{"product_id":"2940016154459","title":"Linux Journal January 2013","description":"A quick overview of what's in this special Security issue:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e * Configure One-Time Password Authentication with OTPW\u003cbr\u003e * Provide Stronger Security with Elliptic Curve Cryptography\u003cbr\u003e * Project: Build a Wi-Fi Honeypot\u003cbr\u003e * Phonegap for Easy Smartphone Application Development\u003cbr\u003e * How-To: Add Graphical PXE Menus to Your PXE Server\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDetailed overview: Sticky Note of Doom\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYears ago, I had the brilliant idea that all my users in the finance department\u003cbr\u003eshould have complex passwords. This made perfect sense to everyone, since dealing\u003cbr\u003ewith millions of dollars of revenue is something that should be secured. So, the\u003cbr\u003epasswords were changed with complexity requirements enforced. I slept better that\u003cbr\u003enight knowing our paychecks were no longer secured by passwords like\u003cbr\u003e\"mustang\" or \"mrwhiskers\".\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI came in the next day only to find very complex passwords written on sticky notes\u003cbr\u003eand affixed to everyone's monitors. Security software is no match for a Sharpie\u003cbr\u003emarker and a Post-It. It was a lesson well learned. This month is our Security\u003cbr\u003eissue, and although we don't have an answer to the Sticky Notes of Doom, we do have\u003cbr\u003esome great articles on Linux-related security.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReuven M. Lerner starts off the issue with an interesting column on real-time\u003cbr\u003emessaging over the Web. Back in the days when every user was in a terminal window,\u003cbr\u003ea quick wall command would send everyone a message. Reuven\u003cbr\u003edescribes a similar\u003cbr\u003econcept, but with Web users. Dave Taylor follows up not with Web programming, but\u003cbr\u003ewith game programming. Using his talent for making learning fun, Dave shows\u003cbr\u003ehow to write a script to play Cribbage.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKyle Rankin returns to his PXE magic from a couple years back and explains how to\u003cbr\u003eleverage the network bootloader not only to install operating systems, but also to boot\u003cbr\u003ethem directly. If you've ever been intimidated by PXE menus, or if you thought PXE was\u003cbr\u003etoo limited, you'll want to read Kyle's column. It's a great followup to his last\u003cbr\u003epiece on the topic, and it showcases just how flexible PXE can be.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI joined the security bandwagon this issue and decided to talk about passwords. If\u003cbr\u003eyou (or a \"friend\") use the same password for every Web site, or if you use your\u003cbr\u003epet's name to secure your credit-card statements, you really need to read my column\u003cbr\u003ethis month. Whether it's to pick up some hints on password creation or just get\u003cbr\u003esome pointers for convincing others to use good passwords, I hope you'll find\u003cbr\u003emy tips helpful.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIf you're fascinated by data encryption, Joe Hendrix's article on Elliptic Curve\u003cbr\u003eCryptography is more than just an interesting read. Joe not only shows how to \u003cbr\u003eimplement this method, but also how to use it in real life with OpenSSH. With most\u003cbr\u003eencryption methods, people just keep making a bigger and bigger encryption key to\u003cbr\u003eimprove security. Elliptic Curve Cryptography offers more security and smaller key\u003cbr\u003esizes. When it comes to passwords, encryption is great, but even better is to\u003cbr\u003edestroy the password completely after using it. Todd A. Jacobs teaches how to\u003cbr\u003econfigure one-time passwords on your servers. If you're working from an open Wi-Fi\u003cbr\u003ehotspot, a one-time password is a way to make sure you're safe even if your\u003cbr\u003epassword is hijacked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpeaking of Wi-Fi, Marcin Teodorczyk has a fun article on setting up a Wi-Fi\u003cbr\u003ehoneypot. If you want to have fun with your neighbors, or if you're just curious about\u003cbr\u003ewhat people do to an open access point, Marcin shows you what to do. If you\u003cbr\u003elive near a place people tend to gather, your results should astound!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWe've also got lots of other goodies for you this month. Mike Diehl discusses how to\u003cbr\u003ecreate smartphone apps with Phonegap. Joey Bernard takes a great look at Gnuplot.\u003cbr\u003eOur New Products section features a mention of Kyle Rankin's new book, and our\u003cbr\u003eUpfront section has useful tips to inform and entertain. \u003cbr\u003eSo, in honor of the Security issue, maybe take this opportunity to remove sticky notes\u003cbr\u003efrom monitors and challenge people to change their passwords to something other\u003cbr\u003ethan their dogs' names. This was a fun issue for us, and we hope the same will be true\u003cbr\u003efor you!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e--Shawn Powers","brand":"Linux Journal","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47066787086576,"sku":"2940016154459","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940016154459_p0.jpg?v=1763630088","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940016154459","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}