sailor

So I have a box sitting under my desk doing almost nothing... And I want a new project. Any suggestions?

The box is a p3 800, so nothing too crazy. It is running Fedora RC1. I do have a good bit of bandwidth (its nice sitting on a university pipe ), but would prefer not to do something that sucks it down too much--I dont want any undue attention from the Uni folks.

Any suggestions? I need something new to occupy my time. Free is good.

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"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."
--Plato

crony

I'm in the same boat as you Sailor. I have a p3 800 running Redhat 8 just sitting here. So far, I've set up kplaylist so I can listen to my music from work if I was so inclined, but that's it.

Mephisto2

How about setting up a "Media PC"?

The Australian computer magazine recently ran a series of articles on creating these (using either Linux or MS). Basically, it's your own DIY TiVo. Looks like an interesting project to me...


Mr Mephisto

Redjake

I would fuck with the case and try out some cool ideas via plexiglass and other things of the sort. Try your hand at wire management, or try to make a "completely silent PC" (see my tubestick thread). Something fun.

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sailor

Already did it. Built one using MythTV. Works *very* well, I was most impressed with the software.

Being away at college (without a car, at that) makes that sorta difficult. I would prefer more software oriented projects at the moment.

__________________
"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."
--Plato

nanofever

Turn it into a high volume XDCC server for your friends at the TFP, see how long you can go with out the University shutting down your connection.

OR

Start port scanning people in your dorm, see how many open machines exist, post an anomymous report to trees around campus with the open IPS.

/already knows that the UCSB Resnet staff will have it out for him come fall 2004

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Mephisto2

Smarty pants...



I sometimes dream of doing this. But I'll probably just buy an ATI All-In-Wonder card instead...


Mr Mephisto

Pragma

Honestly, I'd adapt this idea a bit: Drop a copy of Slackware, FreeBSD, or (my preference) OpenBSD on it and start fooling around with network security stuff - learning the tools of the trade. Try to figure out a network map of the university, complete with where switches are, routers, and so on.

Key thing to note: carefully carefully read your university's "acceptable use guidelines" or whatever to make sure that exploring the network doesn't violate rules (do *NOT* attempt to hack on your campus network, as that'll just get you fucked if you're caught).

And while I'm talking about hacking, here's another option: Set up the computer with a default install of some OS (Redhat, Mandrake, Windows, whatever) and have a friend set the root password without telling you. Then break into it. It'll teach you a lot about how to secure machines. The one thing you really want to watch out for in this is to make sure that it's not on the University network - put it behind a router if possible.

I had a very interesting incident with my campus where they came to me about hacking a computer - at which point I showed them that I was hacking another of my computers. They told me not to do it again, or at least not on their network. Whups

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sailor

Pragma, that sounds fun. I know that I cannot intercept packets at all, but I dont know what they would think about me poking around the network. Its tempting to just ask, but at the same time, part of me is thinking its easier to ask forgiveness than permission.

Any resources? Web sites, forums, whatever. I know next to diddly on network security, and some directions to get me started would be great. The most I have done with network security is download Knoppix STD.

In case this doesnt work out, any other ideas? I like the first idea about the music manager/streamer, any other software based ideas?

__________________
"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."
--Plato

Pragma

I'd bet you actually can intercept packets, you're just behind a switch. What you'll have to do is use something like ettercap (instead of, for example, ethereal) to do ARP-spoofing in order to see other people's traffic.

The way a switch operates is to build a table of what ports have what MAC addresses attached to them, and what ARP spoofing does is to tell the switch that your port has everyone else's MAC addresses (so the switch ends up sending the traffic out several ports).

Resources - well, the first ones I'd say are the "Hacking Exposed" book series, you can find them at most bookstores (Borders, B&N, so on). Other good books are the Hacker's Challenge series - teaches you a lot about forensics.

Websites - Security Focus, PacketStorm, New Order. I'm sure there's lots of other links out there that people can give, as well as links in other threads.

I'd say to look very carefully at all published usage documentation on your campus network, and if you don't see anything that forbids poking around the network, go for it. If you get called on it, then apologize profusely, explain your position, and ask forgiveness. If you do see stuff that forbids it, I'd say to go and ask, say you're trying to learn. They might let you go for it anyways.

sailor

Its not an issue of being physically able to intercept packets, that is easy. Its just that it is *expressly* forbidden in the fair use clause. Its kind of odd, all it says it dont break into others machines, and no intercepting of packets. You'd think they would put more in there. I guess theyve had a problem with people reading others' emails and such before

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"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."
--Plato

Pragma

Ah okay - yea, most places are very vocal about no sniffing packets - for just that reason

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Cocktopus

Haven't had any time lately, but I've been wanting to explore <a href="http://people.mandrakesoft.com/~amaury/mnf/" target="_blank">mandrake mnf</a> (multi network firewall).

<a href="http://ftp.lug.udel.edu/pub/iso-images/Mandrake/" target="_blank">[ISO]</a>

diergray

You could build the machine as a honeypot and then see if anyone else on the campus is poking around. You could then watch how they exploit your machine.

http://www.honeypots.net/

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