I found certs today, that said I've taken Juniper Training on Advanced VPN Concepts and Firewalls.
I don't even remember those classes.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
follow up to crypto
It's really really going over well. At least with the test group. The two help desk people that were here today, have already started to use it for personal conversations too. The ones with their friends. One of them im'd me from home, to see if it was working. Of course since it wasn't the same key as the one he had here, I was getting conflicting key errors.
Just really neat to see it spreading like it is. They're using it, they're getting their friends to use it. Yeah it's not as good or strong as GnuPG or PGP, but it works.
I also know that one of the developers is on board for it. I think the other one might be too.
Just really neat to see it spreading like it is. They're using it, they're getting their friends to use it. Yeah it's not as good or strong as GnuPG or PGP, but it works.
I also know that one of the developers is on board for it. I think the other one might be too.
It shouldn't be THAT easy
I've sold my manager, and director on Encrypted IM... We're running a small test right now, in the IT group (the IT people, we'll fold the rest of the IS people in later (the developers, dbas and etc).
We're using Pidgin, with Pidgin-encryption. Really easy to set up. Install Pidgin. Install Pidgin-encryption. Works with all major IM servers, and Operating Systems.
After installing, set your user accounts (don't have to, but that is the way I like to do it), then go and turn on the plugin for pidgin-encryption under options>plugins.
When you turn it on, by selecting the check box, it creates rsa keys for all accounts in the client. Click on configure plugin button, and go to the second tab. Highlight the account, press regenerate key. Change the key size to 2048. The bigger the key the harder it is to break. I have mine set at 4096 (the largest size supported by the client at this time).
Then when you IM a someone, you'll notice somewhere in the text window (here at work it's on the top of the window) a little lock. Click it, and it turns on the encryption. If the person on the other side has the plugin installed, you'll get their key. You should have 2 locks at that point. with arrows pointing to each other. You're encrypted and good to roll. If you're sending an im to someone without encryption, just turn off the crypto, by hitting that little green lock.
So what does encryption do again? It makes it so no one else can read your messages, unless they are supposed to. Encrypted IM rocks. This is really fast, easy to set up, and simple to use. You don't have to worry about someone, like Google (if using Google talk), storing your IMs and giving them to the cops. Because It's encrypted. However, the cops can make you give up your key, at least in the United States. But, if you're transferring Intellectual Property (YOUR OWN, or YOUR EMPLOYER'S) you don't have to worry about the competitor getting your data.
So what shouldn't be that easy? Getting upper management to buy in on this. I've been trying for 2 years. They both said yes today. The director said to bring it up at the next team meeting, and we'll work it out.
We're using Pidgin, with Pidgin-encryption. Really easy to set up. Install Pidgin. Install Pidgin-encryption. Works with all major IM servers, and Operating Systems.
After installing, set your user accounts (don't have to, but that is the way I like to do it), then go and turn on the plugin for pidgin-encryption under options>plugins.
When you turn it on, by selecting the check box, it creates rsa keys for all accounts in the client. Click on configure plugin button, and go to the second tab. Highlight the account, press regenerate key. Change the key size to 2048. The bigger the key the harder it is to break. I have mine set at 4096 (the largest size supported by the client at this time).
Then when you IM a someone, you'll notice somewhere in the text window (here at work it's on the top of the window) a little lock. Click it, and it turns on the encryption. If the person on the other side has the plugin installed, you'll get their key. You should have 2 locks at that point. with arrows pointing to each other. You're encrypted and good to roll. If you're sending an im to someone without encryption, just turn off the crypto, by hitting that little green lock.
So what does encryption do again? It makes it so no one else can read your messages, unless they are supposed to. Encrypted IM rocks. This is really fast, easy to set up, and simple to use. You don't have to worry about someone, like Google (if using Google talk), storing your IMs and giving them to the cops. Because It's encrypted. However, the cops can make you give up your key, at least in the United States. But, if you're transferring Intellectual Property (YOUR OWN, or YOUR EMPLOYER'S) you don't have to worry about the competitor getting your data.
So what shouldn't be that easy? Getting upper management to buy in on this. I've been trying for 2 years. They both said yes today. The director said to bring it up at the next team meeting, and we'll work it out.
ouch and fail
So I tired to do snatches tonight at 32kg. Couldn't do it. My toes hurt (dropped my scale on it today), and my knee still hurts from Thursday. It's still bruised in color.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
hmm... time for the weekend review
Like most weeks, I don't remember most of them, but this is my first weekend off in a month. So I burnt it so far, at my computer. Muhahaha.
Here is what I remember that's worth it (most of the week is a blur).
Tuesday, I cooked. 2 tofurkies, with the oil and soy sauce baste. I cooked them on a bed of red potatoes, onions, and carrots. I also made cranberry sauce. yummm...
Wednesday I over ate at the pot luck.
Thursday, I went to Martial Arts. It was good. I liked it. My endurance level appears to be one of the highest ones there. Which is a little sad. I'm basing this off of people moving away from me in free fighting, while sucking wind. I'll be breathing heavy, but they are sucking wind.
Fell pretty bad too. Landed on my elbow pretty hard, buy my knee much harder. It's still bruised. I had a hard time walking Friday. Of course, I had to walk all around the building, which did help it some, even if I did limp most of the time.
Thursday it snowed. I fell on the ice outside, before going to class. Wasn't that bad in that case, just had one leg go out from under me, and was able to turn it into a kneel, before crashing. I tend to do that a lot when I fall on the ice. End up in a one knee kneel. The drive home sucked, once I got near the airport, went to a complete stand still.
Earlier Thursday, the director emailed me about a wireless access point showing near his office. They're pretty paranoid there about that stuff. I really don't care too much myself. To a point. Once a month I walk around with a laptop, looking for wireless access points. I'd much rather have a better tool, that finds the non-broadcast SSIDs too, but it makes them feel good. Anyway, it looks like someone set up a new access point across the freeway and we're getting bleed over. One troublesome thing though. Thursday during the quick initial scan. I found one that really did bother me. It was an ad-hoc peering point called "Free Public Internet". Ad-hoc networks are computers without a router, that can access each other no problem. Lets just put it this way, it is a bad thing to find. Turns out it was on the CFO's laptop. A VERY BAD THING. Basically anyone could sit out in the parking lot, or even across the freeway (with a directional antenna, which can be made with a pringles can), connect to the computer and get files from it.
I get to do a computer security class in a few months. It's for the Executives and the Sales people. Should be fun. I'm going to write the manual from scratch.
Friday, wandered around, then spent the majority of the afternoon at my desk being bored. Could have done some other stuff, but didn't feel like it at the time.
Today, I had fun. I set up some neato computer stuff, GnuPG, and the ability to encrypt my google email. (Encryption is good, it prevents people from reading what they are not meant to be). The way it works, you make a key pair. One is public, one is private. The public one you share. The private one you hide. When they want to send you an email, only you can read, they encrypt it with your public key, and usually sign it with their private key (because you're public key is public, anyone can get it and say they are so and so, but signing it with their own private key means it's from them). As long as you have their public key, you can read the message, after decrypting it with your private key, and can confirm it's from them, by checking they're signature against their public key. It sounds harder than it really is. Which is probably why so few use it. It took me all of 30 minutes to get set up.
I also looked up the details on creating a spice mister. Going to make some capsaicin oil to try with it in a few weeks.
I also got caught up on some tv. Watched about 4 hours of it today. About all I could stand. Read a lot of neat stuff on the web. Instructables and Life Hacker rock.
Only other thing of note, was I got the Ultimate bond, 42 discs. 21 movies (Doctor No through Casino Royal, minus Never Say Never Again). I finally saw Casino. It was decent. I look forward to seeing Quantum now.
Oh and I think I'm going to push and try to sell the idea of encrypted IM clients at work this week to the upper management.
Here is what I remember that's worth it (most of the week is a blur).
Tuesday, I cooked. 2 tofurkies, with the oil and soy sauce baste. I cooked them on a bed of red potatoes, onions, and carrots. I also made cranberry sauce. yummm...
Wednesday I over ate at the pot luck.
Thursday, I went to Martial Arts. It was good. I liked it. My endurance level appears to be one of the highest ones there. Which is a little sad. I'm basing this off of people moving away from me in free fighting, while sucking wind. I'll be breathing heavy, but they are sucking wind.
Fell pretty bad too. Landed on my elbow pretty hard, buy my knee much harder. It's still bruised. I had a hard time walking Friday. Of course, I had to walk all around the building, which did help it some, even if I did limp most of the time.
Thursday it snowed. I fell on the ice outside, before going to class. Wasn't that bad in that case, just had one leg go out from under me, and was able to turn it into a kneel, before crashing. I tend to do that a lot when I fall on the ice. End up in a one knee kneel. The drive home sucked, once I got near the airport, went to a complete stand still.
Earlier Thursday, the director emailed me about a wireless access point showing near his office. They're pretty paranoid there about that stuff. I really don't care too much myself. To a point. Once a month I walk around with a laptop, looking for wireless access points. I'd much rather have a better tool, that finds the non-broadcast SSIDs too, but it makes them feel good. Anyway, it looks like someone set up a new access point across the freeway and we're getting bleed over. One troublesome thing though. Thursday during the quick initial scan. I found one that really did bother me. It was an ad-hoc peering point called "Free Public Internet". Ad-hoc networks are computers without a router, that can access each other no problem. Lets just put it this way, it is a bad thing to find. Turns out it was on the CFO's laptop. A VERY BAD THING. Basically anyone could sit out in the parking lot, or even across the freeway (with a directional antenna, which can be made with a pringles can), connect to the computer and get files from it.
I get to do a computer security class in a few months. It's for the Executives and the Sales people. Should be fun. I'm going to write the manual from scratch.
Friday, wandered around, then spent the majority of the afternoon at my desk being bored. Could have done some other stuff, but didn't feel like it at the time.
Today, I had fun. I set up some neato computer stuff, GnuPG, and the ability to encrypt my google email. (Encryption is good, it prevents people from reading what they are not meant to be). The way it works, you make a key pair. One is public, one is private. The public one you share. The private one you hide. When they want to send you an email, only you can read, they encrypt it with your public key, and usually sign it with their private key (because you're public key is public, anyone can get it and say they are so and so, but signing it with their own private key means it's from them). As long as you have their public key, you can read the message, after decrypting it with your private key, and can confirm it's from them, by checking they're signature against their public key. It sounds harder than it really is. Which is probably why so few use it. It took me all of 30 minutes to get set up.
I also looked up the details on creating a spice mister. Going to make some capsaicin oil to try with it in a few weeks.
I also got caught up on some tv. Watched about 4 hours of it today. About all I could stand. Read a lot of neat stuff on the web. Instructables and Life Hacker rock.
Only other thing of note, was I got the Ultimate bond, 42 discs. 21 movies (Doctor No through Casino Royal, minus Never Say Never Again). I finally saw Casino. It was decent. I look forward to seeing Quantum now.
Oh and I think I'm going to push and try to sell the idea of encrypted IM clients at work this week to the upper management.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
I need to rant
It is kind of training related.
So there is a program called Enter the Kettlebell. It's known as ETK. It is broken up into 2 parts. The Program Minimum, which is designed to condition the body. Then there is the Right of Passage, where the real work begins.
TPM get's you ready for RoP.
On the AOS forum, someone asked if she was ready to move on to week 4, or if she should repeat week 3. I gave her my opinion, based on what she said her work out was. While she was getting work done, she wasn't getting it done as it was written.
Another comment made, by another user, said they weren't doing the program as written and doing something else altogether. This user has claimed to for the last four weeks, that they were doing the ETK: Program Minimum. However came out and said that what they had been doing was CHEATING. The person thinks they're way is as good as the real thing. The user doesn't feel toasted after the work out. Which is kind of the point of The Program Minimum. Because if you're feeling toasted after that, you're not ready to move on to the next week, or for the Right of Passage. You're not in shape to move on to the real work. You haven't paid in sweat, blood and tears.
It would be like someone trying out for the first chair in a band, when the person can only play 1 song on the instrument. It would be like trying to swim a mile, when the most you have ever done is 25 yards. You're just not ready.
I really want to call the person on it. I really do. But the forum doesn't need arguments, it has had a share of rough patches lately and doesn't need more people bickering. It used to be great, but more people of the "I don't want to work hard variety have been showing up on it lately". And they're playing an ego game. Posting just to post, with out really having any value to the posts.
The point is, you either do the program as it is written (there are 2 versions of it, in Paval's ETK Book, where you swing and jog, and the version in Anthony's Workbook, where he's mixed the jogging up with other things) or you're CHEATING. The work is 12 minutes, not 10 minutes.
Start doing the real workout, and stop lying to the rest of us, that really are doing the program, and not looking for an ego boost. One of the things Paval says in ETK, if you're asking if you can make substitutions, the answer is No. See page 161 and 162 of ETK if you want the exact quote. It's in the frequently asked questions section.
So there is a program called Enter the Kettlebell. It's known as ETK. It is broken up into 2 parts. The Program Minimum, which is designed to condition the body. Then there is the Right of Passage, where the real work begins.
TPM get's you ready for RoP.
On the AOS forum, someone asked if she was ready to move on to week 4, or if she should repeat week 3. I gave her my opinion, based on what she said her work out was. While she was getting work done, she wasn't getting it done as it was written.
Another comment made, by another user, said they weren't doing the program as written and doing something else altogether. This user has claimed to for the last four weeks, that they were doing the ETK: Program Minimum. However came out and said that what they had been doing was CHEATING. The person thinks they're way is as good as the real thing. The user doesn't feel toasted after the work out. Which is kind of the point of The Program Minimum. Because if you're feeling toasted after that, you're not ready to move on to the next week, or for the Right of Passage. You're not in shape to move on to the real work. You haven't paid in sweat, blood and tears.
It would be like someone trying out for the first chair in a band, when the person can only play 1 song on the instrument. It would be like trying to swim a mile, when the most you have ever done is 25 yards. You're just not ready.
I really want to call the person on it. I really do. But the forum doesn't need arguments, it has had a share of rough patches lately and doesn't need more people bickering. It used to be great, but more people of the "I don't want to work hard variety have been showing up on it lately". And they're playing an ego game. Posting just to post, with out really having any value to the posts.
The point is, you either do the program as it is written (there are 2 versions of it, in Paval's ETK Book, where you swing and jog, and the version in Anthony's Workbook, where he's mixed the jogging up with other things) or you're CHEATING. The work is 12 minutes, not 10 minutes.
Start doing the real workout, and stop lying to the rest of us, that really are doing the program, and not looking for an ego boost. One of the things Paval says in ETK, if you're asking if you can make substitutions, the answer is No. See page 161 and 162 of ETK if you want the exact quote. It's in the frequently asked questions section.
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