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Generate Ubuntu apt-get Source.lst automatically

Sources.lst is a file located in /etc/apt/ directory. It is used in Debian-based (which includes Ubuntu) Linux operating system as a configuration file for software management.

Sometimes it is necessary to alter your sources.lst to include the nearest apt-get mirrors from your location, this is to ensure faster downloads during software upgrades and installations.

Fortunately, the good people from Ubuntu-NL has made this task easier by creating an online tool (source-o-matic) which helps you generate sources.lst file based on the list of available mirrors

source-o-matic supports Ubuntu releases on all architectures from 4.10(Warty) to 7.04 (Feisty). It is an easy tool to use, you only need to choose which country you’re in, put on your Ubuntu release and architecture, tick few radio boxes and your sources.lst file will be generated automatically.


Source-o-matic also includes a list of unofficial apt-get mirrors for installing softwares that isnt included in the normal Ubuntu distributions.

[tags]ubuntu, linux, sources.lst,apt-get[/tags]

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ClamAV – Linux Anti Virus Solution

ClamAV is a GNU/GPL Antivirus application made for Unix-like operating system. It is primarily use to detect viruses and remove infected files from email attachements.

The default installation of ClamAV also includes a command line scanner to files for possible virus infection. The scanner has built in support to scan files inside :

  • Common Archives (zip,rar,tar,gzip,bzip2,arj)
  • Windows Compressed files (CHM,CAB,OLE2)
  • Mail format (mbox, uuencode, base64)
  • Common document files (html,pdf,rtf,sxw,odt)

Linux is safe and Secure, Why do you need anti virus on Linux ?
Although viruses in Unix-like operating system is uncommon, ClamAV is still handy if you want to weed out those viruses from spreading through your mail system and using your computer server as a vector.

Using ClamAV
Using ClamAV is easy, to scan for viruses you only need to use the ‘clamscan’ command

$ clamscan

/home/mypapit/mypapit.js: OK
/home/mypapit/ubuntu_service.png: OK
/home/mypapit/style.css: OK
/home/mypapit/repo1.png: OK
/home/mypapit/bg_button2.jpg: OK
/home/mypapit/repo1tn.png: OK
/home/mypapit/ChiSquareDistribution.zip: OK
/home/mypapit/javapackage.png: OK
/home/mypapit/jdk14.png: OK

The scanner will detect any known viruses and alert you and a summary will be displayed at the end of the command.

add ‘–remove’ switch to remove the files that has been detected by virus.

$ clamscan --remove

Note that ClamAV has a policy of ‘sanitizing’ any files infected by viruses, that means it will delete the files permanently (it has no ‘heal’ or ‘repair’ option).

Updating Virus Database
Keeping up to date with ClamAV is easy, you just need to run freshclam to download the latest virus database from ClamAV servers.

$ sudo freshclam

The official website for ClamAV is on http://clamav.net, hopefully with this post, you can explore more option about fighting viruses on Linux based operating system.

[tags]clamav,linux,debian,ubuntu,anti-virus,antivirus[/tags]

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LBRC – Control Linux PC with Bluetooth Device

I’ve got this link (LBRC) from TuxMobil. LBRC is a set of application which enables a Linux computer to be controlled from a mobile device using Bluetooth technology.

LBRC consists of two part, client and server. The server part uses dbus and python and the client part uses JavaME application on JSR-82 (Bluetooth) capable mobile devices.

My Thoughts about it ?
bluetooth-logo.jpg
I’ve a bluetooth receiver I bought for RM15 from lelong.com.my, I’ve a bluetooth capable phone, I can cook out a mobile phone application that can utilize bluetooth transceiver either in JavaME or Python.

A tempting thought, may be i’ll try out this stunt once I’ve *much* more time

[tags]phone,linux,j2me,bluetooth,j2me,dbus,javame,pys60,python[/tags]

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5 Things I hate about Ubuntu

I believe some of you have already read my blog and will summarize that I’m an Ubuntu user and advocator.

However, having said that doesn’t mean that I dont have things that I hate about Ubuntu, and they are :

  1. Windows manager (GNOME) is damn too slow compared with other distro
  2. Eats a lot of memory in desktop mode
  3. It has defective or near unusable packages (ie ffmpeg, scribus)
  4. Depends too much on internet connection for package installations and management
  5. Default installation does not include applications and codecs that I use most. I had to rely to the *internet* to get those apps installed (read above) (a small issue but an issue nevertheless)

Those are the 5 things that crossed my mind when I switched on my computer and use Ubuntu everyday. What’s yours?

[tags]ubuntu,debian,linux,opensource,distro[/tags]

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PPP is the easiest way to make money by blogging

Recently PayPerPost has introduced a new segmentation system to improve their services for bloggers and advertisers alike.

I’ve to admit at first I was scared and skeptical of this move because It sounds as if I will be sidelined by the move that PPP made and loose out all the beefy opportunities to old timers. I don’t put much hope of earning through PPP after the new scheme.

I was wrong.

The latest segmentation system introduced by PPP was fantastic! The number of opportunities high-paying opportunities unbelieavable, previously the highest paid opps that I ever encountered was around USD50-100, but now I see open opportunities offerings up to USD1000!

This is significant because before that the highest opps that I was able to get was only for USD20… once.

But yesterday alone, I was able to earn USD75 just by writing a single review, and I was able to get grab another USD12 opportunity just by writing a 100 word review… easy isn’t it?

Compared to ReviewMe, PPP offerings is much more attractive to bloggers because I can take active roles in grabbing opportunities compared to sit-and-wait-till-we-contact-you method used by ReviewMe.

What’s in for advertisers?
The new segmentation system benefit advertisers too :) as they can decide who should be able to take their opportunities by fine-tuning their requirements.

The cost of posting opps in PPP is attractive to advertisers where PPP only charges 35% service fees compared to ReviewMe which charges 100% markup, the low service fee means that you can use the rest of the money to fund your blog marketing buzz campaign.

PayPerPost helps me to make money blogging.

If you don’t want to be left out, then dont forget to signup with PayPerPost today and start earning by blogging now.

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How to secure your SSH server

I came across this interesting post about how to secure your SSH without changing the SSH listening port.

Things that the post author suggested are :

  1. Enforce the use of secure and hard to guess password
  2. Disable login by password, use Public Key Authentication for greater security.
  3. Allow SSH connection from trusted network only.
  4. Implement Port Knocking – http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6811
  5. Use iptables RECENT match to filter SSH scanners

Personally I’ve enabled public-key authentication and SSH scanner filter to secure my server at the advice of my friend from a local security firm. Although, I haven’t tried the port knocking method yet, it seems interesting to know that ‘secret port knocking’ pattern also exists in computer security (remember ali baba?)

Hopefully this post will serve as a reminder to myself and those who read them, ah oh, most of this post content are lifted shamelessly from False sense of security

[tags]ssh,iptables,ubuntu,debian,security, port knocking,nmap, security scanners,exploit[/tags]

http://blog.drinsama.de/erich/en/linux/2007021502-false-sense-of-security