Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Python script used to list out all possible bitflipped domains

Here's the script I used about a year ago to generate every bit flip variant of a domain.  It enabled me to find this domain and some others.  After you generate the list, dump it into Namecheap's bulk domain checker page.  It allows you to check up to 50 domains per page load, which is pretty nifty.

http://micrmsoft.com/puzzlerchallengeh4u3t4enjr8gr94/bitflip.py

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Our laser maze from the BrainTank conference

One important detail the
journalist left out: Every
time someone fails, our laser
maze hurls insults at the
unfortunate loser. Click
here to see full size.








Here's a news article from the Sept 15th, 2012 BrainTank mini-conference we had in Providence. My involvement with it was the construction of the laser maze.  The initial design of the challenge was done by me and my friend Megan.  She owned the physical design, I owned the design of the electronics and programming.  There was a lot of crossover as we helped each other through many design challenges.  We also had huge amounts of help from friends on the day of deployment.  The project was a huge success and I am very proud of myself and everyone who contributed.  Next year I hope to build an even better version.

I spent several months beforehand sourcing all the parts I could.
-5mW 650nm lasers(count:100)
-650nm photoresistors(count:70)
-2xAA battery holders with batteries(count:100)
-All the scrap CAT5 and CAT4 cable I could find
-Arduino Mega and assorted resistors

It was a challenge finding the correct part when all the information I had on it was a sheet of specifications and a single photo of the object.  On top of that, I didn't know much about electronics.  I was going to learn with this project.  I had to be careful with my purchases because even though I was buying "samples", I couldn't get any of these companies to deal with me for less than 100$.  I checked, rechecked, and sent off the Western Union money.  A few weeks later, I get a big box in the mail.  LASERS : 100 PIECES

Now we're in business!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Releasing the source code of my puzzler

A couple months ago I released a puzzler on the PaulDotCom podcast and challenged people to complete it.    I designed it to be devious and to foil all automated script kiddie scanners while still being vulnerable.  Today, I got around to putting the source code together in a package so you could run it yourself, or look at the source code if you want to use parts of the challenge to your own ends.  I impose no license restrictions on it.  Do with it as you wish and use at your own risk.

The file is located here:
http://micrmsoft.com/puzzlerchallengeh4u3t4enjr8gr94/package.zip

Here is a copy of the readme file with instructions:

My puzzler.  This is a challenge created and designed to be completed within a day.  It was something I wrote up in a few weekends.  I didn't make the code pretty so it might take a little while to adapt to your own servers if you want to set it up.  If you want to take the time, the instructions are here.  You'll need to change a couple references to domains in some PHP files and a pcap.  You'll also need to set up mySQL, an IRC server, and install Comic Sans which is a nonstandard font on Linux.  I set this up on an Ubuntu box but you can probably make it work on any flavor of Linux.