Room362.com

Ok, it’s not to you, but it is to a good cause. Here is their blurb:

Hackers for Charity helps non-malicious hackers gain valuable job experience by putting them to work on projects for charity. They also build computer classrooms to help children and adults break the cycle of poverty through empowerment training, and feed children with funds raised by sales of Johnny Long’s books.

This month, I thought that it would be fun to partner up with Hackers for Charity in order to raise money for the people of Uganda. The Academy has offered to donate $1 to Hackers for Charity for every user that registers for a free account at www.theacademy.ca for the entire month of November. If you’re a registered user already please forward this email or post it on a blog. Anything you can do to spread the word would be greatly appreciated. Let’s try to make a substantial donation to charity this month. Thanks everybody!

So head on over and sign up. It’s free and you can feel better about yourself. Plus you can help me in my goal to make The Academy’s Director broke.

So I have graduated from the black and green standard hacker theme (with forest header) to a much easier to read and iPhone friendly theme. I have also added a few things to the site. Probably the most noticeable is the new logo. The logo was the created by my good friend TestMAD. He is a starving graphic artist that runs the IRC network ThinStack. He also supports a number of other projects like Geekcred, and Wess Tobler’s new project, Unpersons.

Haven’t had enough conferences yet? First, thanks to everyone who entered through email, twitter and commenting on the CSI give away. Second we do have a winner so please stop the flood. But, on to the show.

The SC World Congress, Dec. 9-10, 2008, at the Javits Convention Center in New York is offering a dicount code to all readers of SBN (Security Blogger’s Network). But what is “The SC World Congress” Here is what they say:

The SC World Congress, presented by SC Magazine, is the conference and expo that information security professionals won’t want to miss.

Faced with the challenges of safeguarding their organizations’ customer data and intellectual property, complying with a long list of regulatory demands, and staying abreast of new threats and even newer applications, these pros will find at the SC World Congress expert insight and advice they can use. Over two days of plenary sessions, targeted panels and an instructive expo floor, the SC World Congress features the actionable, inside information that IT security and corporate management needs to safeguard their company’s critical assets from threats, such as malware, targeted attacks, careless -- or malicious -- employees, and even careless executives.

At the SC World Congress, attendees from all the major verticals -- such as finance, health care, government, and more -- will gain insight from industry leaders and fellow security professionals as SC Magazine explores the need-to-know topics that help IT security professionals do their jobs better.

Here’s the blurb on how to get a discount:

“35% discount against the conference rates for all of your blog readers. Just ask your readers to enter the promotional code BLOG1 (for a one day pass) or BLOG2 (for a two day pass) when they register at www.scworldcongress.com”

If you are in New York or can get your company to pay the full fair (wink wink) then you are set. I took a quick look through the speaker’s list and didn’t recognize any names, but that doesn’t mean much. The price points are as follows:

$1095 - Conference Two day pass
$795 -  Conference One day pass
FREE -  Expo only pass
FREE -  Exhibitor registration
COMPLIMENTARY -  Press (Press ID required on site)

What is CSI? This is what CSI says about it:

Security is in transition. There is general agreement that security does not work, but not on how to fix it. CSI 2008 is the only event today that faces the challenge to reconsider security. This year at CSI’s annual event, the most innovative minds in security will grapple with the tough questions, providing a reality-check and alternative to cookie-cutter conferences that merely tweak the status quo.

I haven’t been to CSI yet, but I will be going this year and it seems like an outstaning conference. Far from ShmooCon but still packed with rockstars such as Jeremiah Grossman and Andy Willingham.

Cool, but what is the title about?! Well, I, along with each of the other SBN members have been authorized to give away a free conference pass! All you have to do is name the DLL that was patched in MS08-067. First person to get that answer to me, be it IM, email, or twitter, wins the pass.

Ok, what if I don’t win, can I still get something? Sure! Use the coupon code: BLOG25 to get 25 % off your admission. TIME IS LIMITED. This conference starts the week of November 15th.

http://www.csiannual.com/ for more details.

What do I get out of this ad? Nothing, I was already going. See you there!

We have a winner! - But that doesn’t mean other SBN members aren’t also giving away free passes: http://www.mckeay.net/2008/10/31/tell-me-your-security-or-it-horror-story-and-win-a-pass-to-csi/

 Hi, and welcome to my trap. I see a ton of searches of just your type on my site on a daily basis. Lets get down to ranting.

Maltego is an awesome tool, it’s also GIVEN AWAY for FREE.. As in beer, which they allow you to use their servers to do your stupid little ego searches on. STOP TRYING TO STEAL IT.

Offensive Security 101. This is by far the best course / certification that I have attempted thus far in my career. It is informative and challenging. STOP TRYING TO STEAL IT.

Just to sum up a bit and not sound like a total ass. I fully support the use of torrents, for many of it’s uses. I do not however support the torrenting of projects such as this. The Offensive Security people contribute day and night with the development of BackTrack 3, which is again, free. Paterva also gives away the use of their Community Edition of Maltego for free. 

Instead of just taking from the community like the leech that you are, try contributing something. 

</rant>

Those who frequent my blog, I am sorry, this rage is not intended for you.