GAUS v 1.4 - New Features

In a rare bout of motivation, I added some additional features to the Gentoo Auto-Update Script. The new features include:

• AES-256 Encryption of backups (requires openssl)
• Automatic checking of available GAUS updates.
• Listing of installed Linux kernel sources.

The GAUS script can be downloaded from Google Code. Please review the README.txt file for additional information.

R.I.P. KisMAC?

It seems that the very popular wireless scanning tool for OS X, KisMAC, has hit a very serious roadblock. The primary developer, Michael Rossberg has halted the project due to restrictive changes in German law. He provides the following explanation:

There has not been a lot of time for KisMAC lately. However the motivation for this drastic step lies somewhere different. German laws change and are being adapted for "better" protection against something politicians obviously do not understand. It will become illegal to develop, use or even posses KisMAC in this banana republic (backgound: the change of § 202c StGB).
While I cannot do much about that for now, you probably can. Make copies of KisMAC and its source as long as the website is up! Do further development outside of Germany, even better outside the US and EU! If you are a German resident, you will need to fight for your rights.

From the KisMAC mailing list, it appears that work is underway to host the KisMAC elsewhere. However, its highly questionable how much additional development effort on long awaited features such as packet injection on Ralink-base USB devices, will now be made given the loss of the primary developer. As a security professional with a Macbook Pro as my primary platform, this is especially painful. Has anyone else out there discovered viable alternative wireless tools for the MBP?

(IN)Secure Mag - 12th Edition

Just a quick heads up to point out that the 12th issue of (IN)Secure mag is out. The cover story regarding log management and PCI looks very interesting as does the interview with Jeremiah Grossman. This mag is usually a pretty good read and I recommend you check it out!

GAUS v 1.3 (now with Metasploit!)

I recently had a chance to spend a little quality time with Metasploit again. One of the first things I did, was attempt to update. However, using the msfupdate in default Gentoo package resulted in the following:

# msfupdate

[*] The msfupdate command is no longer supported, please use
Subversion to update your Framework installation.

Updating with Subversion:
$ cd framework-2.x/
$ svn update


So, I naturally decided that I needed to add a "module" to the Gentoo Auto-Update Script to keep my install automagically updated. However, I also remembered that Gentoo only ships a 2.X version of the framework (currently 2.7). On my box I have upgraded to 3.x of the Framework. So, the newest version of the GAUS script, version 1.3, now has the ability to first attempt to determine what version of the framework you are running, and then svn sync up to the newest build.

The GAUS script can be downloaded from Google Code. Please review the README.txt file for additional information.

Gentoo Auto-Update Script - v1.2

After some initial feedback of my Gentoo Auto-Update Script, version 1.2 has been released with several bug fixes. See README.txt for more.

Download script from Google Code.