Ok everyone, I have been working on some tools for the site. Soon, we will have several tools, some including a cgi proxy, anonymous emailer, and some hash-cracking tools. The cgi proxy is working, but I need to install some services to make it support SSL, but other than not being able to login to websites through it, it is working fine. The cgi proxy will allow you to access blocked pages, for example you will be able to go to myspace while at school. Keep checking back, I will have a “tools” tab at the top of the page when I release them.
Archive for the 'Software' Category
I recently downloaded and burned a disc off of the Internet. It was in ISO format, and therefore I was unable to read it without burning it first. I burned it to a DVD-R, only to find out that it wasn’t the image file I needed. So, in other words, I wasted a blank DVD. I didn’t want this to happen again, so I started searching google for ways to read ISO’s without burning them. I stumbled upon a tool, which is actually made by Microsoft. It Is called VCdControlTool.exe. It mounts any ISO, CUE, or BIN file as a virtual disc drive, so burning is not necessary. I was relieved, because now I can test before burning. Another thing it works for is this: I have a game that requires the installation disc to be in the cd drive while running. I can now rip the image from the disc, and permanently mount it as a virtual cd-drive. Now I don’t have to carry around the disc. The virtual drives made by VCdControlTool can either be permanent or temporary. Here is a link to the Microsoft hosted executable: Download. Be sure to read the README file in the zip file for proper driver placement and installation.
I haven’t posted any games lately. So, Instead of making up for the games that I missed, I will tell you about this great, FREE program I found. It is called Prism, and is made by NCH software, in Australia. The software converts to and from all of the following video formats:
• avi
• wmv
• asf
• mpg
• 3gp
• mp4
• mov
I found out that in addition, It won’t convert to, but will convert from flv, ogm, and vob as well. Basically, It converts anything with a DirectShow based codec. This is good, because if you download youtube videos, they are in flv.
Check out Prism, or Download it directly from the NCH site. It’s Great!!
Why do people love spaming my site?
OK, If I have been doing a good job, you shouldn’t even know this. But SOOO many people come to my site, trying to harvest email addresses, they try to spam, and I have even had people ATTEMPT to dos a certain website, using my website…..
scroll down to the bottom of this page, that’s a big number, isn’t it?
To anyone who has this type of problem, here are some tips to help stop spam/abuse (no, I am not talking about email spam)..
1. Join ProjectHoneyPot. This website, you can install a simple script that catches email harvesters, comment spammers, and even email spammers (I have one installed). Every IP address that it recordes is made PUBLICLY available. Then you can have a script like I do that blocks EVERYONE that is on that list. This is my 1st line of defense.
2. Bad Behavior. I Love this.. I am not sure what it all works for, but there is a version of bad behavior for word press, this is what you see at the bottom of the page (scroll down). This script analyzes where each and every visitor comes from, it checks what browser, and many other different factors and blocks all bots (except good ones, like google). This DRAMATICALLY reduces bandwidth..
3. My last line of defense against comment spam… Akismet. I am not saying that because it is my last line of defense, that is it least effective, because it is great. If, by chance, that a bot or someone gets past 1, or 2, there an extremely good chance they will not get past this. This checks every comment against a database that is always evolving to see if it is spam. If it passes, your comment makes the cut, and is posted.
BTW, all this happens in less than a second, pretty cool, eh?
Have questions about any of these techniques? Always feel free to email me psidude@psidude.com