CTRL + ALT + SEC

Author: ByteMe

  • 10 of the Craziest Cyberattacks Seen In the Wild and How You Can Avoid Them

  • Am I too old to get into Cybersecurity?

  • This Week in Cybersecurity – Wrap Up

    Educational Recommendations

    This week I attended two webinars:

    Interesting Articles this Week

    Great Podcasts from this Week

    Learning Projects

    TryHackMe – I’m adding in some rooms from TryHackMe here and there to increase my overall understanding of cybersecurity. I’m focusing on Unix commands right now.

    Kali Linux – I’ve installed a Kali Linux virtual machine on my MacBook Pro M1, which took a little more doing as the Apple silicon is still fairly new in the industry.

    PluralSight – I’m still working through the 6+ hour long Implementation of Secure Solutions for CompTIA Security+ by Christopher Rees.

  • Rachel Tobac

    I recently discovered David Bombal and Rachel Tobac. They got together on a video this month and it’s great.

  • Changing Mastodon Servers

    What is Mastodon?

    Mastodon is free and open-source software for running self-hosted social networking services. It has microblogging features similar to Twitter, which are offered by a large number of independently run nodes, known as instances, each with its own code of conduct, terms of service, privacy policy, privacy options, and content moderation policies.

    I would argue it is better that Twitter primarily because it is not owned by Elon, but also because there is no algorithm choosing what you see, there are also no ads.

    Why Change Servers?

    Since each server is like it’s own community, you want to find like minded people on your server. Since I have been so absorbed in cybersecurity I initially chose to join ico.exchange. They had an instant join policy at the time, which means, no one had to manually review my application to join the server.

    However, since joining I’ve followed more and more of what is going on at infosec.exchange. I follow more people there as well. So I finally decided to switch over. Which is not hard.

    How I did it

    I followed these step-by-step directions, which worked without issue for me. Since I hardly had anything on the server, I’ve only been on for a few months and I don’t post as much as many others, I don’t really find the downloading archive step necessarily, although it was nice to have a copy of my avatar image for the new server. What was necessary was the CSV of the followers, so I could follow the same people at the new server I was at the old server. Your followers are automatically notified that you have moved and follow you on the new server. There is nothing more you have to do. One big caveat is that you lose all your old post. They do not make the move over with you. So if you are thinking of moving servers do it before you have to many post or at least post you care about. Good luck!

  • Kali Linux and PicoCTF

    Update…

    This youtube video that I posted before worked absolutely beautifully on my M1 Mac. Absolutely no problems or troubleshooting. It’s not often you get a youtube tutorial that runs that seemlessly! UTM is new to me, I had always used VirtualBox in the past, but this was perfect. I’m very happy with my newly installed Kali VM!

    I just ran through PicoCTF “Python Wrangling” using the install. Python was already installed, so nothing to do there, just downloaded the files and used them. Insanely easy. That was fun!

  • PicoCTF

    What is PicoCTF?

    picoCTF is a free computer security education program with original content built on a capture-the-flag framework created by security and privacy experts at Carnegie Mellon University.

    It has training available for those who want to learn more about computer security. I just signed up today and followed along with this youtube to do the first challenge. For me it was VERY easy, so don’t be afraid to dive in. You don’t have to have any prior knowledge or experience to jump in. You can use any operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux). They have everything you need to do this first CTF.

  • Kali Linux

    Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist in writing parts of this post. I like paying with it to see how it does. Really impressed so far!

    What is Kali Linux?

    Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution designed for digital forensics and penetration testing. It is a popular choice for ethical hackers and cybersecurity professionals because it comes pre-installed with a wide range of tools for tasks such as network reconnaissance, vulnerability scanning, and exploitation. These tools can be used to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications, which is important for understanding how to secure them. Additionally, Kali Linux is free and open-source, making it accessible to anyone interested in learning about cybersecurity.

    How can Kali Linux help me learn about Cybersecurity?

    Using Kali Linux can be helpful in learning cybersecurity for several reasons:

    1. The tools: Kali Linux comes pre-installed with a wide range of cybersecurity tools that can be used to perform tasks such as network reconnaissance, vulnerability scanning, and exploitation. This can give you hands-on experience using the same tools that cybersecurity professionals use in the field.
    2. The community: Kali Linux has a large and active community of users and developers who share information, tutorials, and resources. This can be a valuable source of information and support as you learn about cybersecurity.
    3. The environment: Kali Linux is designed to be used in a penetration testing environment, which simulates a real-world scenario where an attacker is trying to find and exploit vulnerabilities. This can give you a better understanding of how attackers think and operate, which can be beneficial in understanding how to secure systems and networks.
    4. The flexibility: Kali Linux is Open-source, which means you can customize the operating system to your needs and you can also build and test your own tools and scripts.
    5. The availability: Kali Linux is free and easy to download and install, making it accessible to anyone interested in learning about cybersecurity.

    Overall, Kali Linux can be a useful tool for learning cybersecurity, as it provides a practical environment for experimenting with different tools and techniques. However, it should be used with caution and under guidance, as it can be dangerous to use without proper knowledge and understanding.

    How do I install Kali Linux on a Mac?

    Installing Kali Linux on a Mac computer can be done using virtualization software, such as VirtualBox or VMware Fusion. Here are the general steps to install Kali Linux on a Mac using VirtualBox:

    1. Download and install VirtualBox on your Mac from the official website.
    2. Download the Kali Linux ISO image from the official website.
    3. Open VirtualBox and click the “New” button to create a new virtual machine.
    4. Give the virtual machine a name and select “Linux” as the type and “Debian” as the version.
    5. Allocate memory and create a virtual hard disk for the virtual machine.
    6. On the virtual machine settings, click on “Storage” then click on the empty CD icon and select the Kali Linux ISO image you downloaded
    7. Start the virtual machine, it will boot from the ISO and you will be prompted to install Kali Linux. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
    8. Once the installation is complete, you can start using Kali Linux on your Mac in a virtual environment.

    It’s also worth noting that you will need to have at least 4 GB of RAM and at least 20 GB of free space on your hard drive to run Kali Linux Virtual Machine smoothly. It’s also important to note that running Kali Linux on a virtual machine may not provide the same level of performance as running it on a dedicated machine, and some of the more advanced features of the tools may not be available.

    Installing on a Mac with Apple Silcon (M1/M2)

    My requirements are a bit different so I’m going to try using UTM as outline in this youtube. Wish me luck.

  • List of Hacker Movies

    I posted about a list of hacker movies back in October. Today I looked up the book on amazon, and its $10 for the kindle addition. I did a little more digging and I found the entire list published on Cybercrime Magazine for free. It includes links and a PDF download. Great fun resource to find a good movie to watch this weekend. Enjoy!

  • How To Get Started in Information Security

    Great videocast on how to get started in cybersecurity. I love this kind of information.