Re: [cobalt-users] [RaQ XTR] root pwd stolen, web services down,lostcontrol over machine

["Carrie Bartkowiak" <ravencarrie@xxxxxxxx>]

>                     KuwaitNet Communications Inc.
>         Bashar A AlAbdulhadi            UNIX Systems Administrator
>         bashar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx            http://www.KuwaitNet.net
>         Phone: (KW) +965-2647060        Fax: (KW) +965-5337060
>         Phone: (US) +514-2417955        Fax: (US) +208-2755778
>         ICQ UIN: 19907999               Pager: (KW) 9312471
>         IRC: Big @ #Kuwaitnet           YaHoO ID: kuwaitnets
>         Toll free (from USA & Canada only)  1-888-KuwaitNET
>
>            "Quality, Stability, 24 Hours Tech. Support"
>                           "Think KuwaitNet"


Bashar,
Just a little helpful info here.

First, take off that signature line. All of it. You've given hackers
11 different ways to track you down. You show your level of knowledge
on the list, with certain questions you ask, etc. - and then you're
advertising your URL. That's like saying "Hey, I'm not sure if my
server is secure or not, here's the address of it - come on in!"  :)

Second, don't post from an address that is on your server. Use your
home ISP (unless you're paranoid), or a free email account. Sending
mail from your server addy is also another way for someone to look at
your posts and think that you look like an easy target.

Third, please don't top-post. That *really* annoys some people.
Top-posting is when you hit reply and just start typing... the letter
you're replying to ends up beneath what you've typed. So before the
rest of us know what you're talking about, we have to scroll down past
your post and read, then scroll back up and read what you've written.
That's if they even bother to go through that after seeing that you've
top-posted. A lot of old-timers won't even read top-posted stuff. I
know, I know, your email program just automatically puts the cursor at
the top of the screen and you end up typing above the quoted reply.
Doesn't matter. Use your little arrow button to move to the *bottom*
of the screen - after carefully deleting all of the irrelevant lines
in the original post - and *then* start typing your message. It's
super easy to do, takes two seconds or so. (Yet this is still the
lamest and most common excuse for not top-posting.)

Fourth, if you wanna get really picky, signatures should be 4 lines or
less. Yours is 11 lines, and on my 1024x768 display, it takes up an
entire 3 inches. On a smaller display, it would take up most of the
page. Find a way to trim that signature down if you're determined to
keep it (not a good idea - refer to the first point and the next
point).

Fifth, having a signature line advertising your services on this list
is pretty pointless anyway... we're all server admins here and most of
us are running web hosting companies. We don't need services... we've
got our own. So not only is the signature file advertising the
location of your server to hackers, it's also a waste of space. Kinda
like trying to sell bread to a baker... get the idea?   :)

Sixth (now I'm just rambling), in the US we don't put our phone
numbers as +514-2417955. Properly formatted for Americans with
infamously short-termed memories and shorter amounts of patience, that
number would be 514.241.7955 or (514) 241-7955.  Big long strings of
numbers like how you have it formatted gets us confused, makes our
eyes cross, and generally causes us to have to dial it ten times
before we get it right.  *grin*

Seventh - I've seen you post at least three times now where you posted
a new, unrelated question as a reply to another thread. Questions get
lost and unanswered that way... when you've got a question that
doesn't pertain to the thread, just start a new post rather than
hitting 'Reply'. That gives it an easy way to be followed, helps it
show up better in a search through the archives, and makes sure that
anyone with knowledge in that topic sees it (when they might be
ignoring the thread you're Replying to, otherwise).

Generally go back and read the Meta-Faq that you received when you
signed up, and which is posted about once a month. It will save you a
lot of trouble in the long run; you won't get 'flamed' by hardcore "do
what I say and not what I do" list members like Dan and your questions
will get answered more frequently.

Hope that helps!
CarrieB