Slashdot Mirror

"I do so enjoy pointing out the total uber fail of your magical woobie so. I also personally consider it a public service to point people to solutions that actually work" - by hairyfeet (841228) bassbeast1968NO@SPAMgmail.com> on Monday January 03, @03:04PM (#34746796)

Ready fool? Ok, let's see how "perfect" your "solutions" REALLY are, below (not yours, you didn't create them - you merely USE THEM, like a trained chimpanzee that you are, techie boy):

---

MULTIPLE EVIDENCES OF ANTIVIRUS &/or ANTISPYWARE PROGRAM FAILURES + SHORTCOMINGS:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/12/04/win_2000_virus_tests/

http://www.securityfocus.com/infocus/1839

http://it.slashdot.org/it/08/11/07/1545238.shtml

---

(Want more? Here comes, on their "heuristics" too)

ANTIVIRUS HEURISTICS EFFECTIVENESS EVIDENCES (i.e. - NOT 100% EFFECTIVE AND GETS FALSE POSITIVES):

---

The sorry state of Avira anti-virus heuristics:

http://grack.com/blog/2010/03/17/the-sorry-state-of-avira-anti-virus-heuristics/

PERTINENT QUOTE/EXCERPT:

"Considering that the risk of false positives is so high (and users might be trained to ignore other, potentially valid virus warnings), I'd say that users are worse off with this virus definition than they are without."

---

(As "1 example thereof", because the very word "HEURISTICS" equates basically to hairyfeet's very bitch here - guesstimation technology really, in that it uses "does it smell/taste/look like a duck" type tech, & it makes mistakes... period, see above!)

---

"You have 190,000 to 340,000 infected websites at this very moment and that list will change by the thousands per minute as sites are cleaned, new sites are infected, new vulnerabilities found, etc. Now for your HOPES file to actually be a REAL protection and not just a woobie? It will have to dynamically scale and keep up with that ever changing list of infections. Now even if you had twenty fingers and subscribed to every security list on the planet your HOPES file will ALWAYS BE OUT OF DATE and behind the curve. Always. Don't like those numbers? Use the ones from Securina, Grisoft, Symantec, any reputable security site. YOU CHOOSE. I have shown mathematically you are full of shit, now lets see you math that proves me wrong PETEY." - by hairyfeet (841228) bassbeast1968NO@SPAMgmail.com> on Monday January 03, @03:04PM (#34746796)

I just did above, vs. your "suggested solutions" lol... easily!

You're "shot down in flames", yet again, hairyfeet... TOO easily!

There is NO WAY THEY CAN KEEP UP WITH NEW MALWARES BEING MADE either... and you say they "work"? See above!

(They're "better than nothing", & I use them myself, for added LAYERED SECURITY - but, I don't put my entire FAITH ON THEM, as you appear to do!)

---

"As in you HOPES that one of the 300,000+ constantly changing array of websites that are infected doesn't happen to be the one you visit today?" - by hairyfeet (841228) bassbeast1968NO@SPAMgmail.com> on Monday January 03, @03:04PM (#34746796)

I use these reputable, reliable, & regularly updated (by the HOUR no less) sources to populate my HOSTS file:

---

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/

This one's JUST FOR YOU, clone (disprove every single one of its points, as ,b>you failed badly here before on this very same note -> http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1755714&cid=33353946 AND, for your trolling me as AC here today http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1922942&cid=34687498 , and YOU FAILED LARGE on your end clone, with a bogus script that didn't work and I had to correct it for you here today after you worked DAYS on it no less, & I had to tell you how/where/when/why it failed, which you corrected for, lol, per MY suggestions no less), so here we go:

---

20++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK ALONE for added layered security:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF or Chrome etc.).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via NSLOOKUP, PINGS, &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/

"For your magical woobie to work you will not only have to have EVERY site you visit that MAY OR MAY NOT be infected at that very moment in your magical HOPES file, but every single site they link to such as ad servers and your list has to be accurate to the minute or it is nothing but a woobie" - by hairyfeet (841228)
on Wednesday December 22, @02:24AM (#34638726)

That "woobie" IS actually "accurate to the minute" here, & 915,000 unique entries of KNOWN BAD SITES/SERVERS/HOST-DOMAIN NAMES... simply because I update it from sites that contain information on bad sites/servers/hosts-domain names, & they update 4 or more times a day themselves:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhack others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398
http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1896216&cid=34458500

So, as per usual? So much for that from you!

---

"You have bet your ENTIRE existence on a 20 year old tech nobody uses anymore!" - by hairyfeet (841228) on Wednesday December 22, @02:24AM (#34638726)

I think you had best check with places like mvps.org from my reputable sources list above, & their forums people as a counter-example... there are 1000's of them there alone & there are other sites like they too.

Then again also? There are testimonials like this one too:

"Ever since I've installed a host file (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm) to redirect advertisers to my loopback, I haven't had any malware, spyware, or adware issues. I first started using the host file 5 years ago." - by TestedDoughnut (1324447) on Monday December 13, @12:18AM (#34532122)

FROM http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1907528&cid=34532122

To further substantiate this for me (and as I said before here -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1916240&cid=34612834 I can produce more like that quoted testimonial above)... he, like myself & many others, due to using hosts files, good sense, & layered security concepts, DO NOT GET MALWARE (which blows your points here http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1916240&cid=34612834 away, with ease, right at their foundations!)

You still have not "debunked & disproved" my 20++ points in favor of HOSTS files here either:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1916240&cid=34607890

Have you? Nope.

(Instead, all we get from you is easily disproven B.S. (via testimonials alone even), and foaming at the mouth hysterically utt

"For your magical woobie to work you will not only have to have EVERY site you visit that MAY OR MAY NOT be infected at that very moment in your magical HOPES file, but every single site they link to such as ad servers and your list has to be accurate to the minute or it is nothing but a woobie" - by hairyfeet (841228)
on Wednesday December 22, @02:24AM (#34638726)

That "woobie" IS actually "accurate to the minute" here, & 915,000 unique entries of KNOWN BAD SITES/SERVERS/HOST-DOMAIN NAMES... simply because I update it from sites that contain information on bad sites/servers/hosts-domain names, & they update 4 or more times a day themselves:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhack others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398
http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1896216&cid=34458500

So, as per usual? So much for that from you!

---

"You have bet your ENTIRE existence on a 20 year old tech nobody uses anymore!" - by hairyfeet (841228) on Wednesday December 22, @02:24AM (#34638726)

I think you had best check with places like mvps.org from my reputable sources list above, & their forums people as a counter-example... there are 1000's of them there alone & there are other sites like they too.

Then again also? There are testimonials like this one too:

"Ever since I've installed a host file (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm) to redirect advertisers to my loopback, I haven't had any malware, spyware, or adware issues. I first started using the host file 5 years ago." - by TestedDoughnut (1324447) on Monday December 13, @12:18AM (#34532122)

FROM http://tech.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1907528&cid=34532122

To further substantiate this for me (and as I said before here -> http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1916240&cid=34612834 I can produce more like that quoted testimonial above)... he, like myself & many others, due to using hosts files, good sense, & layered security concepts, DO NOT GET MALWARE (which blows your points here http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1916240&cid=34612834 away, with ease, right at their foundations!)

You still have not "debunked & disproved" my 20++ points in favor of HOSTS files here either:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1916240&cid=34607890

Have you? Nope.

(Instead, all we get from you is easily disproven B.S. (via testimonials alone even), and foaming at the mouth hysterically utt

"1) Russian criminals have control over the wikileaks.org and wikileaks.info domains and are distributing malware. The current real wikileaks website is wikileaks.ch." - by Anthony Mouse (1927662) on Saturday December 18, @08:04PM (#34603730)

ping wikileaks.ch IS YOUR FRIEND!

Enter the result of that into your custom HOSTS file (Windows: %WinDir%\system32\drivers\etc OR on LINUX: root/etc OR ON ANDROID PHONES: by mounting the system mountpoint first, w/ read + WRITE ability, & then using the SDK tool ADB to PUSH the new HOSTS file into the etc folder there, overwriting the stock-oem model)

E.G.-> (from MY "ping" result, that would go into a HOSTS file for this):

178.21.20.9 wikileaks.ch

PUT THAT INTO YOUR CUSTOM HOSTS FILE (after pinging wikileaks.ch, because the IP address you come up with MAY be different than that which I come up with here).

That's doing a "whitelisting" in your HOSTS file, w/ the proper IPAddress - to - HOST/DOMAINName resolution, so you reach that site (and, you avoid DNS request log tracking in doing so also, bonus, because you NEVER USE THE ISP/BSP (or other) DNS server, period).

---

"2) Spamhaus has been telling people about (1). 3) The Russian criminals are now retaliating by using their botnets to DDoS Spamhaus under the flag of AnonOps." - by Anthony Mouse (1927662) on Saturday December 18, @08:04PM (#34603730)

Hey - They're easy to beat too (Russian criminals), & also by using a HOSTS file...

Albeit, this time, NOT FOR WHITELISTING A SITE, but, rather for "blacklisting" the sites/servers they use or redirect you to, for loading malware onto your systems!

(Between that, & using NoScript or turning off javascript period, you ARE PROTECTED (you really only need it for database accesses when you come down to it, to do "real things" (not playtime stuff, or eyecandy) usually, after all)).

APK

P.S.=> Reputable, reliable, & regularly updated sources for blacklisting data for a HOSTS file are as follows:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhack others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398

20++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK ALONE for added layered security:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF or Chrome etc.).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via NSLOOKUP, PINGS, &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhack others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398

20++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK ALONE for added layered security:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF or Chrome etc.).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via NSLOOKUP, PINGS, &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhack others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398

20++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK ALONE for added layered security:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF or Chrome etc.).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via NSLOOKUP, PINGS, &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhack others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398

"Reading the report, it sounds like they were just testing the browsers' databases of known malware/phishing sites" - by gman003 (1693318) on Wednesday December 15, @03:51PM (#34565790)

Per my subject-line above? With a GOOD UP-TO-DATE HOSTS FILE?? You don't even NEED to do that!

I update mine daily, from these reliable & reputable sources (for blocking out KNOWN bad sites/servers/host-domain names etc.):

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhacker others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398
http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1896216&cid=34458500

---

So, IF/WHEN you have a HOSTS file that has up to date blocking data in it? There's really no real need to do "browser based checks" of URL's, other than for "layered-security" purposes (which isn't a BAD THING TO DO, & it's the "current trend" for better security online).

Besides: IE, FireFox, and Opera ALL have methods for blocking out known bad sites already:

---

Opera has URLFILTER.INI (Spybot S&D populates this, alongside the Opera community doing updates to it too)

FireFox has an analog to Opera's filter file (which is what SpyBot S&D populates alongside a HOSTS file too vs. known bad sites)

IE has "restricted zones"

---

Still - the folks @ MS doing this in IE9 (which I use here)? Not a bad thing at all, for "layered-security"...

APK

P.S.=> Even the folks @ WIKIPEDIA aren't against blacklists like HOSTS:

---

PERTINENT QUOTE/EXCERPT (from -> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/16/wikileaks_mirror_malware_warning_row/ )

"we are in favour of 'Blacklists', be it for mail servers or websites

---

Why? Well, because they work... especially for layered security online... apk

Once a month! Do you really think that's enough? DNS records change all the time. Not all of them, but enough to make that list obsolete in a couple of days." - by icebraining (1313345) on Friday December 10, @04:13AM (#34512138) Homepage

Well - For blocking out known bad sites, that's "adequate" (that's mvps.org's schedule though - I do it FAR MORE FREQUENTLY, as far as blocking of sites that harbor malware exploits)...

However, the HOSTS file can be used to do more than just that though in "hardcoding in" your favorite websites IPAddress - to - domain/host name equation for more speed, & blocking out known bad sites is a part as I noted it above... so is blocking out adbanners (good OR BAD ones http://apcmag.com/microsoft_apologises_for_serving_malware.htm).

(See, icebraining - You're ONLY hitting on 1 use of a HOSTS file only here, in noting hardcoding the "IPAddress-to-Domain/Host Name resolution" into them for more speed, which also gives you the speed advantage of avoiding DNS request roundtrip time, & also the security advantage of avoiding DNS request logs tracking too - HOWEVER, custom HOSTS files are also a great layer of defense vs. being malware attacked by malicious scripts known bad sites have too).

Personally, I use mvps.org's lists for update vs. adbanner servers, & also known bad sites... I use them, alongside MANY others also (see below):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

And yes: Even SLASHDOT &/or The Register help!

(Via articles on security (when the source articles they use are "detailed" that is, & list the servers/sites involved in attempting to bushwhacker others online that is... not ALL do!)).

2 examples thereof in the past I have used, & noted it there, are/were:

http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1898692&cid=34473398
http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1896216&cid=34458500

For blocking out adbanners &/or known bad sites? I do updates from the above sources, everyday (working on one now as I write this)

---

NOW: For more speed to my favorites for my top 250 "favorite sites" (like this one)?

The same program I wrote that does this as well:

1.) Removes duplicate HOSTS files entries

2.) Trims trailing blanks (which a SELECT * DISTINCT ORDER BY query leaves in say, Access, because no VARCHAR exists (like mySQL, Oracle, SQLServer, DB2 etc. have))

3.) Alphabetizes the entries in my HOSTS file

4.) Changes the blocking IP address used from 127.0.0.1 (std./stock loopback adapter address, slowest & largest read of the lot here), to 0.0.0.0 (better in speed/size for reads, & just as compatible as the loopback), to 0 (smallest & fastest of the lot, but, only works in Windows 2000 SP#2 onwards/XP/Server 2003 (used to in VISTA up to 12/09/2008 MS "Patch Tuesday", & it no longer does after that on Windows VISTA/Windows Server 2003/Windows 7))

My custom HOSTS updating program (APK Hosts File Grinder 4.0++) also "Pings" my list of my fav. sites (read up from a text file into a listbox) to keep them curren

From the source article, I obtained their server's domain/hostnames and nameservers, which I now have added to my custom HOSTS file... & blocked out, thus:

0.0.0.0 greatfull-toolss.ru
0.0.0.0 ns1.reg.ru
0.0.0.0 ns2.reg.ru
0.0.0.0 greatfull.ru
0.0.0.0 ns1.arbusi-host.net
0.0.0.0 ns2.arbusi-host.net
0.0.0.0 hellcomeback.ru

They're not going to get to ME, because I cannot get to they now... & what I can't touch, I cannot be "burned" by, simple!

HOSTS as blacklists, work! Some evidences & cases why you may be interested in implementing such protective (and speed gaining features too) measures:

---

15++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK ALONE for added layered security:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF or Chrome etc.).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download

"Kid, you have no idea what you're talking about... You are strongly misinformed on several points. I can't be bothered to respond to you, (i.e. feed the troll) because I don't think it would be worth my time. You're obsessed, and not interested in rational discussion - by metrix007 (200091) on Monday December 06, @07:03AM (#34458496)

Ok, you FINALLY came back in, & NO: I am TRULY interested in "rational discussion", not avoiding it (as you obviously are with your 2 trollish replies here in this thread), so with that said? Disprove each of these 15 points on HOSTS files then:

15++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK ALONE for added layered security:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF or Chrome etc.).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.ab

Thanks for supplying the bogus domains information. I checked on yourisp.ru, and sure enough - a known bogus malware domain/host name. It's blocked out here now, alongside payment8ltd.net, & how? Here is HOW & WHY:

15++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK ALONE for added layered security:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF or Chrome etc.).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do. THIS IS GOOD VS. SPAM MAIL or MAILS THAT BEAR MALICIOUS SCRIPT, or, THAT POINT TO MALICIOUS SCRIPT VIA URLS etc.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

8.) HOSTS files will allow you to get to sites you like, via hardcoding your favs into a HOSTS file, FAR faster than DNS servers can by FAR (by saving the roundtrip inquiry time to a DNS server & back to you).

9.) AdBlock & DNS servers are program

What blocks off known bogus sites/servers or entire hostnames/domains better than anything (because it's not a program, and because it's just a filter that operates @ the IP Stack level, and covers ALL your webbound programs, plus mine at least gets updated from reputable & reliable sources, daily): a custom HOSTS file.

You've also already got one, whether you all know it or not, & it's just a matter of either downloading a prebuilt on (sources are below), or filling one in yourself, and yes, they work even vs. spam mail (& better than adblock does, because that only covers browsers it's designed for (maybe 1-3 of them), but not external HTML + script based external email programs, like Outlook Express/FULL Outlook)).

15++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF...).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spyb

15++ ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF...).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm [mvps.org]
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/ [someonewhocares.org]
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html [hostsfile.org]
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/ [hostsfile.mine.nu]
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature (fortifies HOSTS files with KNOWN bad servers blocked)

8.) HOSTS files will allow you to get to sites you like, via hardcoding your favs into a HOSTS file, FAR faster than DNS servers can by FAR (by saving the roundtrip inquiry time to a DNS server & back to you).

9.) AdBlock & DNS servers are programs, and subject to bugs programs can get. Hosts files are merely a filter and not a program, thus not subject to bugs of the nature just discussed.

10.) Hosts files don't eat up CPU cycles like AdBlock does while it parses a webpages' content, nor as much as a DNS server does while it runs.

11.) HOSTS files are E

"Or better yet, WTF are host files? Non-techs can sort of understand ABP, as it is an add-on that stops bad or all ads. Host files, no way an average computer user would understand them or utilize them." - by stonewallred (1465497) on Wednesday December 01, @10:40AM (#34404550)

Take a GOOD solid read (and if still in doubt? Refer to this mvps.org link -> http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm (it has a great writeup that's EASILY UNDERSTOOD & very detailed, on HOSTS)) - this will show you how/why HOSTS files are superior to AdBlock or even DNS servers on MANY accounts (and why you ought to use them in combination for the "best in 'layered security'" practices online!

14 ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER DNS SERVERS &/or ADBLOCK:

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF...).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

5.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

6.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

7.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

GOOD INFORMATION ON MALWARE BEHAVIOR LISTING BOTNET C&C SERVERS + MORE (AS WELL AS REMOVAL LISTS FOR HOSTS):

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/
http://www.stopbadware.org/home

REGULARLY UPDATED HOSTS FILES SITES (reputable/reliable sources):

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm [mvps.org]
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/ [someonewhocares.org]
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html [hostsfile.org]
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/ [hostsfile.mine.nu]

"All you have to do now is automate the process of updating it. You could have some sort of program that acted both as a client and a server..." - by maxume (22995) on Wednesday December 01, @09:23AM (#34403684)

Examples of what you're asking for have been done (I've done one myself even), but here are some "examples thereof":

HOSTSMAN:

http://www.abelhadigital.com/hostsman

HOSTESS:

http://www.raymarron.com/hostess/

I am FAIRLY sure those do "remote updates", but check to be sure...

(and, there ARE others too, but that's what I came up with on "short-notice" - I *think* mvps.org possibly even has one with the HOSTS file they distribute)

OR

You can just go to these sites & get current copies:

https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/blocklist.php?download=hostfile
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download

To name a few reputable & reliable + regularly updated models of HOSTS files (the program I wrote consolidates them all, removes duplicates, alphabetizes the entries, + changes the "blocking IP Address" format from 127.0.0.1 (slowest & largest), to 0.0.0.0 (next slowest & largest) to 0 (not compatible w/ all OS' anymore, but was until Windows VISTA & still is on 2000/XP/Server 2003) & lastly "Trims" them so that no trailing bloating blanks remain (which is what happens in DB engines like Access since no VARCHAR type is present in Access, as it is in mySQL, SQLServer, Oracle, DB2 etc./et al where you can use SELECT * DISTINCT / ORDER BY type queries to do the same as far as removing duplicates, sorts, etc.)

APK

P.S.=> Mine's for personal use (I didn't build in the HTTPGET functionality into it, because I simply email my HOSTS file (a composite of all others + 30,000 or so adbanner blocks I put into it myself) to others that request it, & other programs like that already exist (but they don't do quite as much as mine does otherwise per the list of its functions I put into it above))... apk

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF...).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

4.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw -> http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/082908-kaminsky-flaw-prompts-dns-server.html for years now). Hosts protect against those problems via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

5.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

6.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/
http://www.mvps.org/
http://someonewhocares.org/
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/hosts0
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
http://www.stopbadware.org/home

7.) HOSTS files will allow you to get to sites you like, via hardcoding your favs into a HOSTS file, FAR faster than DNS servers can by FAR (by saving the roundtrip inquiry time to a DNS server & back to you).

8.) AdBlock is a program, and subject to bugs programs can get. Hosts files are merely a filter and not a program, thus not subject to bugs of the nature just discussed.

9.) Hosts files don't eat up CPU cycles like AdBlock does while it parses a webpages' content.

10.) HOSTS files are EASILY user controlled, obtained (for reliable ones -> http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm ) & edited too, via texteditors like Windows notepad.exe or Linux nano (etc.)

11.) You don't have the sourcecode to Adblock. With hosts you don't even need source to control it (edit, update, delete, insert of new entries via a text editor).

12.) Hosts files are easily secured via using MAC/ACL &/or Read-Only attributes applied.

13.) AND, LASTLY? SINCE MALWARE GENERALLY HAS TO OPERATE ON WHAT YOU YOURSELF

1.) Adblock blocks ads in only 1 browser family (Disclaimer: Opera now has an AdBlock addon (now that Opera has addons above widgets), but I am not certain the same people make it as they do for FF...).

2.) HOSTS files are useable for all these purposes because they are present on all Operating Systems that have a BSD based IP stack (even ANDROID) and do adblocking for ANY webbrowser, email program, etc. (any webbound program).

3.) Adblock doesn't protect email programs external to FF, Hosts files do.

4.) Adblock won't get you to your favorite sites if a DNS server goes down or is DNS-poisoned, hosts will (this leads to points 4-7 next below).

4.) Adblock doesn't allow you to hardcode in your favorite websites into it so you don't make DNS server calls and so you can avoid tracking by DNS request logs, hosts do (DNS servers are also being abused by the Chinese lately and by the Kaminsky flaw for years now - hosts protect against that via hardcodes of your fav sites (you should verify against the TLD that does nothing but cache IPAddress-to-domainname/hostname resolutions via PINGS &/or WHOIS though, regularly, so you have the correct IP & it's current)).

5.) HOSTS files protect you vs. DNS-poisoning &/or the Kaminsky flaw in DNS servers, and allow you to get to sites reliably vs. things like the Chinese are doing to DNS -> http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/11/29/1755230/Chinese-DNS-Tampering-a-Real-Threat-To-Outsiders

6.) AdBlock doesn't let you block out known bad sites or servers that are known to be maliciously scripted, hosts can and many reputable lists for this exist:

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/
http://www.mvps.org/
http://someonewhocares.org/
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/hosts0
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
http://www.stopbadware.org/home

7.) HOSTS files will allow you to get to sites you like, via hardcoding your favs into a HOSTS file, FAR faster than DNS servers can by FAR (by saving the roundtrip inquiry time to a DNS server & back to you).

8.) AdBlock is a program, and subject to bugs programs can get. Hosts files are merely a filter and not a program, thus not subject to bugs of the nature just discussed.

9.) Hosts files don't eat up CPU cycles like AdBlock does while it parses a webpages' content.

10.) HOSTS files are EASILY user controlled, obtained (for reliable ones -> http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm ) & edited too, via texteditors like Windows notepad.exe or Linux nano (etc.)

11.) You don't have the sourcecode to Adblock. With hosts you don't even need source to control it (edit, update, delete, insert of new entries via a text editor).

12.) Hosts files are easily secured via using MAC/ACL &/or Read-Only attributes applied.

13.) AND, LASTLY? SINCE MALWARE GENERALLY HAS TO OPERATE ON WHAT YOU YOURSELF CAN DO (running as limited class/least privlege user, hopefully, OR even as ADMIN/ROOT/SUPERUSER)? HOSTS "LOCK IN" malware too, vs. communicating "back to mama" for orders (provided they have name

Yeah, blame Hollywood physics trumping actual physics yet again.

Slightly off topic, but did anyone else notice in the overhead pics that these things look fractal derived?

Oh, nothing's ever off topic on slashdot! Yes! I was immediately excited that the structure resembled part of my master's thesis!
http://hairball.mine.nu/~rwa2/school/ense799/arcologysim_20070521/mainthesis-node35.html#2336

So, look at debt-as-a-percentage-of-GDP here: (http://zfacts.com/p/1195.html).

Here's the version I made a few years ago from White House OMB data (sorry it's a bit dated, though I have to hand it to GWBush as being the first to get me motivated on politics. All my sources and spreadsheets are in the parent directory... so feel free to download and update it!)

http://hairball.mine.nu/~rwa2/misc/USbudget/hist/US_Historical_budget,_1962_-_2008.html

A custom HOSTS file will do what the Privoxy, or Adblock softwares will, for less CPU usage (& very possibly RAM usage also) simply by making it impossible to go into KNOWN BAD SITES/SERVERS.

After all: You cannot get burned by what you cannot touch, essentially... & making it impossible to access known bad sites or servers is ONLY A GREAT PART of what hosts files can do (because they do even more, read on)... sound familiar to this Privoxy software? Yes, it does in that case!

However: Can Privoxy speed you up more, ontop of protecting you? Yes!

HOSTS files can also not only protect you vs. known bad sites or servers, but they can also aid in speeding you up online websurfing even more by avoiding DNS lookups by using hardcodes of hostsnames/domainnames to IP addresses of your favorite websites and by blocking ad banners also (which have also been shown to have malicious script in them many times over the years now no less).

You can keep a hosts file updated daily that way easily, by using the following whitehat sites for information on what are the "latest/greatest" known bad sites &/or servers found daily in fact:

http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm (great overall explanation of what HOSTS files can do for you is here and how to manage them (such as tips on turning off your local DNS Client Cache if you use a "largish" hosts file))
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
http://www.malwareurl.com/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

Used in combination with AdBlock for instance? Great layered security, albeit redundant. Used in combination with NoScript though? An EXCELLENT defense vs. malware attacks online.

APK

P.S.=> HOSTS files do what other wares do, albeit, without eating up CPU cycles &/or RAM as Privoxy, DNS servers, or even the NEW "BLADE" software that just came out... & hosts files are not programs, they are filters - They won't have "programming bugs" in them either, because they are NOT code (just IP stack filters)! apk

Except that it has been in use in navigation for centuries. It was meant to avoid the fibers loosing up and also to insert on sail holes etc.

http://pita.mine.nu/cne/site/Material%20escutista/Images/nos/americana.gif

First of all: Per subject-line above, a custom HOSTS file will do most of what this "BLADE" software will, simply by making it impossible to go into KNOWN BAD SITES/SERVERS.

(After all: You cannot get burned by what you cannot touch, essentially... & making it impossible to access known bad sites or servers is what hosts files can do... sound familiar to this "BLADE" software? Yes, it does, but blade cannot speed you up more, and HOSTS files can ontop of protecting you (HOSTS files can also not only protect you, but they can also aid in speeding you up online websurfing even more by avoiding DNS lookups by using hardcodes of hostsnames/domainnames to IP addresses of your favorite websites and by blocking ad banners also (which have also been shown to have malicious script in them many times over the years now no less)).

You can keep a hosts file updated daily that way easily, by using the following whitehat sites for information on what are the "latest/greatest" known bad sites &/or servers found daily in fact:

http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
http://www.malwareurl.com/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

HOSTS files also do all that, without eating up CPU cycles &/or RAM as DNS servers do, or this "BLADE" software... & hosts files are not programs, they are filters... they won't have "programming bugs" in them either!

APK

P.S.=> HOSTS FILES ARE ALSO SUPERIOR TO ADBLOCK ON THESE SPECIFIC GROUNDS - 10 ADVANTAGES OF HOSTS FILES OVER BROWSER ADDONS ALONE, & EVEN DNS SERVERS:

----

1.) HOSTS files eat A LOT LESS CPU cycles than browser addons do no less (since browser addons have to parse each HTML page & tag content in them)!

2.) HOSTS files are also NOT severely LIMITED TO 1 BROWSER FAMILY ONLY... browser addons, are. HOSTS files cover & protect (for security) and speed up (all apps that are webbound) any app you have that goes to the internet (specifically the web).

3.) HOSTS files allow you to bypass DNS Server requests logs (via hardcoding your favorite sites into them to avoid not only the TIME taken roundtrip to an external DNS server, but also for avoiding those logs OR a DNS server that has been compromised (see Dan Kaminsky online, on that note)).

4.) HOSTS files will allow you to get to sites you like, via hardcoding your favs into a HOSTS file, FAR faster than DNS servers can by FAR (by saving the roundtrip inquiry time to a DNS server & back to you).

5.) HOSTS files also allow you to not worry about a DNS server being compromised, or downed (if either occurs, you STILL get to sites you hardcode in a HOSTS file anyhow in EITHER case).

6.) HOSTS files are EASILY user controlled, updated and obtained (for reliable ones see mvps.org ) & edited too, via texteditors like Windows notepad.exe or Linux nano or kate (etc.)

7.) HOSTS files aren't as vulnerable to "bugs" either like programs/libs/extensions of that nature are, OR even DNS servers, as they are NOT code, & because of what's next too

8.) HOSTS files are also EASILY secured well, via write-protection "read-only" attributes set on them, or more radically, via ACL's even.

9.) HOSTS files

"Great idea, and I can't wait for it to surface" - by Rurik (113882) on Sunday October 10, @03:09PM (#33853662)

It's been "surfaced" for AGES online now, albeit in the form of CUSTOM HOSTS FILES!

Per subject-line above, a custom HOSTS file will do most of what this "BLADE" software will, simply by making it impossible to go into KNOWN BAD SITES/SERVERS.

(After all: You cannot get burned by what you cannot touch, essentially... & making it impossible to access known bad sites or servers is what hosts files can do... sound familiar to this "BLADE" software? Yes, it does, but blade cannot speed you up more, and HOSTS files can ontop of protecting you (HOSTS files can also not only protect you, but they can also aid in speeding you up online websurfing even more by avoiding DNS lookups by using hardcodes of hostsnames/domainnames to IP addresses of your favorite websites and by blocking ad banners also (which have also been shown to have malicious script in them many times over the years now no less)).

You can keep a hosts file updated daily that way easily, by using the following whitehat sites for information on what are the "latest/greatest" known bad sites &/or servers found daily in fact:

http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
http://www.malwareurl.com/
http://hostsfile.org/hosts.html
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/
http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

APK

P.S.=> HOSTS files also do all that, without eating up CPU cycles &/or RAM as DNS servers do, or this "BLADE" software... & hosts files are not programs, they are filters... they won't have "programming bugs" in them either! apk

"Web anti malware firm Dasient has published data claiming that more than 1 million Web sites were compromised in the second quarter, 2010 - a sharp increase. *In Sean Connery's James Bond voice* Of course they have." - by AnonymousClown (1788472) on Thursday September 16, @12:25PM (#33600940)

I don't know about THAT, however? Well - I DO know that my personal custom HOSTS file is nearly @ 1 million absolutely unique entries of known bad sites/servers, and it took me nearly 10++ yrs. now to get it to that # no less!

I populate it from very reputable & reliable sources listed below:

----

http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/
http://www.malware.com.br/lists.shtml
http://securitylabs.websense.com/content/alerts.aspx
http://www.stopbadware.org/
http://blog.fireeye.com/
http://mtc.sri.com/
http://www.scansafe.com/threat_center/threat_alerts
http://news.netcraft.com/
http://www.shadowserver.org/
https://zeustracker.abuse.ch/monitor.php?filter=online
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_file
http://www.mvps.org/
http://someonewhocares.org/
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/hosts0
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download
http://www.stopbadware.org/home

+ Spybot "Search & Destroy" IMMUNIZE feature add ons also...

----

In fact, as far as growth this summer alone? It's been more than usual, and last summer last year was the same it seems/iirc too...

However: Ahem - 1 million++ new known bad sites &/or servers, & in just 1 quarter?

(Hey, anything's possible, but that's a bit "excessive/steep" imo @ least... still, one never knows! Still, I somehow DOUBT it's that bad out there. Yes, it's bad, but not THAT bad... I don't think so @ least, and I tend to keep pretty steady-eddy tracking of this up (for over 10++ yrs. now @ sites & sources such as those listed above via populating my custom HOSTS file for both added security AND added speed))

I.E./E.G.-> The # of entries of known bad sites &/or servers in my HOSTS file, which a great deal of came from my sources listed above no less, had grown this year from July 15th 2010 to Sept. 15th 2010 by almost 18,000 entries alone at the tail-end of this summer alone (up to 881, 543++ total entries, & gaining typically between 50-250 more each day).

It's crazy out there now, but it doesn't affect "me or mine", because I cannot be hurt by that which I cannot enter to get hurt by it, such as a bad website that's malscripted or bears a malware, because that's what HOSTS files do, at least part in the way of security (and more for speed such as adbanner blocking (which also helps security too, because many a banner ad has been found with malicious code in it too the past few years now as well), and site IP-to-URL hardcoding): HOSTS files, if done right, can keep you from getting burned in a bogus kitchen, so-to-speak!

Still - 1 million++ new known bad sites in just 1 quarter this year 2010? I have trouble with that estimation, in believing it to be blunt about it, & yes, I have been looking at this type of data for quite a long time now (over 10++ yrs. in fact, in making a custom HOSTS file to protect vs. this type of lunacy).

APK

P.S.=> Since I

A friend and I once created a web site called "Hata Aftonbladet" ("Hate Aftonbladet"), parodying Aftonbladet's focus on "easy" reporting, sensational news and celebrity gossip. That even got us an interview on national radio. Nevertheless, I have to say they do provide at least 30-40 % real news, and Assange's columns will be read by a lot of people, especially among the lefties, who are traditionally anti-US.

Here are the current news topics from the main page of the web site:

• Stockholmians to get help from butlers

  A new proposition from the Social Democrats - Commuters to get help with cleaning, parking and child-keeping.

• Suspected of attempted murder on infant

  30-year-old woman arrested in Lund - Allegedly tried to kill infant

• Aimed at the audience - to save himself

  Norwegian star in violent crash - flew into the audience: "They took most of the damage" Five people to hospital

  See the crash here

• "I've been so unsecure"

  Sanna Nielsen - on the shyness and the idol, Celine Dion.

• Pretty - but where's the feeling?

  Testing the new Hyundai ix35 - This is how good the replacement for Tuscon is.

• Back to work in four simple steps

  Vacation depression? Here are the tricks to give you a new start.

  Good to hunt for jobs during the summer

• He can get the power to turn off the Internet

  Extra power to Obama - American senate passes new law

  Obama want top meeting about North Korean

  Bank death in US claims new victims

• On in three rejects new job at Saab

  Offered to return to work in Trollhättan - but rejected. Union president: "Very surprising"

Compare this with the "serious" newspapers, which have maybe 60-70 % real news in their web editions.

The advantage of qemu over VMware or VirtualBox would be that you wouldn't need to install anything.

I made a custom KNOPPIX LiveCD with my master's thesis on it, and worked out some .bat scripts to get it running it in place under Windows. (Copy it to the hard disk first for performance, no need to run off the CD if you're doing it in a VM)
http://hairball.mine.nu/~rwa2/school/ense799/arcosim_20070601.iso

You could probably adapt something like this for a more modern LiveCD / USB distro.

http://elbitz.net/home.php is good, but they only open up registering every now and then (I remember I waited like 2 months to get my user). In general, though I just use the same popular torrent sites for everything else I get for books, too and I've gotten 6.28GB that way. Also, appear to have just found a .pdf with a huge list of ebook sites (and one for how to swear in all languages!). Haven't tried any of them, but go for it:
O'Reilly online http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/ | http://sysadmin.oreilly.com/ Computer books and manuals http://www.hoganbooks.com/freebook/webbooks.html | http://www.informit.com/itlibrary/ | http://www.fore.com/support/manuals/home/home.htm | http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/webbuy/freebooks.html The Network Book http://www.cs.columbia.edu/netbook/ Some #bookwarez.efnet.irc links http://www.extrema.net/books/links.shtml Some #bookwarez.efnet.irc fiction http://194.58.154.90:4431/enscifi/ Pimpas online books (Indonesia) http://202.159.16.55/~pimpa2000 | http://202.159.15.46/~om-pimpa/buku Security, privacy and cryptography http://theory.lcs.mit.edu/~rivest/crypto-security.html | http://www.oberlin.edu/~brchkind/cyphernomicon/ My own misc online reading material http://www.eastcoastfx.com/docs/admin-guides/ | http://www.eastcoastfx.com/~jorn/reading/ Computer books http://solaris.inorg.chem.msu.ru/cs-books/ | http://sweetrude.net/~cab/books/ | http://alaska.mine.nu/books/ | http://poprocks.dyn.ns.ca/dave/books/ | http://58-160.skarland.uaf.edu/books/ | http://202.186.247.194/~ebook/ | http://hooligans.org/reference/ Linux documentation http://www.linuxdoc.org/docs.html FreeBSD documentation http://www.freebsd.org/tutorials/ Sun documentation http://osiris.imw.tu-clausthal.de:8888/ | http://uran.vvsu.ru:8888/ SGI documentation http://newton.unicc.chalmers.se/ebt-bin/nph-dweb/dynaweb;td=2 | http://techpubs.sgi.com/library/tpl/cgi-bin/init.cgi IBM Online Redbooks http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/ Digital Unix documentation http://www.unix.digital.com/faqs/publications/base_doc/DOCUMENTATION/V40D_HTML/V40D_HTML/LIBRARY.HTM Filesystem Hierarchy Standard http://www.pathname.com/fhs/2.0/fhs-toc.html | http://www.linuxbase.com/ UNIX stuff http://ww

Actually I wonder how this captcha holds up against basic neural net analysis. How much do they offer these days for captcha crackers ? It looks like it's basically a silhouette, I expect this will do a lot worse (due to less combinations) than "normal" scrambled letters captchas.

The price has really been going down on captcha crackers. Every idiot and his mother are making them these days. Lots of indians losing jobs ...

The sad thing is, my own captcha crackers are much better at solving captchas than my own mother. And there are days when my program outperforms me as well (might have something to do with alcohol, YMMV).

But writing a computer program solving captchas has become so simple it's not even funny anymore. Just collect a few of them, preferably a few hundred, with solutions, then create a simple 2 or 3 layer neural net with every pixel as input and some way of encoding the answer as output (e.g. a-z0-9, each letter it's own neuron), and train away.

On my newest laptop even doing the training in python is not taking the weeks it used to take. Laptop. Not university supercomputer. Laptop. The huge amounts of memory that come so cheap nowadays really help.

*sigh*. The day that humans will have more trouble "proving" their humanity than computers is marching closer at an amazing speed ...

Basic captcha cracking tutorial

Now you can get your model, serial and firmware number on linux (also on 3ware and Adaptec RAID) with: http://ge.mine.nu/seagate-207931.html

That's great! From your page I found https://apps1.seagate.com/rms_af_srl_chk/
which lets you paste in the drive serial number and reports automatically whether it's affected. I found out mine are not. (Supposedly. Thanks, AC!

Well, copyright laws are there. Copyright owners of the GPL code are still (theoretically) able to sue the Russian who incorporated their code in Russian court. What is not certain is whether GPL (as included with most programs, i.e. in English and without paper form) is recognized, e.g. you may have no rights to redistribute the GPL'd program in Russia.

However, in practice, in a country where Windows is sold for mere few bucks (in 2006 prices) it is highly unlikely that anyone will be punished for violating GPL any time soon.

GPL'd code is de facto public domain in Russia (and I guess in other parts of Eastern Europe, too).

Well, copyright laws are there. Copyright owners of the GPL code are still (theoretically) able to sue the Russian who incorporated their code in Russian court. What is not certain is whether GPL (as included with most programs, i.e. in English and without paper form) is recognized, e.g. you may have no rights to redistribute the GPL'd program in Russia.

However, in practice, in a country where Windows is sold for mere few bucks (in 2006 prices) it is highly unlikely that anyone will be punished for violating GPL any time soon.

GPL'd code is de facto public domain in Russia (and I guess in other parts of Eastern Europe, too).

A video of the second place winning guitar picking robot from the Netherlands. Sounds good to me. :)

That's how they buy sofware in Russia.

That's how they buy sofware in Russia.

That's how they buy sofware in Russia.

Pigeon controversies triggering forks is nothing.

Solaris failed because it had no porn value. You see, the most popular version of Linux is GNU/Lesbian. You can get it here --> http://lesbian.mine.nu/

If your OS is not popular yet, then I have some Lesbian Strapon Porno to show to you.

Well, yes, and you can buy "western" software in the shop for $3 and get a receipt for that - see here, here and here (pictures are from april'2006, so is the rouble/dollar exchange rate). Actually, most people don't really understand that they are doing something illegal - you have to explain them that Windows + Office don't cost that low and what they are buying is not original version. (To be frank, situation improved a bit since 2006, because of WTO requirements - now you can at least see legal software in the shops, though still mixed with pirated one).

But for me as a software developer, that's not really good. I like coding software and I want to be paid for that. I don't want to work as tech support consultant, doing coding in my free time (if I have one). Moreover, if I want to create computer games, I don't have an option of providing support - most games don't require extensive and prolonged support except for patching some driver problems and bugfixing, because end users are technically savvy enough.

So... Ok, Red Hat may be doing well with their business model (although I still suspect that they would have earned more if they were also able to sell the OS itself) because for large companies support is valued more than the software itself, but I don't see that possibility for desktop software vendors, whose users don't care about support that much and are too numerous to be effectively supported anyway...

Well, yes, and you can buy "western" software in the shop for $3 and get a receipt for that - see here, here and here (pictures are from april'2006, so is the rouble/dollar exchange rate). Actually, most people don't really understand that they are doing something illegal - you have to explain them that Windows + Office don't cost that low and what they are buying is not original version. (To be frank, situation improved a bit since 2006, because of WTO requirements - now you can at least see legal software in the shops, though still mixed with pirated one).

But for me as a software developer, that's not really good. I like coding software and I want to be paid for that. I don't want to work as tech support consultant, doing coding in my free time (if I have one). Moreover, if I want to create computer games, I don't have an option of providing support - most games don't require extensive and prolonged support except for patching some driver problems and bugfixing, because end users are technically savvy enough.

So... Ok, Red Hat may be doing well with their business model (although I still suspect that they would have earned more if they were also able to sell the OS itself) because for large companies support is valued more than the software itself, but I don't see that possibility for desktop software vendors, whose users don't care about support that much and are too numerous to be effectively supported anyway...

Well, yes, and you can buy "western" software in the shop for $3 and get a receipt for that - see here, here and here (pictures are from april'2006, so is the rouble/dollar exchange rate). Actually, most people don't really understand that they are doing something illegal - you have to explain them that Windows + Office don't cost that low and what they are buying is not original version. (To be frank, situation improved a bit since 2006, because of WTO requirements - now you can at least see legal software in the shops, though still mixed with pirated one).

But for me as a software developer, that's not really good. I like coding software and I want to be paid for that. I don't want to work as tech support consultant, doing coding in my free time (if I have one). Moreover, if I want to create computer games, I don't have an option of providing support - most games don't require extensive and prolonged support except for patching some driver problems and bugfixing, because end users are technically savvy enough.

So... Ok, Red Hat may be doing well with their business model (although I still suspect that they would have earned more if they were also able to sell the OS itself) because for large companies support is valued more than the software itself, but I don't see that possibility for desktop software vendors, whose users don't care about support that much and are too numerous to be effectively supported anyway...

Cole Sear: I see dead advertising companies.
Malcolm Crowe: In your dreams?
[Cole shakes his head no]
Malcolm Crowe: While you're awake?
[Cole nods]
Malcolm Crowe: Dead advertsing and tracking companies like, they dont exist ?
Cole Sear: Walking around looking like regular companies. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're dead.
Malcolm Crowe: How often do you see them?
Cole Sear: All the time. They're everywhere.

http://hostsfile.mine.nu/hosts.zip

Does amarok or rhythmbox even minimuze as small as xmms? I can't find a screenshot of either not taking up most of the screen.

Does amarok or rhythmbox even minimuze as small as xmms? I can't find a screenshot of either not taking up most of the screen.

It is big, but this is still up for now, whatever it is./ http://treehorn.mine.nu:8000/

Someone got a better list to dump in the hosts table

http://hostsfile.mine.nu/downloads/

Some of the effects look like they were lifted from http://effectv.sourceforge.net/ (windows port http://pbx.mine.nu/effectv/) and if that's the case, where's the source? :)

I use an ATI radeon 9000 64 Mb with the opensource drivers and it runs the eyecandy fine.

then block them
http://hostsfile.mine.nu/hosts.zip