Breach detection with Linux filesystem forensics
Forensic analysis of a Linux disk image is often part of incident response to determine if a breach has occurred. Linux forensics is a different and fascinating world compared to Microsoft Windows forensics. In this article, I will analyze a disk image from a potentially compromised Linux system in order to determine the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the incident and create event and filesystem timelines. Finally, I...
An introduction to Python bytecode
If you’ve ever written, or even just used, Python, you’re probably used to seeing Python source code files; they have names ending in .py. And you may also have seen another type of file, with a name ending in .pyc, and you may have heard that they’re Python “bytecode” files. read...
Managing virtual environments with Vagrant
Vagrant is a tool that offers a simple and easy to use command-line client for managing virtual environments. I started using it because it made it easier for me to develop websites, test solutions, and learn new things. According to Vagrant’s website, “Vagrant lowers development environment setup time, increases production parity, and makes the ‘works on my machine’ excuse a relic of the past.” read...
University students create award-winning open source projects
In my short time working for Clarkson University, I’ve realized what a huge impact this small university is making on the open source world. Our 4,300 student-strong science and technology-focused institution, located just south of the Canadian border in Potsdam, New York, hosts the Clarkson Open Source Institute (COSI), dedicated to promoting open source software and providing equipment and support for student projects. read...
How I accidentally wrote a Wikipedia page on a layover in Dublin
A most unusual but wonderful experience happened to me recently on a return trip from Europe to the United States. A series of heavy Nor’easters hit the U.S. East Coast over the last couple weeks, one of which coincided with my trip back to Rochester, NY. While we didn’t have flooding, we had a lot of snow. A lot of snow means canceled flights. read...
A handy way to add free books to your eReader
I do a lot of reading on my tablet every day. While I have bought a few eBooks, I enjoy finding things for free on Project Gutenberg; it rekindles fond memories of browsing through the stacks of a library for something to catch my interest. There are various ways to search the PG website by title or author, but this presumes you have some idea of what you’re looking for. read...
