20 ways to break Linux  

Posted by Daniela Mehler

Techradar posted 20 ways to break Linux
Linux has a reputation for robustness but there are still plenty of ways to damage a perfectly working system.Here we share some of the ways you can trash Linux so you don't make the same mistakes we did. 01. Fill a filesystem If the filesystem containing /var fills up, nothing can write its log messages and all sorts of system processes may stall. This can be caused by a runaway process spamming /var/log or, if everything is on the same filesystem, it could be all the downloads in your home directory.

CompatDB Updates 10/05/11  

Posted by Daniela Mehler

Here the latest updates of the CompatDB compatiblity lists. There are today 10 Windows updates. Windows Applications: 7Burn - Burning Studio (RCPsoft) CCleaner Standard (Piriform Ltd. ) IObit Malware Fighter (IObit) IObit Toolbox v1.0 (IObit) Mozilla Firefox 6.0.2 Final (The Mozilla Organization) Realtek High Definition Audio for 2K/XP/03 (Realtek) Win7codecs x64 (Shark007) Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (Microsoft Corp.) Games: Space Bunnies Must Die! (Ripcord Games) Hardware: Promise FastTrack 378 PATA/SATA RAID (Promise) Please contribute to the compatibility lists by submitting reports of your (in)compatible hardware/software to the database. The CompatDB compatibility lists are free and licensed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License. For more information visit the CompatDB site. To submit reports for Windows: Submit Windows application Submit Windows game Submit Windows hardware To submit reports for Linux: Submit Linux application Submit Linux game Submit Linux hardware To submit reports for Mac OS: Submit Mac OS application Submit Mac OS game Submit Mac OS hardware

Puppet security update for Debian  

Posted by Daniela Mehler

A puppet security update has been released for Debian GNU/Linux
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Debian Security Advisory DSA-2314-1 security@debian.org http://www.debian.org/security/ Nico Golde Oct 3, 2011 http://www.debian.org/security/faq - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Package : puppet Vulnerability : multiple Problem type : local/remote Debian-specific: no Debian bug : none CVE IDs : CVE-2011-3848 CVE-2011-3870 CVE-2011-3869 CVE-2011-3871 Multiple security issues have been discovered in puppet, a centralized configuration management system. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems: CVE-2011-3848 Kristian Erik Hermansen reported that an unauthenticated directory traversal could drop any valid X.509 Certificate Signing Request at any location on disk, with the privileges of the Puppet Master application. CVE-2011-3870 Ricky Zhou discovered a potential local privilege escalation in the ssh_authorized_keys resource and theoretically in the Solaris and AIX providers, where file ownership was given away before it was written, leading to a possibility for a user to overwrite arbitrary files as root, if their authorized_keys file was managed. CVE-2011-3869 A predictable file name in the k5login type leads to the possibility of symlink attacks which would allow the owner of the home directory to symlink to anything on the system, and have it replaced with the "correct" content of the file, which can lead to a privilege escalation on puppet runs. CVE-2011-3871 A potential local privilege escalation was found in the --edit mode of 'puppet resource' due to a persistant, predictable file name, which can result in editing an arbitrary target file, and thus be be tricked into running that arbitrary file as the invoking user. This command is most commonly run as root, this leads to a potential privilege escalation. Additionally, this update hardens the indirector file backed terminus base class against injection attacks based on trusted path names. For the oldstable distribution (lenny), this problem will be fixed soon. For the stable distribution (squeeze), this problem has been fixed in version 2.6.2-5+squeeze1. For the testing distribution (wheezy), this has been fixed in version 2.7.3-3. For the unstable distribution (sid), this problem has been fixed in version 2.7.3-3. We recommend that you upgrade your puppet packages. Further information about Debian Security Advisories, how to apply these updates to your system and frequently asked questions can be found at: http://www.debian.org/security/

CompatDB Updates 10/03/11  

Posted by Daniela Mehler

Here the latest updates of the CompatDB compatiblity lists. There are today 22 Windows updates. Windows Applications: AMD Athlon 64/FX Processor Driver (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.) Amplify (Blue Radium) Avid Xpress Pro HD v.5.0 (Avid) Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Driver Windows 7 (Creative) Download Accelerator Plus Language Pack (SpeedBit Ltd.) EVEREST Free Edition 2.20 (Lavalys Consulting Group, Inc.) Intel Chipset Device Software (Formerly Chipset Software Installation Utility) (Intel) Intel Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for Windows XP (Intel Corp.) IObit Malware Fighter (IObit) K-Lite Codec Pack Full (KL Software) Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (Malwarebytes) McAfee Virus SuperDAT Definitions 6005 (Network Associates) Mozilla Firefox 6.0.2 Final (The Mozilla Organization) Realtek High Definition Audio for 2K/XP/03 (Realtek) SiS UniVGA5 Graphics Driver For Windows 7 (VIA / S3 Graphics) Win7codecs (Shark007) Win7codecs x64 (Shark007) Win7x64 Components (Shark007) Windows 7 SP1 90-Day Eval VHD (Microsoft ) Hardware: EZcam (Ezonics) Realtek High Definition Audio for 2K/XP/03 (Realtek) Realtek RTL810X/RTL8130/ RTL8139(A/B/C/D) PCI Series Drivers For Vista (Realtek) Please contribute to the compatibility lists by submitting reports of your (in)compatible hardware/software to the database. The CompatDB compatibility lists are free and licensed under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License. For more information visit the CompatDB site. To submit reports for Windows: Submit Windows application Submit Windows game Submit Windows hardware To submit reports for Linux: Submit Linux application Submit Linux game Submit Linux hardware To submit reports for Mac OS: Submit Mac OS application Submit Mac OS game Submit Mac OS hardware

Kloxo 6.1.7 pre-release 5 (20110928)  

Posted by Daniela Mehler

Another pre-release of Kloxo 6.1.7 is available. Kloxo is a free webhosting software for CentOS to manage clients, resellers, databases, traffic, domains, mail and IPs across multiple locations. Most codes for Kloxo 6.1.7 already to be release. But, before release need help from users to participate in test. Why?. The reason is many features in 6.1.7, especially reconstruct apache and lighttpd config structures. With this new structure, apache and lighttpd more 'customize' then previous. What new in Kloxo 6.1.7 (http://project.lxcenter.org/projects/kloxo/roadmap): 1. New structures for apache and lighttpd 2. More options on 'PHP type' in Apache, add: - mod_php_ruid2 and mod_php_itk --> mod_php with secure environment - suphp_worker and suphp_event --> suphp running on httpd-worker or httpd-event; on previous only httpd-prefork 3. Fix bugs: - xcache install - database for horde and roundcube - missing images - parked, redirect and webmail webserver config - NEW! - etc 4. Bonus: - Running well on 64bit (still have some issues; mostly IMAP problem)--> solve for IMAP problem - New layout for default/disable/cp/webmail pages - Possibility change logo on new pages - new scripts for optimize (apache-optimize, mysql-convert, mysql-optimize, fix-chownchmod, clearcache) - new scripts for install (kloxo-installer.sh, kloxo-packer.sh and kloxo-patcher.sh) - modified and new scripts (fixwebmail.sh, fixhorde.sh and fixroundcube.sh) - Can install old version - NEW! - etc WARNING: backup data before testing!!! 1. kloxo pre-install 1.1. Download: cd /tmp wget "http://forum.lxcenter.org/index.php?t=getfile&id=1457" mv index.php* kloxo_pre6.1.7.zip unzip kloxo_pre6.1.7.zip 1.2. Before kloxo install: cd /tmp/pre-install sh preinstall.sh 2. Kloxo install: 2.1 New/fresh kloxo install cd /tmp/kloxo cp -rf /tmp/kloxo/patch/kloxo-install/kloxo-packer.sh ./ sh kloxo-packer.sh --svnpath=branches/6.1.x cd ./ready sh kloxo-installer.sh --type=master reboot OR 2.2 Patch on kloxo 6.1.6 already installed cd /tmp/kloxo cp -rf /tmp/kloxo/patch/kloxo-install/kloxo-patcher.sh ./ sh kloxo-patcher.sh --type=master reboot 3. Before testing ruid2 and itk cd /tmp/kloxo cp -rf /kloxo/patch/extra-repo/*repo /etc/yum.repos.d/ - delete this kloxo-custom.repo when Kloxo 6.1.7 release

ThinkPad Tablet holds its own against iPad in enterprise, says review  

Posted by Daniela Mehler

Lenovo's 10.1-inch ThinkPad Tablet is a reasonable alternative to the iPad 2 for enterprise users, says this eWEEK Labs review. This capable Android "Honeycomb" tablet offers business-focused extras like built-in enterprise software, full-size ports, and an effective digitizing pen.

The newly released Lenovo ThinkPad tablet flips the "consumerization of IT" paradigm by adding business-class features. These include management software, full-size peripheral connectors -- including a USB 2.0 port -- and an optional digitizer pen.

The ThinkPad tablet debuted Aug. 23 and comes with 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB RAM. The configurations are priced at $499, $569 and $699, respectively, for the Wi-Fi-only version. Pending radio approval, a broadband mobile edition of the ThinkPad tablet appears imminent but was not available at the time of this review.

ThinkPad Tablet holds its own against iPad in enterprise, says review


Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet

I tested the ThinkPad tablet at eWEEK Labs, and found the device a worthy competitor in terms of performance and capability when compared with the widely used Apple iPad 2. The tablet runs Android "Honeycomb" on  a Nvidia Tegra 2 dual-core, 1GHz ARM processor, and features a 10.1-inch display.

Device wake was instantaneous, and applications and screen swipes were snappy. I encountered one instance when using the Notes Mobile application when the simulated page-turn was draggy, but I was not able to consistently reproduce this effect.

ThinkPad Tablet holds its own against iPad in enterprise, says review


ThinkPad Tablet in optional keyboard dock

The ThinkPad Tablet has slightly larger dimensions and is marginally heavier than the iPad 2, and the rated battery life is about 90 minutes shorter than the premier Apple device. Even so, I had no trouble using the ThinkPad Tablet all day on a Wi-Fi connection without needing to look for a power outlet. Although I didn't test it, the tablet can also be used with an integrated stand/keyboard/cover accessory (see image above).

A pen in the hand

One of the most obvious differences between the ThinkPad Tablet and most current tablet designs is the digitizer pen. Although the optional pen tether ruins the sight lines of the tablet, I was easily able to work without getting caught in the tether line. The digitizer pen makes jobs such as sketching or precisely marking an area on the screen easy, compared with using a finger to perform these tasks.

The included Notes Mobile application aptly recognized my hen scratching, and almost immediately turned it into readable text. I don’t like the clattery noise made when the stylus is used on the Gorilla glass display, but the noise will only be noticeable in quiet meetings and is no louder than keyboard typing.

ThinkPad Tablet holds its own against iPad in enterprise, says review


ThinkPad Tablet ports

In addition to the digitizer pen, the ThinkPad tablet has a number of connection ports that should please business users: full-size USB 2.0, micro-USB, mini High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), and a three-in-one SD media card reader. Using the USB file copy utility worked as expected, enabling me to move files on and off the tablet.

Overall, the fit and finish of the ThinkPad Tablet carries on the business-class durability found in ThinkPad laptops. The Gorilla glass display resisted scratching during regular use.

The four physical keys on the lower edge of the ThinkPad Tablet have a counter-intuitive upward press action, but are otherwise unremarkable. The covers for the external ports were easy to open and had a positive feel when latched shut. The single speaker resulted in a fairly mediocre listening experience, but the headphone jack provided very good sound output.

What's good for business?

The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet comes with a number of business-first applications already installed, although the applications verge on being bloatware. Most of the included "free" software actually consists of trial versions.

For example, the PrinterShare application is limited to printing 20 pages before the user needs to buy the application. I was able to set up and use PrinterShare in under five minutes, although IT managers will need to locate printer drivers for users to successfully use the application.

Similarly, the included Docs To Go application, which enables users to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, is a trial version.

Other applications are full-featured, but will only benefit organizations that are already using particular enterprise applications or back-end systems. For example, Lenovo has long had a relationship with LANDesk, the endpoint management tool-maker.

Lenovo says the ThinkPad Tablet can be managed through the ThinkManagement Console and the Lenovo Mobility Manager add-ins for the LANDesk Management Suite version 9. The LANDesk integration enables IT managers to push applications and security policies through the LANDesk system.

Lenovo also enables shops to set up a private application store so that employees can get approved software.

IT managers who are in a position to recommend a tablet device instead of just accepting whatever walks in the door would do well to consider the ThinkPad Tablet. More images and review notes on the ThinkPad Tablet may be found in this eWEEK slide show .

Cameron Sturdevant is a technical director and regular reviewer for  eWEEK Labs.

Revised seven-inch Galaxy Tab is thinner, lighter, and faster  

Posted by Daniela Mehler

Samsung announced a replacement for its original seven-inch Galaxy Tab Android tablet, upgraded with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus is faster, thinner, lighter, and adds HSPA+ service -- plus, it should be inexpensive, considering the competition from Amazon's $200 Kindle Fire and HTC's Flyer (about to be slashed to $300).

Revised seven-inch Galaxy Tab is thinner, lighter, and faster

As far as we know, the original, seven-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab Android tablet (pictured at right) is still the best selling Android tablet of all time. By "all time," we pretty much mean since last November when the Galaxy Tab shipped internationally and on all the major U.S. wireless carriers. After all, it was one of the very first Android tablets to reach market.

Since then, we've seen the Galaxy Tab 10.1 , the Galaxy Tab 7.7 , and the Galaxy Tab 8.9 , each named for their screen size. Now the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus returns to Samsung's seven-inch roots with a thinner profile and a faster processor.

Revised seven-inch Galaxy Tab is thinner, lighter, and faster

Revised seven-inch Galaxy Tab is thinner, lighter, and faster


Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
(Click on either to enlarge)

The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will launch in October in Indonesia and Austria, followed by the U.S. and other countries at a later date, presumably by the end of the year. Pricing was not listed, but in the wake of Amazon's $200 Kindle Fire , the 7.0 Plus is almost certain to be cheaper than the original's $600 launch price (with 3G), and may even match the roughly $300 the original Wi-Fi only version costs today.

Revised seven-inch Galaxy Tab is thinner, lighter, and faster

The Kindle Fire's pricing pressures have already been felt keenly. On Oct. 1, HTC and Best Buy will slash the price of the Wi-Fi only, seven-inch HTC Flyer tablet, from $500 to $300, according to SlashGear .

The biggest improvement to the Galaxy Tab is the 7.0 Plus version's dual-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 processor, a major upgrade from the original's single-core, 1GHz Cortex-A8 Samsung Hummingbird. Samsung doesn't list the name of the processor, holding out the possibility there's a Snapdragon or Tegra 2 under the hood, but we're guessing it's Samsung's Exynos .

This still doesn't match the dual-core 1.4GHz processor found in the Galaxy Tab 7.7, which -- with its Super AMOLED Plus screen -- can be considered the high-end successor to the original Tab. The 7.0 Plus resides in the mid-range, while the "Plus" addendum to its name holds out the possibility that Samsung will come up with a low-end version as well.

The other big improvements are in weight and thickness. This is no surprise considering Samsung has been pushing the size and weight envelope in its other recent tablets as a response to the svelte iPad 2.

Whereas the original Tab measured 7.48 x 4.74 x 0.47 inches and weighed 13.4 ounces, the new 7.0 Plus measures 7.62 x 4.82 x 0.39 inches and weighs 12.17 ounces.

Like the original Tab, the 7.0 Plus model offers 1024 x 600 resolution, according to Samsung. By comparison, other recent high-end Android tablets, such as the Toshiba Thrive 7" , are moving up to 1280 x 800 resolution. The 7.0 Plus also uses PLS LCD display technology, rather than Super AMOLED Plus.

Like most other recent seven-inch tablet entries, the 7.0 Plus features the Android 3.2 version of the "Honeycomb" platform. The tablet is said to be equipped with 1GB of RAM and either 16GB or 32GB of internal flash storage, as well as a microSD slot for adding another 32GB card.

Like the original, the 7.0 Plus features a three-megapixel camera, but its front-facing camera -- which was a breakthrough when the original Tab was announced in September 2010 -- has moved up to two megapixels. The main camera offers LED flash and video recording in 720p HD. Video playback, meanwhile, supports up to 1080p HD quality, says Samsung.

Other features are more or less the same, including 802.11n, GPS, and Bluetooth 3.0, as well as a full list of sensors and a 4000mAh battery. The phone supports HSPA+ -- HSDPA 21Mbps and HSUPA 5.76Mbps -- and will no doubt be billed as being 4G when likely carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile get a hold of it.

The Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus adds Samsung's new tablet version of its TouchWiz user interface to the Android 3.2 experience, says the company. The tablet also comes with Google Mobile applications, including Search, Gmail, Google Talk, YouTube, Google Maps, and Android Market. Samsung Social Hub, Readers Hub, and Music Hub services are said to be available, and voice and video call support are supported "with no need for a headset," says Samsung.

Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus will be available in Indonesia and Austria at the end of October, says Samsung. A global rollout will follow in Southeast and Southwest Asia, the U.S., Europe, CIS, Latin America, Middle East, Africa, Japan, and China, on a rolling basis, says the company.

More information on the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, including a full spec sheet, may be found at Samsung's Tab 7.0 Plus page .