NetStumbler,Cyberspace and Other Network Tools

There are many tools and utilities that can help a Network Administrator. One must know what tools are available, how to use them, and what their legal parameters are.

Stated to the point in a Wiki article (2009),

• NetStumbler (also known as Network Stumbler) is a tool for Windows that facilitates detection of Wireless LANs using the 802.11b, 802.11a and 802.11g WLAN standards. It runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 to Windows XP.
• Commonly used for:
  
  
  • Wardriving
  • Verifying network configurations
  • Finding locations with poor coverage in a WLAN
  • Detecting causes of wireless interference
  • Detecting unauthorized ("rogue") access points
  • Aiming directional antennas for long-haul WLAN links

I find that "unauthorrized ('rogue') access points" refers to access points intended for spoofing.

After searching a little on Wardriving I found that it is the act of recording and then usually mapping Wifi points. It is not piggybacking another person's or entity's network. Which is punishable by law.

Read your state laws for "breaking and entering" in cyberspace at http://www.ncsl.org/IssuesResearch/TelecommunicationsInformationTechnology/ComputerHackingandUnauthorizedAccessLaws/tabid/13494/Default.aspx

An interesting point to consider is that when wardriving with NetStumbler, there is communication between the network and you as a war-driver. Thus, there could be legal issues.
Lets look at some articles that have to do with Network tools like Nmap, Wireshark, and Netstumbler.

Preston (2001) a writer for the Journal of Law and Policy expressed many valid points in 2001, which are still valid today. He extensively cites many court cases including State vs. Allen.
And states that basic defense methods like firewalls "that [prevent] port scans but not nmap-type OS fingerprinting might establish a strong case for liability against a nmap scanner...the cost of preventing nmap-type OS fingerprinting might be found minimal; the court might assign liability only where the defendant used other means to get the information".

Cited List

• (2009).Wikipedia. Retrieved on October 30 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetStumbler
• Preston, E. (2001). Finding fences in cyberspace: privacy and open access on the internet. Journal of Law & Policy, Spring 2001, Vol 6, Issue 1,B3. Retrieved on October 30 2009 from http://grove.ufl.edu/~techlaw/vol6/issue1/preston.html

Related Links

• http://stumbler.net/
• http://www.netstumbler.com/
  

Use an Input Form in Excell

If you need someone to input information into Excel, but they are not Excel savvy create a Data Input Form. This Data Input Form will allow a user to input data easily, similar to a form in Access.
First, you will need to build your Excel workbook as you would like it formatted, organized, and formulated to connect with other worksheets inside your workbook.
After you have created your workbook with all the necessary columns follow my video tutorial.

1. Click on the Customize Quick Access Toolbar on the Quick Access Toolbar at the very top of the page to the left of the MS Office button.
2. From the drop down menu click More Commands...
3. From the Choose commands from drop down box select All Commands
4. Scroll down to Form... in the commands box below
5. Select Form... and then click the Add>> button and click OK
   
6. Now click the Form button on the Quick Access Toolbar and then you'll define the form according to how you created your worksheet.
7. Input your first data set.
8. Click the New button and that data now appears on your sheet.
   

Accounting Industry Software: Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft is launching its new accounting software package into the market to compete with the current market leaders Quickbooks and Peachtree.

According to the InvestWiki, Intuit.Inc owns "79% of the retail tax preparation software market with TurboTax , and 89% of the small business accounting software market with Quickbooks"(InvestWiki, Retrieved on Oct 22, 2009 from http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Intuit_(INTU)

Take a look for yourself at this "new" software.
Click here to take a test drive. Yes, you must use Windows Internet Explorer and Install their Active X control for the Test Drive.
The appearing compatibility and ease of use makes it very appealing; however, questions comes to mind, about setting it up through the network (servers involved), reliability, efficiency, and maneuverability.

With the current price I don't believe small business owners will convert from Quickbooks to Microsoft Dynamics. See add (demo 3).

I believe Microsoft will become a large competitor with financial software. How much of the market they will take, I don't know.
Learn more about Microsft Dynamic for yourself at http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/asmartmove/default.mspx

Port Scanning with Nmap: The How To

Tutorial Article Nmap: A valuable open source tool for network security by Michael Cobb.
I found this article very useful to learn more about the general Scanning fundamentals.
See how to spoof ports, fragment packets, scan to determine the Operating System, and save reports to your computer.

The Reference Guide to Nmap
http://nmap.org/book/man.html

This is a site with helpful tips. This is a page is associated with the above page.
http://nmap.org/book/man-port-scanning-techniques.html

New Technology: Google Voice

Google Voice, bring more organization to your phone. Appears useful for business. It's Free

• http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html

Give your phone life.

But what are the agreements with phone numbers you use -now that Google could see all you phone numbers, as well as those who you call and those that call you- what stops them from selling your numbers to calling agencies or having your numbers put all their calling lists for the future?

Restoration & Backup: Ping

Better than Ghost and Free. It's Ping.
Learn more about the great abilities of Ping to partition and format disks as well as data restoration and backup.
http://ping.windowsdream.com/

Career: Microsoft Certifications

This site lists and explain with requirements the many certifications that are possible through Microsoft.

• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/bb291022.aspx

See Certifications from Windows 7 to MS Office to Server 2008 for Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist.

• http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mcts.aspx#tab2
  

Protecting Your Network: Sniffing

When sniffing your network you need to be able to recognize the "captures".

In Wireshark's Wiki, sample captures are listed so that you can recognize

• Crack Traces
  
• Viruses
• Protocol Traffic
• Wifi
  

Also it is important to be able to recognize the varying methods of attacks. Wikipedia explains a number of attacks and also gives some prevention tips.

Know This: E-mail Hoaxes, Authorities to Reference, Firewalls

I received an e-mail today "warning" about the "postcard virus". I became unimpressed at the large quantity of people that continue sending this e-mail without verifying its validity. After completing some simple searches through Google's search engine, I found many articles dating back to 2001, identifying this e-mail as a hoax.

• Urban Legends at About.com http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_postcard_virus.htm
• Hoax-Slayer http://www.hoax-slayer.com/postcard-virus-hoax.shtml
• CNET Forums http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?threadID=284646
• Truth or Fiction http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/a/a-card-for-you.htm
• Anti-virus Software at About.com http://antivirus.about.com/od/emailhoaxes/p/postcard.htm
• Break the Chain http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/postcardvirus.html
  
• Perry Internet Consulting http://blog.perryweb.com/?p=148
• Snopes http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp
• Sophos http://www.sophos.com/security/hoaxes/sectorzero.html
• Winferno http://articles.winferno.com/antivirus/postcard-virus/
• Norton Community http://community.norton.com/norton/board/message?board.id=nis_feedback&thread.id=1310
  
• Virus Busters http://virusbusters.itcs.umich.edu//hoaxes/virtual.html

When this e-mail is continually re-forwarded, precious time and email bandwidth are wasted. This is disadvantageous for a company.

Sophos recommends this policy to avoid hoaxes.

• Don't Fall for a Virus Hoax http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/1999/11/va_hoaxes.html#prevent

Check the Authority that the author references in this case McAfee, Microsoft, and CNN. Also the major firewall vendors post the current virus threats on their individual sites.

• McAfee http://www.mcafee.com/us/threat_center/default.asp
• Symantec (Norton) http://www.symantec.com/norton/security_response/threatexplorer/index.jsp
• Zone Alarm http://smartdefense.zonealarm.com/tmpl/body/virus/sdrc_virusMain.jsp
  
• AVG http://www.avg.com/us-en/top-threats

The e-mail also referenced Microsoft's authority.

• Microsoft http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/

CNN was also referred to. Here is the search for "postcard virus" within CNN.

• http://search.cnn.com/search.jsp?query=postcard%20virus&type=news&sortBy=date&intl=false

Consumer search lists the top Firewalls

• http://www.consumersearch.com/firewalls/best-pc-firewalls

These are two free Firewall providers

• http://personalfirewall.comodo.com/
• http://free.agnitum.com/
  

Careers: Computer Systems Analyst

From the research a Computer Systems Analyst is expected to have a bachelor degree; however, there are entry level positions.
The job duties are many, but generally the duties will be within these categories:

• "Planning, designing, installing and developing new computer systems
• Revamping existing computer systems for new tasks
• Networking computer systems with others
• Preparing cost-benefit and return-on-investment (ROI) reports for management
• Testing and debugging new or revamped computer systems and the networks on which they communicate" (John Steven Niznik. (n.d.). computer systems analyst jobs. About.com . Retrieved from About.com: Tech Careers on October 5, 2009.).

The Annual Salary as of May 2006 was

• "Median: $69,760
  
• The middle 50 percent make between $54,320 and $87,600 a year
  
• The lowest 10 percent make less than $42,780
  
• the highest 10 percent make more than $106,820
  

Median annual salary and earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of computer systems analysts in May 2006 were:

• Professional and commercial equipment and supplies wholesalers $81,080
  
• Computer systems design and related services 71,680
  
• Management of companies and enterprises 71,090
  
• Insurance carriers 69,990
  
• State government 61,340"(Career Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2009, from Overview.com: http://www.overview.com/career_summaries/Computer_Systems_Analysts.htm).

Here are a few sites to see for yourself what the current employers are looking for in Computer Systems Analysts.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos042.htm
• Career Overview http://www.overview.com/career_summaries/Computer_Systems_Analysts.htm
• Job Search on CNNMoney.com http://jobsearch.money.cnn.com/a/all-jobs/lis/q-Business+Systems+Analyst/fdb-1
• Job Opportunity at Dow http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?job_did=J3F1ZT6L4YV8KBB89Q1&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=a12ad2aa1edd4ffe8354c07db8ac674e-308103525-KC-5&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_jobs%2Banalyst%2Binfo_

Works Cited

John Steven Niznik. (n.d.). computer systems analyst jobs. About.com . Retrieved on October 5, 2009 from About.com: Tech Careers: http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/computerjob13/a/systems_analyst.htm

Career Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2009, from Overview.com: http://www.overview.com/career_summaries/Computer_Systems_Analysts.htm