MPack, Packed Full of Badness

Read this information carefully, please! I'm not sure if it's as bad as it sounds, but here it is and you can take it for what you think it's worth. I'd heard nothing about this until I got a message in my email from someone I trust to have a lot of computer knowledge.

It's always good to be sure your computer's security is up to date, though, no matter what!

Yes it is a bad world out there in cyberspace. This as you know will only get worse as time goes on. I think these are the reason's that they are bringing Web 2.0 / Internet 2 on line. In my area it is . I had just 2 days ago swapped my cable modem so as to be compatible with 2.0. This was confirmed with/through my provider while talking with them in person.

I used to think when I first got into computers that all I needed was a good firewall- Smoothwall to stop the incomming and ZoneAlarm for the outgoing programs that want access, anti-virus-AVG Free, as good as any paid for version, and spyware program-Adaware and other various rootkit tools. Not the case any more with these kind of Social exploits.

The way this one in particular works is the reason I don't use the address bar to find a website. One misspelled word and you're off to some cracked site. I'll use a search engine to find a site if needed.

Here is a good place out of many to keep informed of exploits- Internet Storm Center http://isc.sans.org/

later .......
ED aka 2_4GHz

Well that's bad news indeed. We are all potential targets to these noncaring entities. Thanks for the info GHz and Cath.

What do you know about the Apache systems? Are they a way of sending data through the web so as to not trace the original sender? I've been reading about them lately and think they are a way to avoid being found out, but you can send stuff to sites. Is that how it works?

First I will say that I have a hard time explaining things, I just know how they work from experimenting.
I have a couple of computers and one is a test box.

"What do you know about the Apache systems?"

I know a little about Apache for being used as a web server. I looked into it when I was going to run a server from my location. I didn't at the time use Apache, instead used IIS which is part of Win nt/xp pro, and can be installed from the OS disc. It was easier.

I know that Apache is basically a server, much in the way my Smoothwall hardware Firewall is. If you give me some more information about what you are/were looking at I may be able to help more. There are many different flavors of Apache.
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"Are they a way of sending data through the web so as to not trace the original sender?I've been reading about them lately and think they are a way to avoid being found out, but you can send stuff to sites. Is that how it works?"

From my understanding of the way things work, Yes and No.

Yes meaning you can use a server as a virtual host. Being your other computers are behind it and every request[connection/link you click] you make goes through it before making contact with a website. In other words the information a website will receive in their logs will be that of your server/host and not that of the actual computer you are surfing on.

No meaning that in as anonymous surfing goes, your Internet service provider logs all your connections through your mac address. Whether you use DSL/Cable modem or Dial modem. You can hide from websites but not from your ISP. They know everywhere you have been.

Many/Most people think that by using a proxy server they are hidden. This is not true. While it like above will hide your information from the website you are visiting, it does not hide the connection from your computer to your ISP which then sends it to the website. Meaning, You had to first make the connection by going through your ISP who logs all your connections by way of the MAC address.

The only way to be totally anonymous in my mind is to use your neighbors connection. Meaning, If you have a Notebook/Laptop that can connect wireless and your neighbor or some other wireless is broadcasting and it isn't secure, you can acquire an address through them. Now if they have logging enabled they will see you mac address from your wireless card. Your connection then goes through their Server/Router and then through their ISP who then logs their mac address of their modem, Not yours. However this is against the law....if you get caught.

So in summary- I hope I explained it so you can understand,There is no anonymity on the Web.

I have another site Called Information Inquest. Used basically for keeping Articles I found interesting and some of my own just as my blog. Here are a couple of links you may want to read and check the links within the articles.

Check this one first and Notice the Date of the article.
http://informationinquest.bravehost.com ... nsawin.htm

http://informationinquest.bravehost.com ... secret.htm

http://informationinquest.bravehost.com/pages2/tor.htm

http://informationinquest.bravehost.com ... /ntwrk.htm

http://informationinquest.bravehost.com ... uirrel.htm

Here is more information on MPACK:

EXPLOITING THE WEB FOR FUN AND PROFIT