over to http://www.informationweek.com/841/langa.htm and check out both the article there, and the good additional information in the associated discussion area. See you there!

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2) Finding Needles in The LangaList Haystack

Dana R. Cardwell writes:

Since I've been with you since the 8/10/00 issue, I have a fair amount of info. I keep these because when I first read an article I may not need the info then but later go back to it when the need arises. As the info increases so does my search time to find what I'm looking for that I know I've read before. My question is, do you have a index to the topics in your newsletter?

Indeed: The LangaList is approaching its four-year anniversary, with some 30MB total of information published (counting all formats). That's a lot to keep track of. 8-)

But there already are five ways to search. First, there are three, free, fast full-index searches available for you online that track every word in every issue. Although you do have to be connected to the Internet to use them, the searches take literally just a fraction of a second to return results, and they're updated with each new issue so they're always current.

Of these online searches, the more powerful is available in two forms. The "simple search" lets you type in one or more words; it finds the closest matches. You can narrow your search by adding increasingly-specific words to search for. The more powerful "advanced search"--- the one I use most--- has additional search/sort/display options, and really can zero in on anything. Both are available, for free, at http://www.langa.com/search.htm .

Another less-powerful search alternative is available if you have trouble with either of the first two searches: http://www.langa.com/search2.htm

The Plus! edition subscribers get two additional methods that don't require that you be online. One is a full copy of all issues--- standard and Plus, text and HTML, all the way back to issue #1--- in compact Zip-file format. Using a tool like "Search and Replace" ( http://www.funduc.com/  ) or the good freeware search utility available at http://www.agentransack.com  , you can find just about anything in any issue in seconds.

The other option for Plus! subscribers is all the HTML LangaLists ever published packaged (by Plus! subscriber Bronson C. Elliott) as a standard Windows Help File. Everything's in a single file, and can be self-searched using the Windows Help Engine's standard (and familiar) interface. It's fast and easy and slick.

You can get more info on the Plus! edition at http://www.langa.com/plus.htm .

In addition to the above, all back issues for the standard edition are available at http://www.langa.com/archives.htm And all back issues for the Plus! edition are available at http://www.langalist.com/plus/default.asp . All former WinMag "Explorer" columns are at http://content.techweb.com/winmag/columns/explorer/backissu.htm ; other WinMag columns are features are at http://www.freetune.com/most_popular_pages.htm,  and older InformationWeek columns are at http://www.informationweek.com/langaletter/archives.htm .

Search... and ye shall find! 8-)

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3) Readers Reply: How Much Reg Cleaning Is Enough?

After the "How Much" article ran (see http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-05-21.htm#1 ) I received many additional registry-cleaning suggestions, some of which I included for you in subsequent issues. The torrent of email has died down, but there are still some good notes coming in. For example:

Dear Fred, Several months ago your column got me interested in the subject of registry cleaning. After checking out much of the shareware and freeware that was available it became obvious to me that many of the programs were just too dangerous to use. After much testing, I have found out that your statement "I haven't found any Registry Cleaner that does it all" is right on the mark. However, the tools that you recommend still leave a lot of garbage in the registry. I believe that I have found a more complete and nearly bullet proof set of registry cleaning utilities....Run these steps in order and only use them to clean your registry.
1) Clean System directory 1.7 by Kevin Solway - Removes unneeded DLLs: http://www.theabsolute.net/sware/index.html#clnsys
2) RegClean4.1a (available at this Microsoft FTP site)
3) EasyCleaner 1.7 by ToniArts: http://www.toniarts.com/ecleane.htm
4) CleanReg 3 by Armstrong Systems House http://www.armstrongsystems.bizland.com/
5) Boot to DOS and run ScanREG /FIX to compact the registry if you are using Windows98
In addition, I run the whole kit and caboodle including a version of your batchfile, a virus scanner, walign, defragment, and turn off power, before I go to sleep, with one mouse click and a few key strokes from a batch file that I will send you in a few weeks and post on my website.--- Lee Gordon

There is also a good article about registry maintenance on the Microsoft TechNet site. The article, "Getting Rid of the Unwanted" ( http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/win2000/getting.asp ), is actually an excerpt from the book "Mastering Windows 2000 Registry," published by--no, not Microsoft Press--Sybex, Inc. --- Lowell Kinzer

Thanks, Lee and Lowell.

The "Mastering Windows 2000 Registry" is an excellent beast of a book--- almost 800 pages long--- that covers just about any Win2K registry issue you might ever have. It's also available at a 20% discount via http://www.langa.com/books.htm#masterwin2kreg .

If you're not using Win2K, don't worry: There are about 30 other computer books  I personally recommend available on that page that will help you deal with all kinds of issues in all versions of Windows, including Registry issues; and all the books are available at discounted prices. 8-)

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4) Useful Freeware

Reader Matthew Casey sent along an email titled "Useful Freeware," which is a sure way to grab my attention. 8-) Here's what he reports:

Like everybody else on your subscription list I look forward to Monday and Thursday mornings to find some gems turned up by you or your readers. One topic I haven't seen covered is scripting software to help with automated installs. I have found, what I believe to be, the most useful freeware program ever written, AutoIt at http://www.hiddensoft.com/autoit . Originally I used AutoIt to deploy software that didn't have a silent install option. However, the author has made so many updates, which is another great benefit, that when we recently had to purchase a new file server for our user's home directories, I was able to write a script that did the following

Record the root directory structure in a text file
Read the text file one line at a time and copy each folder from the old server to the new server
Set the permissions (using robocopy.exe) and shares (using rmtshare.exe) on the new server
Then removed the share from the old server.

The end result was this, I was able to move 400 shared folders from one server to another, and set the proper shares and permissions on the new server, with a script that took about 30 minutes to write.

I also wrote a script that prompts for a username and automatically creates their home directory and sets the proper share and permissions.

I know this is a little fuzzy, I'm not a writer by trade -), but check out the software, I think its a must have for anybody that has redundant tasks that can be accomplished with a script.

Thanks, Matt. It does look good, and complements the other scripting info we've covered in the past. (Examples:
http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=scripting&sp-a=0008002a-sp00000000 )

Once you get started with scripting, it can be hard to stop--- automation is a wonderful thing. 8-)

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5) Nice Search Engine

Don M. Mong found a metasearch engine he likes a lot:

I want to call your (and others') attention to a WEB SEARCH ENGINE I've been using for maybe a year: http://www.ixquick.com

If you haven't been aware of IXQUICK, you have a pleasant surprise if you try it! The process opens with a big black screen background. No cutesy graphics, ad banners, etc. In the very middle of this is a blank entry field waiting to take your key search word(s) in a plain-English phrase. I've had phenominal success with this thing. And because it's so 'quick' (har, har) it bothers not to occasionally have to try one or two alternate search words. It's also rather good about assigning relevant hits with a 'star' rating.

Being so impressed with this over time, I finally made inquiry as to who is running this search site. Found it is the property of a Netherlands-based company with a tech facility in New York. Anyway, the utterly direct entry into the search is one of its biggest charms!

Thanks, Don. The site is very nicely done, but also doesn't take itself too seriously, instead letting a little personality and humor show through. See, for example, the FAQ page, which not only manages to tell you the key elements that make Ixquick powerful and different from other searches, but also introduces you to a twelve year old Himalayan mountain goat named Daphne. (No, I'm not kidding! <g>)

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6) Don’t Make Me Beg! 8-)

If you think the LangaList is a worthwhile read, just use the following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win $10,000 for your trouble (full details also available via this link):
http://www.recommend-it.com/l.z.e?s=143182

Or, win a no-strings $30 Gift Certificate for any item at Amazon.Com--- books, software, hardware, kitchenware, toys... and more. To have a shot at winning, just use the following link to recommend the LangaList to a friend. Your friend just may find a new source of useful information; I just may gain a new subscriber; and you just may win a $30 Gift Certificate! (Full details also available via this link):
http://www.langa.com/recommend.htm

Either way, thank you, and good luck!

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7) Anti-SpyWare Site

Reader Lyle Kroll was looking for an anti-spyware site, and ran across this:

FYI (found it in a magazine article this past weekend). http://www.cexx.org  (They can use harsh language, but they do have some useful information and links, not just for spyware). (-8

Thanks, Lyle. "CEXX" supposedly stands for "Counterexploitation," and indeed, the site can be somewhat hard-edged. Still, there's good info there!

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8) They Just Keep Coming And Coming and Coming...

Well over thirteen hundred of your fellow readers have "Loaded the code." Please click over to http://www.langa.com/code.htm , and maybe you can join them! (If you've already "Loaded The Code" and are wondering if your site will appear here or on the Langa.Com web site, please see http://www.langa.com/link.txt )

Speaking of which: Here's another eclectic sample of reader sites--- some professional, some very personal:

View A Randomly-Chosen Reader Site
http://www.langa.com/randomlink.htm

Manually Browse All Posted-to-Date Sites Starting At
http://www.langa.com/readersites.htm

MyNetWatchman
http://www.mynetwatchman.com/

Darren Harmon BSc 
http://users.breathemail.net/darren.harmon1/

fvillha's Homepage
http://fvillha.org/

Little Piece of Heaven Farm
http://www.littlepieceofheavenfarm.com/

Welcome to Vir-Chew-All Enterprizez
http://www.vir-chew-all.com/

Chad's Homepage
http://home.columbus.rr.com/ceiring/

Gidusko World
http://home.cfl.rr.com/gidusko/

Gabriel's Homepage
http://www.geocities.com/gssq/

Nate-Net
http://www.nate-net.net

CLC Web Design
http://clc-webdesign.hypermart.net/

Reinhard Gross (Bavaria)
http://www.rgross.de/englisch.htm

Tropicana Beach Club
http://www.tropicanabeachclub.com/links.htm

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9) AOL Revisited, #1

Two issues back, I jokingly referred to AOL as a virus; and in the last issue, I reprinted a reader-submitted (but unattributed) "Just for Grins" item that spun a very nicely done satire on virus chain-letters--- with AOL as the butt of the joke.( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-06-11.htm#10 )

I then got a very nice letter from Ray Owens, the original author of the piece:

Hi Fred I've enjoyed your writing for some time, sir. :) In your 6/11 list, sir, you have a work of mine under the "Just For Grins" section. I wish [the reader who submitted the piece] had had enough sense to credit me, but, alas he did not. Good for him in sending it along. Bad for doing it under his own name.

My name is Ray Owens and I run Joke A Day. I wrote the AOL.EXE virus bit and sent it to my list of 342,000 readers on June 5, 2001. Feel free to check out the entire sordid story of how this sucker has gone worldwide at http://www.jokeaday.com/7aolexe.shtml  Thank you for running it, my friend.

The amazing part of the story--- you'll see it of you follow the link above--- is that many AOL users fell for the joke, and actually deleted "aol.exe" from their systems, thinking it *was* a virus. Incredible!

Thanks, Ray!

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10) AOL Revisited, #2

In a more serious vein, Public Radio International's "Marketplace" recently interviewed me as part of a report on AOL's dropping of the "Connected at..." message in AOL6. The Marketplace reporters were wondering if this was part of a possible scheme to lower connection speeds and keep users in the dark. How can you tell what speed you're really connected at?

Although the piece aired on June 8th, you can still hear the streaming audio version via the Marketplace show page at http://www.marketplace.org/shows/2001/06/08_mpp.html , or you can jump right to the streaming file at http://www.marketplace.org/shows/2001/06/rafiles/08_mpp.ram . It's the third segment in the show, starting at about 22 minutes into the stream. (Move the player's slider to the 22 minute mark to jump right to the segment.)

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11) Just For Grins

A reader calling him(?)self "Dread" offers these "Things You Probably Never Knew...." I suspect some of them are wrong, but what the heck--- they're still fun.

Q. What occurs more often in December than any other month?
A. Conception.

Q. What separates "60 Minutes," on CBS from every other US TV show?
A. No theme song.

Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
A. Their birthplace.

Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name requested?
A. Obsession.

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to count until you found the letter "A"?
A. One thousand

Q. What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.

Q. There are more collect calls on this day than any other day of the year?
A. Father's Day

Q. What trivial fact about Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny) is the most ironic?
A. He was allergic to carrots.

Q. What is an activity performed by 40% of all people at a party?
A. Snooping in your medicine cabinet.

Did you know...

The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time US television was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Coca-Cola was originally green.

Every day more money is printed for the board game "Monopoly" than printed by the US Treasury.

Men can read smaller print than women; women can hear & smell better.

The state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work Alaska.

The percentage of Africa that is wilderness 28%. The percentage of North America that is wilderness 38%.

The cost of raising a medium size dog to the age of eleven $6,400.

The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour 61,000.

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12) Search Bar 1.1, How To Restore Munged "Image Preview" Options, And What's Even Worse Than The 'Dust Bunnies From Hell?'

Today's LangaList Plus! Edition contains all 11 items above, plus about 30% more content including: information on a brand-new release of the popular (and free!) "Search Bar" utility--- a free custom search bar for your desktop that lets you instantly access any of 6 major search engines without having to first open your browser; a one-click way to restore damaged "Image Preview" settings (such as can happen when you install a new graphics viewer); a reader's real life run in with something far, far worse than last issue's 'Dust Bunnies From Hell!'

Plus! Edition info: http://www.langa.com/plus.htm 

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See you next issue!

Best,

Fred
(fred@langa.com)

Please recommend the LangaList to a friend! (And maybe win $10,000!I)

An easier-to read formatted HTML version is available in the "Current Issue" section of http://www.langa.com.  (The HTML version of each issue normally is available by 9AM EST [UT-5] of the issue date.) All past LangaList issues are also available at the Langa.Com site.

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