VERY,VERY HOT READS, I Would Read The News In This Thread This Thead Is To post Any Thing Ye Want About The News,,NEWS WAS MOVED,READ MY FIRST POS...

Bump + Post increase HE HE ^_^

 

FLAMING IRISH COFFEE

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Coffee

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3/4 cup Irish mist liqueur -- divided
6 cups Hot coffee -- divided
2 tablespoons Sugar -- divided
1/2 cup Whipping cream -- whipped
Ground nutmeg

Rinse glass with hot water; dry. Pour 2 tablespoons Irish Mist into glass. Rotate over flame of Irish coffee burner or alcohol burner until liqueur ignites.Fill with coffee; stir in 1 teaspoon sugar.
Top with whipped cream; dust with nutmeg. Repeat for each serving. Yield: 6 servings.NOTE: When you make Flaming Irish Coffee or other beverages in which liqueur is heated in the container, select containers that are strong enough to withstand the heat. You'll find several styles made specifically for Irish coffee; many include burners as well.

 

Gilligan's Mint Mud Slide

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 Tablespoon Silver Palate After
Dinner Mint Fudge Sauce*
plus extra -- (see below)
to coat the glasses
6 Large ice cubes -- (6 to 8)
2 Ounces Kahlua
2 Ounces vodka
2 Ounces Baileys Irish Cream
2/3 Cup milk
Garnishes:
Whipped cream
3 maraschino cherries

Line 3 wineglasses with the mint fudge sauce. Do not cover the entire glass; instead allow it to form patterns on the glass. Place 1 tablespoon mint fudge sauce and all the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until the ice is well crushed. Divide the mixture evenly among the glasses. Garnish each Mud Slide with whipped cream and a cherry. Variations: Mocha Mud Slide: Add 2 teaspoons instant coffee or cappuccino powder. Amaretto Mud Slide: Substitute 2 ounces of amaretto for the Baileys. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Recipe Note: For a thicker Mud Slide, use 1 cup vanilla ice cream and 1/2 cup milk. * If you cant find this, you may use an equivalent amount of Hersheys syrup and 1/4 teaspoon creme de menthe. Use extra Hersheys syrup to coat the glasses. (Three 6-oz. servings) The Great American Chocolate Contest Cookbook DOTTIE, in Irvine, CA

 

Irish Shillelagh

Recipe By : Old Mr. Boston
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Irish Liquor

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 lemon -- juice of
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey
1/2 ounce Old Mr. Boston sloe gin
1/2 ounce Old Mr. Boston imported rum
2 slices peach
raspberries -- garnish
strawberries -- garnish
cherry -- garnish

Shake well with cracked ice and strain into 5 ounce punch glass. Decorate with fresh raspberries, strawberries and a cherry.

 

Irish Herb Scones

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads Irish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 pound Mealy potatoes
4 tablespoons Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Oil
2 tablespoons Chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon Dried dill
1/4 teaspoon Savory
1/4 teaspoon Marjoram
1/4 teaspoon Powdered sage
Oil for frying

Boil or bake the potatoes, then pass through a foodmill. Mix the flour, salt, oil & herbs with the potatoes. On a floured board, roll this dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Cut into triangles 3 or 4 inches wide.
Fry in very hot oil on both sides until light golden.

 

Chocolate Whiskey Cake

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes Desserts
Irish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Walnuts -- chopped
1/2 cup Irish whiskey
1 package Semisweet chocolate chips -- (12 oz)
1 cup Butter or margarine -- at
room temperature
1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar -- divided
8 Eggs -- separated
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 cups Heavy cream
1/2 cup Confectioners' sugar
4 Squares semi-sweet chocolate -- optional (1 oz ea)

Preheat oven to 350~F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with wax paper; butter and flour paper.
Combine raisins, walnut and whiskey; let stand 30 minutes. In double boiler over hot, not simmering water, melt chocolate. In bowl with mixer at high speed beat butter and 1 cup granulated until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until light and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; beat in chocolate. Reduce speed to medium; beat in chocolate. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour and salt. Stir in raisins and walnuts.
In another bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
Beat in remaining granulated sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of mixture into chocolate batter to lighten; fold in remaining mixture. Spoon batter into pans. Bake 35-45 minutes or until inserted toothpicks comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans; peel of waxed paper and cool on racks.
In bowl with mixer at high speed beat cream with confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Spread top of 1 cake layer with whipped cream; top with other layer. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining whipped cream. If desired, sprinkle cake with chocolate shavings and curls. Let chocolate stand in warm place 1 square on wax paper. In short strokes, slide vegetable peeler across surface; repeat with second square. Press shavings onto sides of cake. For curls; place remaining chocolate on wax paper; pull peeler across in long, thin strokes. Makes 16 servings.
Per servings: 587 cals; 7 g protein; 41 g fat; 199 mg chol; 49 g carb; 216 mg sodium. Formatted by Mary Wilson, BWVB02B.

POST YOUR ((***Recipes}}***

 

Since St. Paddy's is right around the corner, lol, do ye have one for colcannon

 

Colcannon Recipe #485
1 1/4 lbs kale, washed with stems removed (can also use cabbage)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup leeks, cleaned chopped (white part only)
1 cup milk
1 pinch mace, ground
salt & pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted
6 servings 6 servings Change size or US/metric
Change to: servings US Metric
45 minutes 25 mins prep
ADVERTISEMENT - Remove ads with Recipezaar Premium

1. In a large pot, simmer the kale along with oil and 2 cups water for 10 minutes.
2. Drain kale and let cool a bit before chopping it finely, then set aside and cover to keep it warm.
3. In a small pot, bring potatoes and water to a boil and simmer until tender.
4. In another small pot, simmer leeks in milk for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and cover to keep warm.
5. Drain the potatoes and puree them into the large pot. Add leeks with the milk, and cooked kale. Beat with a spoon or whisk until fluffy, then season with mace, salt and pepper.
6. Top with melted butter and garnish with parsley if desired.
7. Yields 6 servings.



Colcannon

3 pounds potatoes, scrubbed
2 sticks butter
1 1/4 cups hot milk
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cabbage, cored and finely shredded
1 (1-pound) piece ham or bacon, cooked the day before
4 scallions, finely chopped
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Steam the potatoes in their skins for 30 minutes. Peel them using a knife and fork. Chop with a knife before mashing. Mash thoroughly to remove all the lumps. Add 1 stick of butter in pieces. Gradually add hot milk, stirring all the time. Season with a few grinds of black pepper.

Boil the cabbage in unsalted water until it turns a darker color. Add 2 tablespoons butter to tenderize it. Cover with lid for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly before returning it to the pan. Chop into small pieces.

Put the ham in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes until tender. Drain. Remove any fat and chop into small pieces.

Add cabbage, scallions, and ham to mashed potatoes, stirring them in gently.
Serve in individual soup plates. Make an indentation on the top by swirling a wooden spoon. Put 1 tablespoon of butter into each indentation. Sprinkle with parsley.

Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage)

Ingredients
3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
6 cooked potatoes, mashed or 4 cups prepared instant mashed
potatoes (prepared according to directions on package)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Put cabbage, onion, and water in saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for about 8 minutes or until tender, not mushy. Add mashed potatoes, milk, butter or margarine, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to blend and heat through. Serve colcannon warm, as a side dish with meat, chicken, or fish.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

 

The Ultimate Potato Gratin

1 head savoy cabbage, cored, cleaned, and shredded
1 (2-inch) piece slab bacon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the gratin dish
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped to 1/4 cup
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds baking potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced (about 1/8-inch), see Cook's note*
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 cups grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Finely shred the cabbage. Cut the bacon into 1/2-inch chunks. Place a small skillet over medium-low heat and fry the bacon, until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to bacon fat in frying pan. When it has melted add 1/2 the garlic and give it a quick stir with a wooden spoon to soften. Add the cabbage and coat it with the butter. Slowly let it wilt. Add the bacon. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and add most of the chives, reserving a little for the garnish.

Generously butter the bottom and sides of an ovenproof casserole dish.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 1/2 cups of cream, 1 cup of Parmesan, and the remaining garlic, Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, place a layer of potatoes in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and repeat with 2 more layers. Spoon the cabbage mixture on top and spread it out evenly over the potatoes. Top it off with 2 more layers of potato and Parmesan. Pour the remaining 1cup cream over the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Leave for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chives.

*Cook's Note: Slice the potatoes immediately before using so they don't turn brown.

 

Thank you the one with the bacon and cabbage is the it. Love colcannon, and boxty is super too.

 

per flip218,as he posted those on my site.
Filipino Recipies

All of these recipies are 1) Add ingredients into pot and boil/cook/or simmer till tender .. real easy

Bakarita

2 lbs. stewing meat
6 oz. Tomato paste
1 small red pepper
2 Tsp. sugar
1 garlic clove
little bit of oil
red potatoes (how ever much you want) I like baby reds
Soysauce (enough to get all meat lightly)
1 Tsp. Vinegar
salt & pepper
1 bottle of banana sauce (Very Important. You will have to go to an Asia store to buy. 1 bottle, because you have to put enough in to cover everything ... and don't get the spicy one)

Add all ingredients and cook till meat is tender.
198.81.26.47

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All of these recipies are 1) Add ingredients into pot and boil/cook/or simmer till tender .. real easy

Sweet & Sour Pork or Chicken

2-3 lbs. Pork or Chicken (cook half way)

add
1-2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar (test for desired sweetness)

(If too sweet add more water)

Boil water & sugar -> then add pork or chicken

add
1 can pineapple chucks
1 Tsp Vinegar

Cook till tender (if too much water add starch)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All of these recipies are 1) Add ingredients into pot and boil/cook/or simmer till tender .. real easy

Adobo

1 cup of cut up chicken
oil and garlic

Stir fry for 2-3 minutes

add
lightly salt and pepper
1 Tsp. vinegar

Cover & steam for 10 minutes

 

Almost Kentucky Fried Chicken

Almost Kentucky Fried Chicken

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Copycat

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 Pounds Chiken
2 Packages Italian salad dressing mix
3 Tablespoons Flour
2 Teaspoons Salt
1/4 Cup Lemon juice
1 Cup Milk
1 1/2 Cups Pancake mix
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Sage
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper

Makae a paste out of the marinade ingredients. Coat chicken evenly.
Stack chicken pieces in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least for several hours.
Mix pancake mix with other seasonings.
Dip pieces of chicken in milk, then in pancake coating. Dust off excess.
Lightly brown in skillet with 1/2 inch vegtable oil in it. Brown for 4 minutes each side.
Remove and place in a single layer on shallow baking pan. Seal with flour.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 Uncover and baste again with milk.
Return, uncovered, to oven heated to 400, to crisp for 10 minutes.

 

One of my personal favorites, since I do breakfast.

IHop like Pancakes

Nonstick Spray
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil
pinch of salt

1. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a pan with a nonstick surface or apply a little nonstick spray.

2. In a blender or with a mixer, combine all of the remaining ingredients until smooth.

3. Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles.

4. When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes. They should be golden brown.

5. Cook pancakes on the other side for same amount of time, until golden brown.

 

Potato Onion Soup, Irish-Style

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 cups milk
5-1/2 cups homemade chicken stock or use canned
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, whole
1 cup light cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
6 slices lean bacon, crisply fried and chopped

Instructions
Heat a 6- to 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and onion, and cook gently. Do not let the onion brown. Add the peeled and sliced potatoes, milk, and stock. Add the herbs. Cover and cook gently for about an hour.

Prepare a roux: Melt the butter in a small saucepan and whisk in the flour. Let the flour and butter mixture (roux) bubble for 2 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring constandly. Thicken the soup with the roux, whisking carefully to avoid lumps. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes and then puree the soup in a food processor or food blender. Add the cream and gently reheat, but do not boil. Season with the salt and pepper. Serve with chopped fresh chives and the crisply fried bacon as garnishes. This soup can also be made with the chopped white part of 5 or 6 large leeks instead of onions. Additional garnishes you can use instead of bacon are chopped prawns or a small dice of lobster.

Yield: 8-10 servings


Irish Potato Cheese Soup
6 servings

* 3 cups thinly sliced or diced peeled potatoes
* Very cold or ice water as needed
* 1½ cups thinly sliced or coarsely chopped peeled onion
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 cup hot water or 1 cup room temperature Guinness Stout or other Irish beer or porter
* 4 chicken bouillon cubes, divided
* 3 cups milk or reduced-fat or skim milk, divided (see note)
* 1 cup half-and-half (see note)
* 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or Irish Cheddar-style cheese or reduced-fat cheddar cheese
* Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
* Minced parsley ( no stems) and/or crumbled crisp-cooked bacon as desired for garnish

Peel and slice or dice potatoes; immediately immerse in very cold or ice water to prevent discoloration and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, saute onion in butter (or liberally coat saucepan with butter-flavored non-caloric vegetable cooking spray) over moderate heat until tender. Drain potatoes. Add potatoes, hot water or Guinness Stout, and 1 chicken bouillon cube to onions in saucepan; cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add 2 cups milk, mixing well. Transfer mixture, a small amount at a time, to a blender container; cover and blend at medium speed until smooth. Return potato mixture to saucepan; add remaining 3 chicken bouillon cubes, 1 cup milk, 1 cup half-and-half, and cheese. Stir over low to moderate heat until cheese is melted and soup bubbly hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot in soup mugs. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of minced parsley and/or crumbled crisp-cooked bacon as desired.

Note: May omit half-and-half; if desired; increase milk or reduced-fat or skim milk to 4 cups.

Variation: Add a few drops Worcestershire sauce and/or hot pepper sauce to soup mixture, if desired.


Irish Potato and Leek Soup Recipe #19315
This is a tasty, hearty soup for a cold winter's day or anytime.
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups leeks, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium potatoes, coarsely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups light cream
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
4-6 servings Change size or US/metric
Change to: servings US Metric
1 hour 30 mins prep


Irish Potato Soup Recipe #138986
Comfort food from Ireland with what else? Pototoes!!! We like our soup a little chunky so I dont use the sieve just do a light mash, and I normally always use chicken stock, and we sprinkle our bowls with anything from bacon to cheese to sour cream.
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large onion, finely sliced
2 ounces butter, melted
1 quart vegetable stock
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon chives or parsley
nutmeg
1 pinch salt & pepper
1 teaspoon cornflour
4 servings Change size or US/metric
Change to: servings US Metric
50 minutes 10 mins prep

 

Irish Lamb Stew

Hearty and traditional Irish lamb stew. It's best to refrigerate the stew overnight, and reheat it the next day for eating. This soup 'ages' well!"
Original recipe yield: 10 servings.

Prep Time:
20 Minutes
Cook Time:
2 Hours 25 Minutes
Ready In:
2 Hours 45 Minutes
Servings:
10 (change)


INGREDIENTS:

* 1 1/2 pounds thickly sliced bacon, diced
* 6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1/2 cup water
* 4 cups beef stock
* 2 teaspoons white sugar
* 4 cups diced carrots
* 2 large onions, cut into bite-size pieces
* 3 potatoes
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. Put lamb, salt, pepper, and flour in large mixing bowl. Toss to coat meat evenly. Brown meat in frying pan with bacon fat.
3. Place meat into stock pot (leave 1/4 cup of fat in frying pan). Add the garlic and yellow onion and saute till onion begins to become golden. Deglaze frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the garlic-onion mixture to the stock pot with bacon pieces, beef stock, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Add carrots, onions, potatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and wine to pot. Reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.



POST YE Recipes
Add your Nationally Recipes Here!

 

DVDFab Decrypter 2.9.6.8 Beta 2

DVDFab is simply the easiest way to copy a DVD movie. Just insert the movie and a blank DVD then press Start.
Your entire movie - including special features, trailers and menus - is copied to a single DVD with just one click and it all happens automatically.
DVDFab Decrypter is a simple version of DVDFab Express. It copies entire DVD movie to hard disk, and removes all the protections (CSS, RC, RCE, Macrovision, UOPs and Sony ARccOS) while copying.


It copies entire DVD movie to hard disk, and removes all the protections (CSS, RC, RCE, Macrovision, UOPs and Sony ARccOS) while copying.



Changes from DVDFab Decrypter 2.9.6.6 to DVDFab Decrypter 2.9.6.8 Beta 2 :


- Change: Improved copying engine.
- Change: Fixed problem that DVD Shrink cannot locate main movie, when copying some Sony ARccOS protected DVDs, like "The Cave" (US).
- Fix: A corrupt data problem when copying "Wedding Crashers" (US).

 

AnyDVD 5.8.2.1, 2006 01 11

- New: Added support for a new version of the Sony Arccos
protection as found on "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" R2 (Swiss German)
to the option to remove "Protection based on unreadable
Sectors"
NOTE: This Arccos version is not yet supported with
DVDShrink and Nero Recode. With elby CloneDVD 2.8.5.1
the quality bar will not work, but this is only a cosmetic
problem. We will try to support this Arccos version better
in the future.
- Updated languages
http://www.slysoft.com/en/download.html

 

New rootkit found in Symantec software

1/12/2006 10:59:22 AM, by Nate Anderson

Security researcher Mark Russinovich, the man who alerted the world to the presence of Sony BMG's XCP rootkit, is at it again. Russinovich and a team from F-Secure have discovered another rootkit in a commercial piece of software, this time from Symantec, a company known for their own security offerings. Symantec's Norton SystemWorks includes cloaking technology that hides a particular directory from the Windows APIs. While the goal of the software was a worthy one (the hidden directory was designed to keep users from deleting key files accidentally as part of SystemWorks' NProtect feature), the use of rootkit technology has inherent weaknesses that can be exploited by malware authors.

Since the hidden directory is cloaked from Windows, it is also hidden from most antivirus scans. Virus writers who know that the directory exists can use it to hide their own lethal payloads. While the exploit only poses a theoretical risk at this point, virus writers wasted no time in making use of Sony's rootkit once it became known. Symantec has issued an update for users of SystemWorks that will uncloak the directory.

This latest flap over root kits will no doubt heighten the controversy about whether a company can ever legitimately make these sorts of changes to a user's operating system. Russinovich argues that the answer is no, simply because of the massive potential for abuse.

"It's a bad, bad, bad idea to start hiding things in places where it presents a danger. I'm seeing it more and more with commercial vendors," Russinovich said in an interview with eWEEK. "When you use rootkit-type techniques, even if your intentions are good, the user no longer has full control of the machine. It's impossible to manage the security and health of that system if the owner is not in control."

Mikko Hypponen is the director of anti-virus research at F-Secure, and he is willing to concede that the issue is complicated—even so, he also stresses the inherent insecurity of these cloaking techniques. Like Russinovich, he also claims that rootkits are more widespread in commercial software than is generally known.

"The area is a little gray. We've seen a dozen or so commercial vendors hiding folders. Some are actual folder-hiding applications to handle things like parental controls where the target audience actually wants the folder hidden. But, even so, the risk of someone malicious making use of that hiding place is not something to ignore."

Symantec, of course, has always been famous for writing software that is difficult to uninstall and often requires manual intervention to be removed successfully. Most of their products integrate with this system at a very deep level, so it's not as though the rootkit functionality is a stylistic departure from their normal pattern. Usually this approach only creates software that is unfriendly to users, but in this case it appears to cross the line into being dangerous.

Speaking of rootkits, Sony BMG is also in the news again today, as a judge provisionally approved a settlement that will end the class action lawsuit against the company. If you are the proud owner of the disc that contains the infamous XCP technology, you've just won our lovely showcase of prizes! If you're holding a MediaMax disc, then thank you for playing, and we have some lovely parting gifts for you on the way out.

As we reported earlier, XCP owners not only can exchange their disc for a clean copy, but they also get a clean MP3 copy of the music on the disc, a cash payment of US$7.50, and one free album download. Users can also forgo the cash in favor of two more album downloads. You can send the discs in for replacement now, but willl have to wait until the settlement is finalized for the rest of it. Users who have MediaMax 3.0 discs are eligible only for a clean MP3 copy of their music, while those with version 5.0 get the MP3s and one free album download. The EFF has prepared a helpful FAQ about the settlement, should you have any further questions. One interesting item of note is that the settlement will force Sony to waive several of the most egregious elements of its EULAs, including those that limit fair use, resale of the disc, and your right to listen to the music should you go bankrupt. While this settlement should put an end to the class action lawsuit, it does nothing to halt the suits from the Texas Attorney General and other states.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060112-5960.html

Symantec Caught in Norton 'Rootkit' Flap
Reason number 4 Billion why I use NOD32 as my AV.

The anti-virus vendor admits to using a rootkit-type feature in Norton SystemWorks to hide a folder from Windows APIs, and ships an update to eliminate the risk of attackers using the feature to hide malicious files.

- Eweek.com

Symantec Caught in Norton 'Rootkit' Flap
By Ryan Naraine
January 11, 2006

1 comment posted
Add your opinion


Symantec Corp. has fessed up to using a rootkit-type feature in Norton SystemWorks that could provide the perfect hiding place for attackers to place malicious files on computers.
ADVERTISEMENT

The anti-virus vendor acknowledged that it was deliberately hiding a directory from Windows APIs as a feature to stop customers from accidentally deleting files but, prompted by warnings from security experts, the company shipped a SystemWorks update to eliminate the risk.

Symantec, of Cupertino, Calif., is the second commercial company caught in the flap over the use of rootkit-type techniques to hide files on computers. Rootkits are programs that are used to give a remote user access to a compromised system while avoiding detection from security scanners.

Music company Sony BMG faced a firestorm of criticism after anti-rootkit scanners fingered the use of stealthy rootkit-type techniques to cloak its DRM scheme. After malicious hackers used the Sony DRM rootkit as a hiding place for Trojans, the company suspended the use of the technology and recalled CDs with the offending copy protection mechanism.

A spokesman for Symantec referenced the Sony flap in a statement sent to eWEEK, but downplayed the risk to consumers. "In light of current techniques used by today's malicious attackers, Symantec re-evaluated the value of hiding the [previously cloaked] directory. Though the chance of an attacker using [it] as a possible attack vector is extremely slim, Symantec's update further protects computers by displaying the directory," the spokesman said.

PointerMicrosoft to zap Sony DRM 'rootkit.' Click here to read more.

He explained that the feature, called Norton Protected Recycle Bin, was built into Norton SystemWorks with a director called NProtect that is hidden from Windows APIs. Because it is cloaked, files in the NProtect directory might not be scanned during scheduled or manual virus scans.

"This could potentially provide a location for an attacker to hide a malicious file on a computer," the company admitted, noting that the updated version will now display the previously hidden directory in the Windows interface.

Despite the very low risk of this vulnerability, Symantec is "strongly" recommending that SystemWorks users update the product immediately to ensure greater protection. "To date, Symantec is not aware of any attempts by hackers to conceal malicious code in the NProtect folder," the spokesman added.

Mark Russinovich, the Windows internals guru who blew the whistle on Sony's controversial DRM rootkit, was credited with the SystemWorks discovery along with researchers at Finnish anti-virus vendor F-Secure Corp.

eWEEK.com Special Report: The Rise of Rootkits

Russinovich, creator of the RootkitRevealer anti-rootkit utility, said the use of rootkit-type features by commercial vendors is "very worrisome."

"It's a bad, bad, bad idea to start hiding things in places where it presents a danger. I'm seeing it more and more with commercial vendors," Russinovich said in an interview with eWEEK.

"When you use rootkit-type techniques, even if your intentions are good, the user no longer has full control of the machine. It's impossible to manage the security and health of that system if the owner is not in control."

Russinovich said Symantec was "very receptive" to the warnings that the hidden directory presented a real risk to computer users. "In Sony's case, it was meant as a benefit to Sony. In Symantec's case, they really believed it was a benefit to the consumer. I don't see the benefit but I think they had good intentions. They did the right thing by making this change," he added.

PointerSecurity vendors clueless over rootkit invasion. Click here to read more.

Russinovich, who plans to publish more evidence of commercial vendors using rootkits at Sysinternals.com, also pinpointed another big problem. "When you have different vendors changing the way Windows works, they start interfering with each other. Two or three rootkits on a machine could seriously change the way Windows behaves and that's another big concern," he said.

Mikko Hypponen, director of anti-virus research at the F-Secure Corp., said his company's BlackLight Rootkit Elimination Technology also detected the NProtect directory, which was hidden from the Windows FindFirst/FindNext APIs.

"We found out about this when we shipped the first BlackLight beta in March 2005 and started getting reports back from users. Then we tested it in our own labs and confirmed the functionality in Symantec. It's not a huge problem, but I'm glad they've now fixed it," Hypponen said in an interview.

eWEEK.com Special Report: Securing the Network

He confirmed Russinovich's contention that more and more legitimate commercial vendors are using cloaking mechanisms, warning that it is a "dangerous trend," even if the it's not an offensive, malicious rootkit.

"The area is a little gray. We've seen a dozen or so commercial vendors hiding folders. Some are actual folder-hiding applications to handle things like parental controls where the target audience actually wants the folder hidden. But, even so, the risk of someone malicious making use of that hiding place is not something to ignore," Hypponen said.

"That's the big risk. For now, it's completely a theoretical problem. But, as we saw in Sony's case, the bad guys figured it out within days that they could put a Trojan in the rootkit and sail by anti-virus scanners."
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1910077,00.asp

 

25 Reasons to Convert to Linux



Businesses, educational institutions, governmental agencies and other organizations around the world are converting1 their computer operating systems from Microsoft Windows to Linux at an increasing pace. They are likewise converting their application programs from commercial software to free software (also referred to as open source software). There are at least 25 reasons for this situation, including:

(1) Because it is licensed under a free software license2, Linux (as well as other free software) is available at no cost. It can be downloaded from the Internet for free, and it can be purchased in disk or box form at trivial cost. One copy can be used on as many computers as desired with no restrictions. This is in sharp contrast to Microsoft Windows, which can easily cost US$100 or more per computer.

(2) Because it is free software, Linux is also free in the sense that anybody is permitted to modify it, including its source code, in any way desired. If modified versions are not redistributed (i.e., given away or sold outside of an organization), they can be kept secret. This is also in sharp contrast to Microsoft Windows, for which modification of the software is generally not permitted. Source code is the original version of a program as it is written by a programmer using a programming language and before being converted by a compiler into a form such that its instructions can be understood directly by a computer's CPU (central processing unit); it is generally necessary to have the source code in order to be able to make changes to a program. This ability to freely experiment with and modify the source code, and to do so without disclosing the modifications to outsiders, has been a very important consideration for a number of large organizations3.

(3) High quality support for Linux is available for free on the Internet, including in newsgroups and other forums. Some people claim that this support is at least as good as that provided for proprietary (i.e., commercial) operating systems for a fee. Linux support can also be purchased on a commercial basis if desired. Among the types of support that can be required for operating systems are help with customization, assistance in installing new programs, patches to cope with new security threats and patches to fix newly discovered bugs (i.e., defects). Fortunately, the need for the last two types is relatively infrequent for Linux.

(4) There is little possibility that support for Linux will be discontinued at some future date due to planned obsolescence or for any other reason. This is because the source code will always be available to anyone who wants it, including individuals who provide support for free over the Internet and businesses which provide it for a fee. In contrast, with Microsoft Windows and other proprietary software for which the source code is usually kept secret, obtaining support becomes difficult (from both a technical and a legal point of view) if the developer decides to withdraw it (for example in order to try to force users to pay for upgrades to newer versions).

(5) There is little or no fear of major obsolescence, planned or otherwise, with Linux. This is because the UNIX architecture on which it is based has been exhaustively tested and refined for more than 35 years and has proven to be extremely efficient, robust and secure. Improvements continue at a rapid pace, but new versions remain basically compatible with the underlying UNIX architecture.

(6) There are no forced upgrades4 for Linux users. This because older versions continue to be supported (e.g., with the development of new security patches and device drivers) and because newer versions, if desired, are available for free (as is all free software) and are typically highly compatible with older versions. The developers of proprietary software, however, have strong financial incentives to engage in planned obsolescence, namely, in order to induce users of earlier versions to spend money to buy or lease new versions.

(7) Should a user decide to upgrade to a newer version of Linux, there are no licensing fees or other software costs if the user selects a free distribution (i.e., version). Moreover, the training, program modification/conversion, hardware acquisition and other costs associated with upgrading to a new version are also relatively low due to the compatibility with earlier versions.

(8) Linux has no onerous requirements for keeping track of licenses. In a company with hundreds or thousands of computers, a number of full time personnel can be required just to make sure that all of the computers in use are in compliance with the complex licensing terms of the EULAs (end user license agreements) for Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office and other proprietary software. And for Linux users there is no fear of surprise audits by the BSA (Business Software Alliance)5, with possible severe penalties for minor license violations.

(9) Linux features superior security, including a very low rate of infection by viruses, trojans, worms, spyware and other malware. This is because UNIX and all of its descendants (including Linux) been designed from the ground up with security in mind, rather than having attempts at security tacked on as an afterthought. For example, users do not routinely use the system as the root (i.e., administrative) user, thereby protecting key system files even in the event of a break-in by a malicious intruder. Also, a robust firewall is included in major distributions and it is enabled by default. Another important factor is the free availability of the source code, which allows thousands of people around the globe to search for security vulnerabilities in it6.

(10) Linux is highly resistant to system crashes and rarely needs rebooting (i.e., restarting). This can be very important for large organizations for which even a few minutes of down time can result in a substantial cost. The reason is that Linux has been designed from the ground up to be an extremely stable and robust operating system, incorporating all that has been learned about attaining these goals from the more than 35 years of history of Unix-like operating systems.

(11) An extensive selection of high quality application programs is available for use with Linux, most of which are also free software (including nearly all of the most popular ones). Many of them have features and performance equal or superior to those of comparable applications for use with Microsoft Windows. In fact, users often find that all the applications that they want are available freely on the Internet and that it is no longer necessary to purchase any commercial software.

(12) There is a choice of numerous distributions (several hundred) of Linux, each with its own unique set of characteristics but all basically compatible with each other. This allows users to select the versions which best meet their specific requirements. It also means that if one provider of Linux were to go out of business, there would still be many others from which to choose. Moreover, it fosters a healthy competition among them, thereby contributing to the continuous improvements in Linux's quality and performance. If the choice seems overwhelming, it is usually difficult to make a mistake by selecting one of the most popular distributions, such as Red Hat or SuSE.

(13) Linux features a high degree of flexibility of configuration, and a great deal of customization can be accomplished very easily and without having to modify the source code. For example, it is a simple matter to configure Linux during installation so that it will be optimized for use as a workstation, desktop computer, notebook computer, web server, database server or a router. Likewise, the appearance and behavior of the desktop, including icons and menus, can be configured in an almost infinite number of ways, according to user tastes or requirements. They can even be made to resemble Microsoft Windows. Should this not be enough, the ability to freely access, revise and recompile the source code allows virtually unlimited flexibility of configuration.

(14) Linux and other free software uses open format file formats. These are formats for word processing, spreadsheet and other file types that conform to industry-wide standards and which can be used by any developer of software to create compatible programs, in contrast to the closed formats commonly used by some proprietary software. This eliminates the problem of lock-in to proprietary standards, with the consequent difficulty and expense of switching to other software in the future. It allows the user to have complete control of its data, particularly in the event that at some future date the developer who originally created the software goes out of business or stops supporting its earlier software.

(15) Linux is generally faster for a given set of hardware specifications. This is due to greater optimization of the source code, including far less code bloat.

(16) Linux features a high degree of compatibility with other operating systems. For example, it can read, write, copy, erase and otherwise manipulate data that resides on Microsoft Windows partitions on the same hard disk drive (HDD), act as a Windows server for a network containing Windows clients, format disks for use with Windows, and even run Windows programs directly if necessary. In contrast, the Microsoft Windows operating systems cannot access HDD partitions that contain other operating systems, cannot format disks for other operating systems, etc.

(17) Very high ethical standards are maintained for Linux and other free software, in large part due to the very openness of their development process and the free availability of the source code. Linux has never been convicted in a Federal court of violation of U.S. antitrust laws or other crimes, nor has it had to pay penalties for the unauthorized copying of technology developed by other companies.

(18) Linux reduces the need to upgrade or replace hardware when upgrading to newer versions. This is because its code is very efficient and compact, thus allowing it to work effectively on older computers that are not suitable for the newest versions of Microsoft Windows.

(19) Linux is capable of operating on a wide variety of platforms (i.e., processor and system types), rather than just being limited to Intel-compatible processors and computers. It scales well and is well suited for use on a diverse array of equipment ranging from supercomputers to industrial robots to electronic medical equipment to cell phones (and can even run on a wristwatch).

(20) Linux is a superior choice for use in academic institutions for a number of reasons. Among them is the fact that there are no secrets (in sharp contrast to proprietary software), thereby providing students the opportunity to study how computers really work rather than to just learn how to use them. Many educators are convinced that it is far more important for students to study computer science fundamentals than to practice specific applications (such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint). One reason is that computer science fundamentals will still be valid many years from now, whereas the specific application programs, especially the proprietary ones that do not conform to industry-wide standards, are constantly changing and those currently in use will likely become obsolete in a few years7.

(21) For governmental agencies, Linux and other free software allows for transparency of data because it stores the data in formats consistent with industry-wide standards. This is in contrast to the proprietary, closed formats characteristic of commercial software. Such transparency is important for maintaining an effective democracy. Keeping non-secret data in standards-compliant formats allows anyone to access it without having to purchase expensive proprietary software. Also, storing secret data in standards-compliant formats is widely regarding as being more secure than keeping it in proprietary formats.

(22) With Linux and other free software there is little reason to fear the existence of backdoors, in large part because all of the source code is available for inspection. A backdoor is a secret method for obtaining remote access to a computer. There is a (not unjustified) concern by many foreign governments and corporations that back doors have been covertly inserted into proprietary software that could allow the software developer and agencies of other governments to snoop into their most confidential data.

(23) Using and advocating Linux helps foster a healthy diversity and increased competition throughout the software industry. Such competition can promote technological advance, improve performance and lower costs for open source software and proprietary software alike. Both economic theory and hundreds of years of real-world experience clearly show that monopolies have little incentive to innovate, tend to produce shoddy products, charge inflated prices and tend to corrupt the political system.

(24) Linux and other free software have not only caught up with, or some cases surpassed, their proprietary counterparts, but they are also developing at a faster pace8. This trend will accelerate as demand for such software continues to grow and more and more individuals and organizations become actively involved it its development.

(25) Linux and other free software provide the opportunity for users to contribute to the advance of software technology because the source code is freely available to study, improve, extend and redistribute. This has been fairly common, and the most notable corporate example has been IBM. In addition to giving back to the software community and being a virtue in itself, such contributions can have great public relations value.

There are also several situations in which businesses and other organizations might benefit from converting their operating systems from Linux to Microsoft Windows:

(1) An organization that is downsizing its operation and already has valid but unused licenses for Microsoft Windows might be able to reduce personnel costs by replacing its Linux experts with Windows administrators, as the latter can generally be hired for significantly less than Linux administrators.

(2) Were Microsoft to offer an organization an extremely low cost incentive package, including providing long-term licenses (and upgrades) at nominal cost, paying for new hardware and providing free training and support, this could be a very attractive proposition. In fact, it could be a win-win situation because of the great publicity value that could accrue to Microsoft from a company or other organization converting from Linux to Windows.

________
1For links to articles about some recent conversions to Linux, see Linux Success Stories, The Linux Information Project, December 2005.

2Linux and most other free software is licensed under the GNU Public License (GPL). This highly successful license has been specifically designed to provide as much freedom as possible for users, both in a monetary sense and with regard to use. The GPL allows anyone to freely access the source code for software licensed under it in order to study, use, modify, extend and redistribute it as desired with only the very minimal requirements of always making the source code for redistributions of modified versions freely available and including a copy of the GPL text with the software.

It should be pointed out in this context that there are also compiled versions of Linux that are not free in a monetary sense, which is also permitted by the GPL. However, they are not necessarily any better than the free versions. Businesses and other organizations have the option of selecting whether they want a free or non-free version, and if they select the former, they have many distributions from which to choose.

3This is a major reason that Google selected Linux, according to industry sources.

4Forced upgrades occur when the developer stops supporting an earlier version of its software, and thus security patches for the newest viruses and other malware become unavailable and drivers are no longer developed for new hardware. Thus, many users have little choice but to purchase or lease the newest version. This can be very costly because of the licensing fees or other payments that must be made to the software developer or vendor. Further adding to the cost is the frequent need to purchase new hardware to accommodate the bloated code in the new versions of the software. In addition, installing the new software and troubleshooting it can be very time-consuming for system administrators and disruptive for business operations.

5 The highly controversial BSA is an international organization that was set up by major developers of proprietary software. It is empowered by the mandatory EULAs accompanying such software to make surprise audits on users and to levy heavy fines in the event of violation.

6 The is the same principle that is employed by public key cryptography (PKC), which is the most secure form of data encryption. And it is the opposite of the approach used with proprietary software, for which an attempt is made to keep the source code secret as a means of hiding security vulnerabilities.

7 For a more detailed look at the reasons that Linux is the best choice for use in educational institutions, see Linux and Education, The Linux Information Project, March 2004.

8Numerous examples could be cited. For example, Apache is the dominant web server, hosting far more web sites than any of its proprietary counterparts. Likewise, it is widely agreed that the free Firefox and Opera web browsers are far more advanced (in terms of security, usability, etc.) than Microsoft's Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is free in a monetary sense, but it is not free software because the source code is not made available and users are prohibited from modifying it.
http://www.bellevuelinux.org/reasons_to_convert.html