What's Sniffing...?

Sniffing is the use of a network interface to receive data not intended for the machine in which the interface resides. A variety of types of machines need to have this capability. A token-ring bridge, for example, typically has two network interfaces that normally receive all packets traveling on the media on one interface and retransmit some, but not all, of these packets on the other interface. Another example of a device that incorporates sniffing is one typically marketed as a “network analyzer.” A network analyzer helps network administrators diagnose a variety of obscure problems that may not be visible on any one particular host. These problems can involve unusual interactions between more than just one or two machines and sometimes involve a variety of protocols interacting in strange ways.

Devices that incorporate sniffing are useful and necessary. However, their very existence

implies that a malicious person could use such a device or modify an existing machine to snoop

on network traffic. Sniffing programs could be used to gather passwords, read inter-machine

e-mail, and examine client-server database records in transit. Besides these high-level data, lowlevel

information might be used to mount an active attack on data in another computersystem.

Steps To Sets An Alarm In Your PC

Its just the steps to set an alarm in our PC according to our needs...

• start> programs >accessories > system tools >scheduled tasks .

Create a new task and choose program as windows media player or winamp

(May work with others too but I haven't tried anything else).

• Choose "daily".

• Enter the time and choose "every day" at next screen.

• It would now ask for password (leave blank in case you don't have one).

• Right click on the newly created task and check the "run only if logged in" check box.

• In the properties. Append the path to the play-list you created in the "run" text box. It should now look like Code:

          "C:\Program Files\wmplayer.exe" K:\Playlists\ps.song

• (text inside quotes is my WMP's path). It may vary for you...

•    The text after WMP's path is the one to the playlist. 

• Click OK and you're done.

Step to Defrag RAM

As you all know, how costly the original RAM defragmenting softwares are. So, I've come up with a short and simple tweak tip to free up your RAM memory. All you have to do is follow some simple steps and succeed in freeing up your RAM memory.

1. Open a new notepad file.

2.Type FreeMem=Space(64000000)

3. Save this file with some name like RAM.vbs all you have to take care is to keep the extension as ".vbs"

4. Close this file and then run it by double clicking on it.

Steps to install Windows 8 from USB Drive

  

 With the release of the Windows 8 Developer Preview, my curiosity could not let me wait and I rushed to install it right then. But not having an optical drive on my netbook could hinder my installation and hence I had to come up with this alternative of installing it via a pen drive. And to my surprise, when I tried to make a Windows 8 bootable pen drive using the  Microsoft’s very own Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.

System Requirements for Windows 8 are:

·         1 Gigahertz or faster 32-bit or 64-bit processor

·         1 Gigabyte of RAM for 32-bit, 2 Gigabytes of RAM for 64-bit minimum

·         16 Gigabyte hard drive for 32-bit systems, 20 Gigabyte for 64-bit systems

·         Direct X 9 graphics card

The prerequisits for the installation are as follows:

• Firstly, you need to download the Microsoft Windows 8 Developer Preview Image from  here
• Next, you need to have with your self the  Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, which can be downloaded from here.
• You need an USB pen drive with at least four Gigabytes of free space. 

With both the softwares downloaded we are now ready to make our own bootable pen drive with Windows 8. Though it does require few tweaks other than making the pen drive bootable, you can follow the steps as given below:

Formating the Pen Drive

• Firstly, we need to format the pen drive to the FAT32 file system. This can be done by connecting the pen drive to the computer, right-clicking its drive icon and selecting Format from the drop down menu. The Format window pops up where you need to make sure that Fat32 is the selected file system. Other details need not be changed.
• Once this is done, open the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.
• Then just select the Windows 8 ISO when asked to pick an ISO image from the computer.
• Next, select to copy the contents to an USB drive. The program will copy all files to the drive and make that drive bootable at the same time.
•  Once this is done, restart your PC, get into the BIOS by pressing F8/F12 as per your manufacturer and goto the Boot Configuration section and enable the USB Booting as well as make USB Booting primary in the booting preference.
• Save the settings and exit the BIOS.
• On restart, the computer should now automatically boot through the pen drive and begin the installation.

 

 

Windows Vs Linux A Brief Comparison

Windows and Linux are both operating systems that have been developed to allow the utilization of computer resources . These two systems have a number of differences and require different things from users for proper operation of the system. Among the major differences is that  


"Windows is a commercial operating system, while Linux is an open source operating system."
                       
                                 Windows is the widest used PC operating system today. It’s graphical user interface allows users with no programming experience or knowledge to navigate the system and complete the tasks. Some users have experienced stability problems, but with typical individual use the system has proven to be stable enough to prevent a massive shift. Windows OS has different versions that are tailored for various needs. 
  
Linux is an open source operating system. It is renowned among users as being far more stable than the Windows system. Some network administrators and programmers prefer the system, but for a number of reasons the system has not gained the level of market penetration that Windows or MacOS have reached. Little support by software makers has been among the problems. Though, with some knowledge, it is possible to run most Windows versions of programs on Linux systems. Also, while the system offers a graphical interface, there remains a bit of coding involved in the implementation of some programs. This can prove difficult for some users.

• Price: The majority of Linux variants are available for free or at a much lower price than Microsoft Windows.
  Microsoft Windows can run between $50.00 - $150.00 US dollars per each license copy.
• Ease: Although the majority Linux variants have improved dramatically in ease of use, Windows is still much easier to use for new computer users.     Microsoft has made several advancements and changes that have made it a much easier to use operating system, and although arguably it may not be the easiest operating system, it is still Easier than Linux.
• Reliability: The majority of Linux variants and versions are notoriously reliable and can often run for months and years without needing to be rebooted.Although Microsoft Windows has made great improvements in reliability over the last few versions of Windows, it still cannot match the reliability of Linux.
• Software: Linux has a large variety of available software programs, utilities, and games. However, Windows has a much larger selection of available software. Because of the large amount of Microsoft Windows users, there is a much larger selection of available software programs, utilities, and games for Windows.
• Software Cost: Many of the available software programs, utilities, and games available on Linux are freeware or open source. Even such complex programs such as Gimp, OpenOffice, StarOffice, and wine are available for free or at a low cost.    
  Although Windows does have software  programs, utilities, and games for free, the majority of the programs will cost anywhere between $20.00 - $200.00+ US dollars per copy.
• Hardware: Linux companies and hardware  manufacturers have made great advancements in hardware support for Linux and today Linux will support most hardware devices. However, many companies still do not offer drivers or support for their hardware in Linux.    
  Because of the amount of Microsoft Windows users and the broader driver support, Windows has a much larger support for hardware devices and a good majority of hardware manufacturers will support their products in Microsoft Windows.
• Security: Linux is and has always been a very secure operating system. Although it still can be attacked when compared to Windows, it much more secure.Although Microsoft has made great improvements over the years with security on their operating system, their operating system continues to be the most vulnerable to viruses and other attacks.
• Open Source: Many of the Linux variants and many Linux programs are open source and enable users to customize or modify the code however they wish to.Microsoft Windows is not open source and the majority of Windows programs are not open source.
• Support: Although it may be more difficult to find users familiar with all Linux variants, there are vast amounts of available online documentation and help, available books, and support available for Linux.Microsoft Windows includes its own help section, has vast amount of available online documentation and help, as well as books on each of the versions of Windows.

        

What is a computer virus?

A computer virus is a small software program that spreads from one computer to another computer and that interferes with computer operation. A computer virus may corrupt or delete data on a computer, use an e-mail program to spread the virus to other computers, or even delete everything on the hard disk.

Computer viruses are most easily spread by attachments in e-mail messages or by instant messaging messages. Therefore, you must never open an e-mail attachment unless you know who sent the message or unless you are expecting the e-mail attachment. Computer viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. Computer viruses also spread by using downloads on the Internet. Computer viruses can be hidden in pirated software or in other files or programs that you may download. 

Symptoms of a computer virus

 

If you suspect or confirm that your computer is infected with a computer virus, obtain the current antivirus software. The following are some primary indicators that a computer may be infected:

• The computer runs slower than usual.
• The computer stops responding, or it locks up frequently.
• The computer crashes, and then it restarts every few minutes.
• The computer restarts on its own. Additionally, the computer does not run as usual.
• Applications on the computer do not work correctly.
• Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
• You cannot print items correctly.
• You see unusual error messages.
• You see distorted menus and dialog boxes.
• There is a double extension on an attachment that you recently opened, such as a .jpg, .vbs, .gif, or .exe. extension.
• An antivirus program is disabled for no reason. Additionally, the antivirus program cannot be restarted.
• An antivirus program cannot be installed on the computer, or the antivirus program will not run.
• New icons appear on the desktop that you did not put there, or the icons are not associated with any recently installed programs.
• Strange sounds or music plays from the speakers unexpectedly.
• A program disappears from the computer even though you did not intentionally remove the program.

Note These are common signs of infection. However, these signs may also be caused by hardware or software problems that have nothing to do with a computer virus. Unless you run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, and then you install industry-standard, up-to-date antivirus software on your computer, you cannot be certain whether a computer is infected with a computer virus or not.

What is Spyware?

  Spyware can install on your computer without your knowledge. These programs can change your computer’s configuration or collect advertising data and personal information. Spyware can track internet searching habits and possibly redirect web site activity.

Symptoms of Spyware

When a computer becomes affected by Spyware, the following may result:

• Slow internet connection.
• Changing your web browser’s home page.
• Loss of internet connectivity.
• Failure to open some programs, including security software.
• Unable to visit specific websites, which may include redirecting you to another one.

How to remove a computer virus and spyware.

 

Even for an expert, removing a computer virus or spyware can be a difficult task without the help of computer malicious software removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted softwarereinstall themselves after the viruses and spyware have been detected and removed. Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using malicious software removal tools, you can help permanently remove unwanted software.

 
To remove a computer virus and other malicious software, follow these steps:

Install the latest updates from Microsoft Update:

1. For Windows Vista and Windows 7:
   1. Click the Pearl (Start) button, then type Windows Update in the search box.
   2. In the results area, click Windows Update.
   3. Click Check for Updates.
   4. Follow the instructions to download and install the latest Windows Updates.
2. For Windows XP:
   1. Click Start, then click Run.
   2. Type sysdm.cpl and press the Enter key.
   3. Click the Automatic Updates tab and choose the Automatic (recommended) option.
   4. Click OK.           
    
3. Rogue security software programs will try to make you think that your machine is infected by a virus and usually prompt you to download and/or buy a removal product. The names of these products usually contain words like “Antivirus,” “Shield,” “Security,” Protection,” “Fixer,” so they appear to be legitimate. They will often run immediately when downloaded, or the next time your computer starts up. Rogue security software can prevent applications from opening, including Internet Explorer, and may display legitimate and very important Windows files as infections. Some typical error messages or pop ups you may receive may contain:
   
   Warning!
   Your computer is infected!
   This computer is infected by spyware and adware.
    

How To Lock Your PC Automatically

Would you like your computer to automatically lock and require you to enter your password when you exit the screen saver?  Here’s how to quickly change your screen saver settings to keep your computer secure when you’re away.

To get started, right-click on your desktop, and click Personalize to open the personalization settings dialog.

Click Screen Saver under the themes to change your screensaver settings.

Alternately, if you’d rather open the screensaver settings without grabbing your mouse, hit the Win key and enter Screen Saver in the search box, and select Change screen saver.

This will open the Screen Saver settings dialog.  Select the screensaver you want, then check the box to display the login screen when you exit the screen saver.  Enter the number of minutes you want to wait before your screensaver starts, then click Ok to save your settings.

Now, after the length of time you selected, you’ll see your screensaver as normal.

Then, when you move the mouse or press a key, you’ll see the normal login screen instead of your desktop.  Enter your password and login as normal to access your computer.

Lock Your Computer Without a Screensaver

If you’re not fond of screensavers, you can lock your computer when you’re away without turning on the screensaver.  Just select None from the screensaver list, then check the box as before.  Now your computer will automatically switch to the Login screen whenever your computer is left for the amount of time you selected.

This trick only works if your coworkers and family doesn’t know your password, of course.

Most Useful Google Search Tips

1. Explicit Phrase:
   Lets say you are looking for content about internet marketing.  Instead of just typing internet marketing into the Google search box, you will likely be better off searching explicitly for the phrase.  To do this, simply enclose the search phrase within double quotes.

   Example: "internet marketing"

2. Exclude Words:
   Lets say you want to search for content about internet marketing, but you want to exclude any results that contain the term advertising.  To do this, simply use the "-" sign in front of the word you want to exclude.

   Example Search: internet marketing -advertising

3. Site Specific Search:
   Often, you want to search a specific website for content that matches a certain phrase.  Even if the site doesn’t support a built-in search feature, you can use Google to search the site for your term. Simply use the "site:somesite.com" modifier.

   Example: "internet marketing" site:www.smallbusinesshub.com

4. Similar Words and Synonyms:
   Let’s say you are want to include a word in your search, but want to include results that contain similar words or synonyms.  To do this, use the "~" in front of the word.

   Example: "internet marketing" ~professional

5. Specific Document Types:
   If you’re looking to find results that are of a specific type, you can use the modifier "filetype:".  For example, you might want to find only PowerPoint presentations related to internet marketing.

   Example: "internet marketing" filetype:ppt

6. This OR That:
   By default, when you do a search, Google will include all the terms specified in the search.  If you are looking for any one of one or more terms to match, then you can use the OR operator.  (Note:  The OR has to be capitalized).

   Example: internet marketing OR advertising

7. Phone Listing:
   Let’s say someone calls you on your mobile number and you don’t know how it is.  If all you have is a phone number, you can look it up on Google using the phonebook feature.

   Example: phone book:617-555-1212 (note:  the provided number does not work – you’ll have to use a real number to get any results).

8. Area Code Look up:
   If all you need to do is to look-up the area code for a phone number, just enter the 3-digit area code and Google will tell you where it’s from.

   Example: 617

9. Numeric Ranges:
   This is a rarely used, but highly useful tip.  Let’s say you want to find results that contain any of a range of numbers.  You can do this by using the X..Y modifier (in case this is hard to read, what’s between the X and Y are two periods.  This type of search is useful for years (as shown below), prices or anywhere where you want to provide a series of numbers.

   Example: president 1940..1950

10. Stock (Ticker Symbol):
    Just enter a valid ticker symbol as your search term and Google will give you the current financials and a quick thumb-nail chart for the stock.

    Example: GOOG

11. Calculator:
    The next time you need to do a quick calculation, instead of bringing up the Calculator applet, you can just type your expression in to Google.

    Example: 48512 * 1.02

12. Word Definitions:
    If you need to quickly look up the definition of a word or phrase, simply use the "define:" command.

    Example: define:plethora

Steps To Install Linux OS Besides Your Windows 7

You might be looking for a way to try out Ubuntu Linux but don’t like the idea of creating a partition, using a slow live CD, or don’t have enough resources to run a virtual machine. Today we take a look at using the Wubi installer to get Ubuntu running on your computer with very little effort.

Wubi is an officially supported Ubuntu installer that allows Windows users to easily get started in the Linux realm. Using Wubi to install Ubuntu is a similar process you’d use to install any other software program in Windows. It saves you the hassle of creating another partition or creating a VM. Wubi has been around for a few years now, and official version have been included on the Ubuntu Live CD since 8.04 “Hardy Heron”. We’ll take a look at installing Wubi from the Ubuntu Live CD and also downloading Wubi.exe separately and installing Ubuntu.  

Installing Ubuntu with Wubi from Ubuntu CD

In this first method we’ve already downloaded the Ubuntu Live ISO and burned it to CD. In Windows pop in the Ubuntu 9.10 installation disc and run wubi.exe.

 At the Ubuntu Menu screen click the Install inside Windows button.

 At the Ubuntu Installer screen you choose the language, install drive, installation size, username and password then when you’re finished click Install.

 Give it a few moments while the installation kicks off…

 When it’s complete, a restart is required but you can do it right away or wait until later.

Installing Ubuntu from Wubi.exe

If you don’t already have the Ubuntu CD, another option is to download the Wubi Installer and kick off the install process. This simplifies the process even more because you don’t need to download the ISO and burn it to disc. One thing to point out with this method is you’ll get extra choices for the type of Desktop Environment you wish to install. In this example we’re choosing the Kubuntu environment.

 Now when the installation takes place, it will download the appropriate ISO for the chosen desktop environment. Kubuntu uses the KDE environment which is different from the Gnome used in Ubuntu. The main difference is that KDE is more flashy with graphics and might be easier for a Windows user to get comfortable with.

 No matter which route you take to install Ubuntu with Wubi, everything is installed to C:\Ubuntu directory.

Booting Into Ubuntu

After the first reboot, you can choose between Windows 7 or Ubuntu at the Windows Boot Manager screen.

 The first time you boot into Ubuntu, wait a few minutes while the installation finishes up. You’ll see a series of screens and then the main install screen is displayed showing progress and screens showing features offered in Ubuntu 9.10.

 Your system will reboot one more time and again you will have Windows 7 or Ubuntu to choose from.

 When you select Ubuntu from the bootloader, it will go into the GRUB bootloader where you can select Ubuntu, Recovery Mode, or back to the Windows 7 Boot Manager.

 At the Ubuntu login screen you’ll notice the username and password will be what you gave it in the steps above.

 That’s really all there is to it…now you can easily boot into Ubuntu and get your geek on with this popular flavor of Linux.

 Here is a look at the Kubuntu interface after a bit of tweaking…if you choose that route.

 After Ubuntu has been completely installed, you can select the default boot system by going into Advance System Settings \ Startup and Recovery…then selecting between Windows or Ubuntu.

Uninstall Ubuntu

So you’ve tried Ubuntu and decided you don’t like it, so now what do you do? It’s easy…just uninstall it. Boot into Windows 7 and go into Add / Remove Programs…

 The uninstall process is extremely simple as well and consists of two screens. Verify you want to uninstall Ubuntu…

 That’s it! It’s uninstalled and you have your hard drive space back. When you reboot your system, there’s no leftover funky GRUB or other bootloader to worry about. Your PC will boot directly into Windows.

 This might be the easiest way for the Linux beginner to get their feet wet with Ubuntu as there are no partitions to create and installation is extremely simple.If you’re looking for an extremely easy way to start using Ubuntu Linux, you’ll definitely want to give the Wubi install a try.

Download Wubi Installer

Download Ubuntu 

How to Become a Hacker

Most of us are very curious to learn Hacking and want to become a Hacker, but don’t know where to start. If you are in a similar situation, then this article will most likely guide you
to reach your goal.
On a regular basis, I get a lot of emails where people ask me ”How to Become a Hacker”. In fact, this question is not an easy one to answer, since hacking is not an art that can be mastered overnight. It requires knowledge, skills, creativity, dedication and of course the TIME. Everyone can become a hacker provided they learn it from the basics. So, if you wanna become a hacker, then all you need is a good source of knowledge that will guide you through various concepts of hacking from the basics.


 What Skills do I Need to Become a Hacker?

 In simple words, there is no magic to become a Hacker. But like anything else that is worthwhile, it takes dedication and willingness to learn. It is most important to have a basic knowledge of topics such as operating system basics and it’s working, computer networks, computer security and of course programming. However, you need not be the expert in each or any of those topics mentioned. As you gain the basic knowledge of various branches of computer, you can choose any one as your favorite and advance in it.
 
What is the Best Way to Become a Hacker? 

As said earlier, the best way to become a hacker is to start from the basics. You will have to master the basics to build a strong foundation. And once this is done, you’ll be in a position to explore new ideas and start thinking like a Hacker. There exists tons of books on the market that will teach you hacking, but unfortunately, it requires a set of pre-established skills and knowledge to understand the concepts explained in the book.
Also, most of them are not suitable for the beginners who doesn’t know anything about hacking..
So i will Good ideas and knowledges on hacking,by introducing very effective hacking tutorials from the beginning on my upcoming posts.. So stay connected..

"There is No Security In The World, Only Opportunity..,It is just the beginning of your journey. To become a hacker, all you need is dedication and hard work. I wish you all the best for your future success."

Create Your Own Windows 7 Logon Screen

Do you like to customize the Windows interface, and tired of the standard log on screen in Windows 7? Today we take a look at Windows 7 Logon Background Changer which is a free and Open Source app that lets you easily customize the logon screen. 

Windows 7 Logon Background Changer

This cool app is free, Open Source, and lets you change the wallpaper on the Windows 7 Logon screen. It doesn’t require installation, and won’t change any of the system files. The download is a small zip file that contains an executable you can run from a flash drive, and also an installer in the Setup folder if you choose to install it. 

 After launching Background changer, you can browse through the standard Windows backgrounds to get an idea of how it will look. 

 If you don’t want to use the standard Windows backgrounds, you can add your own folder of images.

 

After you’ve selected the background you want, click on the Apply button in the upper right hand corner.

 

  Click Yes on the authorization screen.

Click Yes to User Account Control if it comes up.

 

  The wait a bit while the background is applied. 

 Now you can log off to see how the new background will look when you or another user signs in.  

 There are some different settings you can select like resetting back to the default pictures folder, preventing other users from changing the background, and adjust shadows.

 
Conclusion

There are several apps out there that will tweak the logon background, but this one from Julien Manici is one of the better ones that I’ve found. It’s easy to use and has a nice amount of features for tweaking the background. If you like to tweak and customize your Windows 7 interface, you’ll definitely want to take a look at this app.

  

Download Windows 7 Logon Background Changer