Cool site that allows you to gather info on all kinds of internet sites, email servers, perform numerous lookups and more. Don't take my word for it. PC Mag reports that:

This is one handy page, with tons of practical tools for Web wizards (and wannabes). Look up Whois data for any domain in several ways, check a mail server to see if it's on spam blacklists, test an e-mail address for problems, and more.

http://www.dnsstuff.com/

Don

Sam Spade for Windows is a freeware network query tool. It helps in fingerprinting and network mapping. Check it out:

http://www.samspade.org/ssw/

Latest version is v1.14 and can be downloaded at:
http://static.samspade.org/ssw/spade114.exe

Microsoft fights back by adding the Sony root kit to the list of signatures in its AntiSpyware software purchased from Giant.

For full story:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1886122,00.asp

RSA Conference, Japan 2006 - website coming soon!
April 26-27, 2006
Tokyo Prince Hotel Park Tower
Tokyo, Japan

http://2006.rsaconference.com/us/conference/other.aspx

Join us as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the annual RSA Conference, the largest and most comprehensive event for information security professionals. RSA® Conference 2006 will deliver more learning, networking and product demonstrations than any other security gathering in the world.

Your colleagues in the information security industry - front-line IT staff, IT managers, developers, policy makers, security experts and company executives - the best and the brightest in the information security industry - will all be here.

RSA Conference provides the perfect venue for:

• Learning about new technologies and trends
• Keeping yourself current on issues and solutions
• Making new contacts

Choose from the more than 200 class sessions offered in 17 tracks, and visit 275+ exhibitors who represent the top companies in the industry.

This is your opportunity to join industry peers and develop new strategies to defeat today's biggest information security threats.

The San Jose McEnery Convention Center
150 W San Carlos Street
San Jose, California 95113
Phone: 408.277.3900

http://2006.rsaconference.com

I haven't read this, but it seemed interesting enough at first glance to share.

http://cyberdetective.blogspot.com/

Check it out, and let us know what you think,
Don

Nice article by ABC News. Not much that we don't already know, but yet another example of how the term 'ethical hacking' is making its way out of IT circles.

---

Almost every day in the United States, savvy, determined hackers attempt to break into computer networks and pilfer valuable information. But here's the good news: Some of them are professionals, being paid to test the safety of the same computer systems you may be using regularly.

They are "ethical hackers," computer security experts hired by companies hoping to avoid costly holes in their information networks. While the term "ethical hacker" has been in use at least since the 1980s, it has only been a job description since the mid-to-late 1990s — and it seems to be an increasingly common one at the moment, as computer security becomes a booming business. Research firm IDC, of Framingham, Mass., estimates worldwide computer security revenues will expand from $19 billion in 2002 to $45 billion in 2007.

For full story:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/FinancialSecurity/story?id=501292&page=1

Don

Let's get this out of the way... they all want to make money. So do I, and I suppose you do, too.

The best thing to do is to concentrate on you. Where are you personally and where do you want to be in your career. That usually narrows the field of cert possibilities.

I can't say that I agree with all of your points:

1. Whether for certs or anything else, it's always a good idea to check out the rep of an org.
2. I feel that all certs should have a self-study option. I'll leave it at that.
3. I disagree with your price limit. If you said $5 - 10,000 I might agree. Look at MS exams at $125 each and you need to take 7 of them to get MCSE. That ends up being cheaper than the $5 - 600 for a CISSP exam. Either way though, unless you will never change jobs - ever, the salary increase will clearly be above that cost. Even if there was no monetary advantage, I would easily spend more than $150 on my career and lifelong education.
4. Continuing Requirements are looked at by most as a sign of a valued credential. As stated above, money is always involved, but it's also a good way for the organization to force continued learning in a particluar area. This is a good idea in my opinion. Plus, there are plenty of free ways to get CPEs.

My $.02,
Don

See how well you know forensics with this practical exercise directly from ISFCE.

Case Scenario:
http://www.certified-computer-examiner.com/cce-samp.htm

What to expect:
http://www.certified-computer-examiner.com/cce-ans.htm

Have fun!

Don

Directly from ISFCE, here is a free shortened version of the CCE exam. The actual CCE examination has 75 questions with a 45 minute time limit and is conducted on a secure site.  This examination has 25 questions with a 17 minute time limit.  The passing grade is 80%.

http://www.certified-computer-examiner.com/contact2.htm

Good luck!

Don

Google is a beautiful thing!

Don

I applaud the participation, but any way we can start a new topic, since this has moved away from discussing 'I Passed CEH!' I think it still fits in our Study Group, though you can feel free to add it to the CPTS forum if you like.

Thoughts?

Don

Security Watch: Sony CDs Make Your PC Play the Blues

What it does: As originally discovered by security researcher Mark Russinovich of Winternals Software, certain music CDs published by Sony BMG Entertainment contain DRM protection requiring that the user must install a proprietary music player in order to play the songs. The player contains a rootkit (click here for a definition) as part of an effort to conceal the DRM and prevent its removal.

The DRM software and the rootkit were written by a First 4 Internet of the UK. The rootkit conceals all access to files and registry entries prefixed with the string '$sys$' in order to hide itself, but this behavior could allow other malicious programmers to hide their own programs by using the same file naming scheme. First 4 Internet and Sony deny that the system presents a security problem.

For full story:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1882795,00.asp

Don

From InformationWeek Posted by Larry Greenemeier on Nov 4, 2005 at 06:36 PM

---

The recent arrest and 17-count indictment against 20-year-old accused hacker and botmaster Jeanson James Ancheta for both using and selling the tools to attack a number of networks, including some within the Defense Department, should be taken as a shot across the bow by anyone who reads this. Ancheta is accused of being part of a new breed of criminal hacker: not just in it for the fame--sure, he's getting his 15 minutes, although it could be more like 50 years--but rather after money. According to the charges against him, Ancheta even managed to collect nearly $60,000 by creating, spreading, and selling bots to the highest bidders. By all accounts, Ancheta is smart and motivated, and there was a market for his black-market guerrilla hacking tactics and tools. How do you stop a smart, motivated attacker from making your life miserable? Read carefully.

To catch a thief, or in this case a cyberterrorist, you have to think like one. IT professionals have been conditioned to think defensively, draping their networks with sensor-studded barbed wire and using firewalls and intrusion-prevention systems to lock down doors and windows around the perimeter. But there's an emerging school of thought that says only a more proactive approach to security can prepare companies for the unexpected.

For full story:
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2005/11/hacking_back_cy.html

Don

Cool labs, lectures and notes from what Prabhaker Mateti, the instructor, calls ,"suitable for senior undergraduates and beginning graduate students."

http://www.cs.wright.edu/~pmateti/InternetSecurity/Lectures/Top/index.html

It's amazing what you can find if you search for it!
Don