How to surf securely in a wifi hotspot

May 24, 2006

We all know that our wifi packets can be easily sniffed by people, thereby making our surfing not private. So how do we surf in privacy without much hassle in a wifi hotspot. Easy. First you need:

  1. A server where openssh is running
  2. putty
  3. Firefox

Step 1: Configure putty for an ssh session to your server
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Step 2: Configure a secure tunnel
a. Click tunnels
b. Under “Add new forwarded port” type 7070 (or any port number)
c. Click Add Button
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Step 3: Connect to your remote host
Just double click your connection profile

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Step 4: Confifure firefox to use your proxy

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Step 5: Ensure that your DNS request also goes through your proxy
In firefox open the about:config page
Change network.proxy.socks_remote_dns to true

On a linux host you could to the following: ssh -qTfnN -D 7070 remotehost instead of using putty. Thanks to thinkhole for this great article

Posted by dono3vil
Filed in HowTo, security
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Fixing Window’s XP with eight commands

May 24, 2006

I have come accross a great article which describes how to fix boot problems with windows XP. I am sure many of us have gotten into problems such as Windows NT could not start because the below file is missing or corrupt:X:\WINNT\System32\Ntoskrnl.exeWell, no more re-installing Windows XP. Just follow the steps below:
1. Insert your start-up windows XP cd
2. Select 2 to go to your recovery console (usually the prompt will be C:\WINDOWS)
3. Type

  • cd .. ( go to prev directory - C:\)

  • attrib -H c:\boot.ini (Remove the hidden attribute)

  • attrib -S c:\boot.ini (Remove the system attribute)

  • attrib -R c:\boot.ini (Remove the read-only attribute)

  • del boot.ini (delete the file)

  • BOOTCFG /Rebuild (This is the magic command - searches/fix/replace/repair any faulty system files)

  • CHKDSK /R /F

  • FIXBOOT (write to mbr)

6. Note that you need to use the /FASTDETECT as the OS Load Options. And if your pc runs on a Intel XD or AMD NX you need to use /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN in conjunction with /FASTDETECT

7. Congratulations.

Repairing windows made easy.
Thanks to Thrax for his original article

Posted by dono3vil
Filed in HowTo
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