Random Musings - Day #85

Tomcat Hardening
Well there are some guides on how to harden your configuration for tomcat. Usually it's common sense, remove unnecessary files, ensure you set standard error messages and set your OS privileges for your service to be as low as possible. A general security guide focusing on authentication can be found at cafesoft. Whilst, there is an OWASP guide provides some pointers but I stress this is not the definitive guide. The apache wiki has a few discussion points. There is also a security how-to.

Government sniffing facebook
It's interesting to hear that the UK government want to monitor communications on facebook. That's no mean task at all. That's excluding the privacy issues associated with it. Here's some thoughts from blogsecurity and the privacy guy

Pensions
MyFinances discuss why people are saving for a pension. I remember a finance colleague I used to work with, say I am not saving for pension, there's no point. With the credit crunch, no-one is really immune from going belly-up. I am not clear how well protected you are if an event like that. Here's a financial crisis article which actually leaving more questions rather than giving any answers.

Random Musings - Day #28

After regailing shutdown messages on Unix boxes at university and discussing Calvin Harris. The thought crossed my mind. I am sure I remember seeing something computery about Calvin and Hobbes. It turns out, it possibly because one of the earliest ever websites (back in 1995) was the digital calvin and hobbes site. One of Calvin's quotes is also considered a famous computer quote

"I'm not dumb. I just have a command of throughly useless information."

Java vs Flash. Well Java look to be taking be on Adobe in terms of dynamic content over the web. Recently, they have been promoting JavaFX. This not to be confused with the go-between solution of JFlash.

Hacker Meetup? I'll be keeping a close eye on these boys from songkick. They are hoping to have meetups every month. Interesting to also the UK govenment have set up a security response team, similar to our friends in the states.

Staying in is the new going out. There looks to be a positive side to the credit crunch for certain companies. Sky are creating a 1000 jobs and my sources tell me that Coca-Cola are creating jobs in London. So business is good. Why? Well more people are staying in as it is perceived to be more expensive to go out. Hence people are buying more drinks and watching tv/entertainment. That said Sky recently increased their broadband 5 pounds across the range (including the 'free' broadband + tv package).
Talking of going out, the Notting Hill Carnival is under threat of being cancelled for 2009. Interesting this forum suggests it should be banned. :( Come on people, it's part of the sub-culture in London! I suspect there are political undertones as the council / government are trying to cutback on expenditure. Hence why they are making these difficult demands to ensure that they do not have to fund the event. That's what it all boils down to.

I'll sign off with this eerie video that Amy Winehouse recorded with Pete Doherty