USB Nintendo Controller
I always love Engadget’s: How To Tuesday’s, and this weeks is one of the best.
HOW-TO: Make a Nintendo controller into a PC Joystick
Normally we run these over at Engadget, but this week’s HOW-TO is especially for Joystiq and is for all the PC/Mac/*nix gamers out there that want to use an old school Nintendo controller with their current games, or enjoy using NES emulators and want to take the game play to the next level with an old school NES controller. In this HOW-TO we show you how to build your own PC NES controller, which emulator software we used for PC game play, and where to buy the kit or a finished controller if you’d rather not solder one up.
Great, just great. I’ve not awesome at sodering, but I would like to get good at it. Maybe this is just the project to get me going!
Now I just need to find a good NES emulator for OS X. Anyone know of any?
Firefox’s Spoofed UI
We all know that Microsoft’s Internet Explorer is flawed beyond belief (even with Service Pack 2 installed), but you should also be aware that like everything in this world, no browser is perfect.
Such is the case with everyone’s new favorite browser: Firefox
Although there have been reports of different weaknesses in Firefox within the past few weeks involving different exploits. However this one is really the most imaginative, and well, frankly, pretty cool. It turns out that with a little work you can spoof the interface of Firefox. i.e. One could make a fake toolbar at the top, or a fake padlock at the bottom to fool you into thinking you are making a safe transaction.
To have this work on your Firefox, you have to have some settings turned on (they are by default):
* Web Features | Advanced | Allow Javascript to hide the status bar
* Default selection of toolbars and toolbar buttons
* No particularly bizarre browser extensions installed
* Javascript should be enabled.
Get yourself Firefox, and go to the Firefox spoof demonstaration to check it out. Its really pretty amazing.
It turns out though that this problem isn’t all that new. From Nitesh Dhanjani‘s weblog at the O’Reilly Network:
The Discussion/Links section of the above URL provides a link to Bug 22183 and mentions ” This is the first mention of the problem that I am aware of. It was marked confidential for five years until 7-21-2004.” In defense of the Mozilla foundation, the author also goes on to state: “The original bug was filed 5 years ago. The year 1999 was a completely different internet than we have now. Back then, the Mozilla folks were just trying to get a functioning browser out the door. However, the only people who actually used it were nerds and geeks. These tech-savvy users didn’t often fall for paypal, ebay, and banking scams. Back in 1999, there really weren’t any scams like that. “Phishing” was not in anybody’s dictionary………The bug was filed, and duly examined. Some suggestions were made, some patches were produced, but in the end, it all seemed kinda silly. People more or less forgot about the bug….”
For the record, I still think that Firefox is one of the best browsers out there. No software is perfect, especially ones that are given out for free. Firefox is the best of what is out there today, but this is some interesting stuff to watch out for though.
Sources:
O’Reilly Network: Firefox UI Spoofing
Firefox spoof demonstration
Kevin Rose stole my bit!
So I was all prepared to do a full write up on “Wireless Hacking on OS X” and then I turn on The Screensavers and there is Kevin Rose doing my freakin’ bit on national TV…so now, if I roll it out, I look like a copying tool. Bastard.
Here is Rose’s write-up: Dark Tip: Mac Wardriving
This is just great
The Setup:
Some channel in one of the Carolinas allowed people to post on a webform on whether or not their business was going to be closed the next day due to the weather. Sounds tame right? Well, even though the station checked each submission at some point, anyone could change them via the web right up until the actual news broadcast. Someone figured this out and told a few people. This is worth a few laughs, so check it out….they came up with a few laugh out loud ideas.
The Actual Hack:
Origional news story
Screenshots of the hack
Source: Gadgetopia
Windows 2k/NT code leaked, Mainsoft fingered for leak
As you probably heard (becuase I’m so damn slow getting news up on this site), some of the source code for Windows 2000 and NT were released to the web and are being distrubuted widely over the usual pirate networks. Microsoft has asked the FBI to get in on the action, meaning the Microsoft is sweating. Why? Becuase now anyone with a basic knowledge of code can flip through it and find holes. ….blah blah blah. We all know that already.
But how and from where did this leak happen? Well Microsoft has been known to release parts of their source code to different companies or institutions for any number of reasons, but they are of course held to a strict policy of secrecy becuase of Microsoft’s “security by obscurity” plan. So where did this come from? From early reports it looks like it came from a small San Jose company that goes by the name of Mainsoft.
Man does that suck. Not only for Microsoft, becuase now they are getting bent over for making a crappy, unsecure OS, but also for Mainsoft becuase Bill “G-Unit” Gates is going to probably bust a cap in their ass.
I’m just happy that my main computer is a Mac.
Source: NY Times | Microsoft Grapples With Source Code Leak
(above link requires a free registration to view)
Another reason that Windows sucks butt
Yup, it happened AGAIN…another serious flaw has been found in the Windows operating system. The flaw effects damn near every version of Windows. The flaw was actually found about 200+ days ago by the folks at eEye Security, but the patch wasn’t released by Microsoft until today. But at least according to Billy “this will only make Windows stronger…” Somehow I doubt it…
“There are more attack vectors and more people that could be affected by this,” said Marc Maiffret, chief hacking officer for eEye Digital Security, the software firm that warned Microsoft of the vulnerability more than six months ago.
Isn’t that just fantastic. Well people, and by “people” I mean the 3 people that actually read this site, you really need to patch your Windows machines.
Now becuase I’m a nice guy…I know that there might be people out there that maybe, for any number of reasons, can’t access the Windows Update I have a link below to where you can download the update directly. Seriously, everyone do this becuase in about 2-3 weeks there’s about a 100% chance that a worm will be out there exploiting this.
**By the way…us OS X users don’t have to worry about this, we have a GOOD OS.**
Source: Microsoft warns of widespread Windows flaw | CNET News.com
The update for the un-lawbiting out there: Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-007 (find your operating system on the list and click the link to find the download)