Winlogon and Gina

I read in the wikipedia about Winlogon, and following links I get to know there's an open source project on a Gina module called pGina. It offers a plugin architecture.

Meanwhile, Vista seems to have killed msgina, and it's offering a complete rewrite towards a new framework to extend a similar architecture to that of pGina, the so called Credential Providers. CPs have the opportunity to provide GUI objects like domain lists, titles, notices, entry fields. The user logon "experience" is visually seamless amongst multiple CPs as the interactive GUI objects are all rendered by Vista's new framework.

Linux Infrared

Two different approaches to join the Infrared world from linux :

• The IRDA project offers linux kernel drivers (including support for some usb based infrared transceivers), and a set of user level tools. It is included in the 2.2.x and 2.4.x linux kernels.
  
• The LIRC project is based on hand-made devices using serial, parallel, and sound ports. It covers many more scenarious while it lacks support for usb based transceivers. If you want to hack around with hardware and build your own infrared devices, this is your way to go.
  

It is possible to sniff infrared traffic, for the adventorous ones.

This magic hardware gadget is an Infrared to/from Sound converter. You sniff on an infrared device (your TV controller), save the converted sound file in an iPod, and when you hit play, the gadget (which plugs into your Earphone jack) converts the sound file back into its original Infrared signal. cool!

This is an excellent source to many IR related links.

Computer fairs

http://www.computerfairs.com.au/

Google Web tools

• Google analytics: https://www.google.com/analytics/home/provision
• Google webmaster tools: https://www.google.com/webmasters

HTML tricks

• How to refresh a webpage: <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5">
• How to create a redirect page: Use same meta tag with uri after seconds specified.

HTML and JavaScript

I am collecting a set of sources for html related documents for the web designer, so here goes a list:

• http://www.w3.org is the World Wide Consortium on html standards.
• Htmlhelp offers html reference guides packed in html form.
• Here you can find quick reference cards on multiple html technologies.
• This pdf quickguide nicely shrinks most hmtl elements in a 2-page doc.
• A nice tutorial on how to embed Javascript into your html.
• Interactive forms which change layout based on user input are explained here.
• w3c guide on how to properly design and organize Web documents.
• An interactive multi-technology reference site: http://start.gotapi.com
• More on Web forms here.

Image Spamming

I came accross an article which explains the various new techniques used by spammers these days. It is amazing to see how the spam-antispam war it's a never ending story which just climbs up to higer and higher levels of sophistication.

Worms and anti-virus: The fight

Today I have been approached by a challenge to intercept and control win32 file system operations at the file system level. I have been roughly thinking about it and have so far come accross a few resources to help me refresh the scenario, that I will expose here:

The now defunct Phrack site is a good resource to look at. This article shows a way of hooking into the native api from kernel space. In this other article techniques are explained on how to install malicious code from userland space. This other one details techniques on how to surpass registry and file system operations by mangling with kernel land code. Fooling stack backtrace detectors (used in some intrussion detection systems) is exlained here.

Vidocq

This morning I've been watching Vidocq, a 2001 movie starring Gerard Depardieu. The movie is quite fantastic with exciting visual effects. It was the first movie filmed on digital media from start to end. Overall the movie is maybe a bit too heavy on special-effects, but it depicts a magical fabulous story in an absoribng way, about a monster called the 'Alchemist' who steals souls from virgin girls to keep his eternal youth. Vidocq is a detective working for the french police in the help to unmask the alchemist.

Vidocq's complete name was Eugène François Vidocq and was a french criminal with an amazing life, who became a detective for the french police. Amongst many of his stunning chapters throughout his life, he managed to escape prison endless times, survived 15 duels, and he also gained amnesty from the french police when he was challenged to escape from the guards and present himself to the inspector as a sign of honesty.

Life and miracles of Vidocq probably inspired Victor Hugo as well on his novel 'Les Miserables'.

International Worker's Day

I have been surprised to realize that May the 1st is not a public holiday in Australia. Most European countries celebrate that day as a rememorance on the achievements gained by the international labor movement, which ended up in the establishment of a regulated 8-hours work day.The May Day in Australia is not a public holiday, and it is not very clear as to wether the first Monday in October is celebtrated as such.