This document describes how to write parasitic file viruses infecting ELF executables on Linux/i386. Though it contains a lot of source code, no actual virus is included.

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Writing a program that inserts code into another program file is one thing. Writing that program so that it can be injected itself is a very different art. Although this document shows a lot of code and technique, it is far from being a "Construction Kit For Dummies". Instead I'll try to show how things work. Translation of infecting code to assembly is left as a (non-trivial) exercise to the reader.

An astonishing number of people think that viruses require secret black magic. Here you will find simple code that patches other executables. But since regular users can't overwrite system files (we are talking about serious operating systems here) that is not even half the journey.

Cacti is a complete network graphing solution designed to harness the power of RRDTool's data storage and graphing functionality. Cacti provides a fast poller, advanced graph templating, multiple data acquisition methods, and user management features out of the box. All of this is wrapped in an intuitive, easy to use interface that makes sense for LAN-sized installations up to complex networks with hundreds of devices.

All right, so maybe this isn't quite the ultimate. But this howto will show you the fundamental ways to use OpenSSH; how to generate public/private key pairs and strong passphrases, and how to use the wonderful Keychain utility to automate your SSH logins. This is exceptionally handy when you log in and out frequently, and don't want to keep entering your passphrase.

This document is a general overview of security issues that face the administrator of Linux systems. It covers general security philosophy and a number of specific examples of how to better secure your Linux system from intruders. Also included are pointers to security-related material and programs. Improvements, constructive criticism, additions and corrections are gratefully accepted.

"PC/104 (IEEE P996.1) was developed to fill the need for an embedded platform, which was compliant with standardized hardware and software of the PC architecture. Mechanically quite different from the PC form factor, PC/104 modules are 3.6 X 3.8 inches in size. A self-stacking bus is implemented with pin-and-socket connectors composed of 64- and 40-contact male/female headers, which replace the card edge connectors used in standard PC hardware. Virtually anything that is available for a standard PC is available in the PC/104 form factor. PC/104 components are designed to be stacked together to create a complete embedded solution. Normally there will be a single CPU board and several peripheral boards connected by the PC/104 (ISA) system bus."

This Linux Mini-HOWTO teaches you how to plan and create partitions on IDE and SCSI hard drives. It discusses partitioning terminology and considers size and location issues. Use of the fdisk partitioning utility for creating and recovering of partition tables is covered.

The Xbox comes in a nice black outfit, is smaller and lighter than most PCs, and also a lot more silent.

Microsoft does not want you to use the Xbox as a Linux computer, therefore it has some anti-Linux-protection built in, but it can be circumvented easily, so that an Xbox can be used as what it is: an IBM PC.

Besides Linux, you can of course run a wide variety of great games on the Xbox.

UML instances ("User Mode Linux") allow you to run multiple Linux servers on one physical machine. This can be handy for many different purposes. For example, you might want to give different people root rights, but prevent them from interfering with one another. Or, you might want to have several identically configured servers, one for production, one for development, and one for testing, but without investing in multiple physical machines.

Once you have prepared your machine for running UML instances as described in the following section, adding new instances will take less than five minutes.

While the Linux kernel has no centralized plug-and-play system, it does provide programs which various device drivers can use to do their own plug-and-play. Many drivers take advantage of this and find your PnP devices OK. The BIOS hardware of your PC likely may also do some plug-and-play work. Thus if everything works OK PnP-wise, you can use your computer without needing to know anything about plug-and-play. But if some devices which are supported by Linux don't work (because they not discovered or configured correctly by PnP) then you may need to read some of this HOWTO. You'll learn not only about PnP but also something about how communication takes place inside the computer.