Opensuse 12,3 to 13.1 System upgrade

Opensuse 12,3 to 13.1 System upgrade

   5:17 PM       Muhammad Alhaj

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 Now I will explane using command line - graphic tool and Manually

Command line

1. Check if the update repository already exists and is enabled.

 

zypper repos --uri

Check if http://download.opensuse.org/update/12.3/ (replace 12.3 with your version) exists in one of the URI column values, and Yes in column Enabled, like the example below,

#  | Alias           | Name            | Enabled | Refresh | URI
---+-----------------+-----------------+---------+---------+---------------------------------------
1  | repo-update     | repo-update     | Yes     | Yes     | http://download.opensuse.org/update/12.3/

If column Enabled says No, enable it by issuing this command, 

zypper modifyrepo --enable repo-update

where ‘repo-update’ is the name of the update repository.
If it exists and has been enabled, continue to step 3. 

2. Add update-repository

zypper addrepo --check --refresh --name 'openSUSE-12.3-Update' http://download.opensuse.org/update/12.3/ repo-update

 Replace 12.3 above with your current openSUSE version.

3. Update system to the latest packages

zypper refresh

zypper update

For more information, read Zypper Usage. 

Graphical tool

Using YOU

YaST Online Update (YOU) is used to get patches to correct and improve your existing installation. YOU can be started through the YaST Control Center which you'll find under System in your menu. Or you can press Alt+F2 and type: yast.
YOU will only install official patches and not package updates from various unsupported or 3rd party repositories.

Package Listing

YaST Online Update now displays the updates that are available to your system in the top left box. If you highlight a patch, you will see a description of the patch in the lower left box. More information including the size of the patch and version information can be found by highlighting a patch and looking in the top right hand box. Additional information including what packages the patch effects and its dependencies can be found in the lower right box.
To select a patch for downloading, it must have a check mark next to it. It is not necessary to download all available patches. Some may effect utilities you don't use or may be for hardware you don't have. For the most part, the descriptions are fairly good and should help you decide if it is an update you need. If it is a patch to existing software such as a kernel update you will see a swirl icon signifying an update. Other updates may be completely new packages. Should you get confused about what the symbols mean, click on Help -> Symbols for an explanation.
Once you have selected which packages to download and update, click "Accept".

Downloading and Updating

The next screen will display the progress of the downloading and updating according to the patches you have selected. Some packages may require you to agree to licensing terms or may have additional instructions on how to proceed with the update (these are the patches that may be skipped by a fully automatic update). You will see a checkbox near the bottom that says "Remove Source Packages after Update"; check that box if you do not want to keep the source packages. Leaving the box blank will save the source package so you can reinstall it later should you ever need to. This option should be selected if you want to save disk space.
Once the download is complete the Finish button in the bottom right corner will become active. Click it and you will be taken to a new screen. This screen shows the progress as various systems are restarted so the new updates can be integrated with your system. Once this process is complete the screen will close automatically, and your update is complete.

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Configuring the update servers

In order to get official updates via YOU, the update server must be added. This can be done automatically or manually.

Automatically

Note: This is only supported until openSUSE 11.2. If you had a network connection during installation you would have been offered to add the update repository at that time. If you haven't done so you can do it later by starting YaST and selecting Online Update Configuration from the Software tab in YaST Control Center.

Manually

Adding repositories

YaST software repositories
Start YaST by clicking on it under Software in your menu or by typing yast in the run command box (press Alt+F2).
Select Software Repositories.

Click on Add, select Specify URL.

Then enter a Repository Name and a URL. It's recommended to copy/paste URLs to avoid typos.

Package metadata will be downloaded and parsed - this takes time depending on mirror speed, your bandwidth, the size of the repository, the speed of your system.
You can remove or disable repositories at any time.

Some repositories never change, like the official oss and non-oss. You should set refresh to Off for them. Non official and update have new packages available all the time. It's convenient to have them refreshed automatically at start up.

YaST-ncurses

Simply type yast in console and press Enter. Now use your TAB and cursor keys to go to the right panel. Then use TAB and your arrow keys to navigate and go to Software Repositories. To add repositories, go to Add and select specify URL. Complete the fields with the necessary information then press Finish.

Zypper

You can add repositories to YaST with the command line interface Zypper.
The syntax is:

# zypper ar -f <URL> <alias>

ar	is short form of addrepo command
-f	instruction to zypper to add autorefresh flag to newly added repo
<URL>	is URL of the repo which you type in a browser to visit repo
<alias>	is name that is easy to remember

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Running the Upgrade

The following steps will show you how to upgrade your openSUSE distribution to the following release (eg. 12.3 -> 13.1). As already mentioned, any third party or OBS repositories can cause troubles, so it is recommended to disable or remove them before proceeding.

Before you begin

Make sure that you read the list of annoying bugs for the new version you are going to install. Some of them could affect the update process. Usually, alongside the bug is listed some solution or workaround, so make sure that you are prepared for upcoming problems.

Command line

As an example, we will be showing upgrade from 12.3 to 13.1 here:

• Take a look at all repos you have

  zypper lr

  and remove all third party/OBS repos you no longer need

  # zypper rr <alias>

• Change all remaining repo URLs to the new version of the distribution (needs to be run as root)

  # cp -Rv /etc/zypp/repos.d /etc/zypp/repos.d.Old

  (for a backup copy), then:

  # sed -i 's/12\.3/13\.1/g' /etc/zypp/repos.d/*

• If you are upgrading from 12.1 or older, add non-oss-update repo

  # zypper ar -f http://download.opensuse.org/update/13.1-non-oss/ repo-update-non-oss

• Refresh new repositories (you might be asked to accept new gpg key)

  # zypper ref

  If you haven't removed third party/OBS repositories you may encounter some errors as these repositories may not exist yet or they may have different unguessable URL. It is always recommended to remove them and add their newer version after upgrade.
• Now execute the full distribution upgrade. It is strongly recommended that you run this inside GNU screen or tmux to protect the upgrade process in case anything should go wrong with the X session during the upgrade. Packages for both screen and tmux are available in the main openSUSE repositories. tmux is probably a safer bet, because for example if upgrading from 12.1 to 12.2, you would go from a version of GNU screen which uses FIFO pipes to a version which uses UNIX sockets, and GNU screen has a bug which breaks compatibility between these two approaches, which means that you cannot resume a screen session created in 12.1 using the version of screen from 12.2.

  # zypper dup

  With the above command zypper will download all required packages and install them in heaps. To download all packages in advance, use:

  # zypper dup --download "in-advance"

If you did the above dist upgrade before the official release date (eg. 2013-11-19 for 13.1), you may have installed a Release Candidate (RC) or milestone version and will need to repeat the final zypper dup step now to receive the final release.

• Search for updated openSUSE 13.1 compatible third-party repositories that you used before if you still need them and add them.
  Warning Use with caution. Using third-party repositories may break your system or cause instabilities.

  zypper addrepo --name <name> <url> <alias>

  Or, if you have URL of a .repo file:

  # zypper ar <url.repo>

• After upgrade, reboot is recommended to start new kernel and newer versions of everything.

In addition, zypper up can be run from time to time to ensure you have the latest available packages from the various repositories that you have enabled. YOU (Yast Online Update) only addresses security updates from the official repositories.

 

 

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Build your own a Free VPN Server in Minutes and Securely Setup Android Client - hak5

Build your own a Free VPN Server in Minutes and Securely Setup Android Client - hak5

   4:15 PM       Muhammad Alhaj

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Setting up an OpenVPN Server with Android clients, connecting to preconfigured wifi channels on your Android device, and more!
Download HD Download MP4


Thanks to Micah and all others who pointed out the MS-CHAPv2 vulnetability demonstrated at DEFCON 20. I can't believe I missed this. Check out the writeup at cloudcracker.com
Previously on the show we used Adito to setup an OpenVPN server. This time I'm using Untangle and my Open Source router software of choice.
The setup couldn't be easier so follow along as I demonstrate an OpenVPN server setup on Untangle from within a Virtual Machine
Remember, once you've setup the OpenVPN app in Untangle and created your first user you'll want to hit Apply changes in order to find the Distribute link. Click Distribute and then the "Other OS" link to get the files you'll need for an Android client. Save 'em to the default location (~/Desktop) and now you'll be ready to SCP 'em to your phone or PC.
In Untangle just minimize the admin panel and you'll find a Terminal link in the bottom right. You'll find the config.zip file in the Desktop directory. In my demo the Android phone is running an SSH server on port 4444 so the command is

ssh -p 4444 user@
cd sdcard/untangle-vpn
mv hak5* untangle-vpn/

Once everything is in the right place it's simply a matter of opening OpenVPN Connect and importing the credentials from SD card.
If this is useful to you I encourage you to check out untangle.com/hak5 - it warms my heart to be sponsored by a cool open source project that I've been using since '09 and they might be a perfect fit for you too. --Darren

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How (and why) to set up a VPN today-PC

How (and why) to set up a VPN today-PC

   3:55 PM       Muhammad Alhaj

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Marissa Mayer made Yahoo's VPN famous by using it to check on the work habits of her employees. Lost amid today's VPN conversation, however, is the fact that virtual private networks are much more than just pipelines for connecting remote employees to central work servers.
And that's a damn shame, because VPNs can be helpful tools for protecting online privacy, and you need not be an office drone to enjoy their benefits.
A VPN, as its name suggests, is just a virtual version of a secure, physical network—a web of computers linked together to share files and other resources. But VPNs connect to the outside world over the Internet, and they can serve to secure general Internet traffic in addition to corporate assets. In fact, the lion's share of modern VPNs are encrypted, so computers, devices, and other networks that connect to them do so via encrypted tunnels.

Why you want a VPN

You have at least four great reasons to start using a VPN. First, you can use it to connect securely to a remote network via the Internet. Most companies maintain VPNs so that employees can access files, applications, printers, and other resources on the office network without compromising security, but you can also set up your own VPN to safely access your secure home network while you're on the road.

Second, VPNs are particularly useful for connecting multiple networks together securely. For this reason, most businesses big and small rely on a VPN to share servers and other networked resources among multiple offices or stores across the globe. Even if you don't have a chain of offices to worry about, you can use the same trick to connect multiple home networks or other networks for personal use.  

Third, if you're concerned about your online privacy, connecting to an encrypted VPN while you're on a public or untrusted network—such as a Wi-Fi hotspot in a hotel or coffee shop—is a smart, simple security practice. Because the VPN encrypts your Internet traffic, it helps to stymie other people who may be trying to snoop on your browsing via Wi-Fi to capture your passwords.
Fourth and finally, one of the best reasons to use a VPN is to circumvent regional restrictions—known as geoblocking—on certain websites. Journalists and political dissidents use VPNs to get around state-sponsored censorship all the time, but you can also use a VPN for recreational purposes, such as connecting to a British VPN to watch the BBC iPlayer outside the UK. Because your Internet traffic routes through the VPN, it looks as if you're just another British visitor.

Pick your protocol

When choosing a networking protocol for your VPN, you need worry only about the four most popular ones. Here's a quick rundown, including the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is the least secure VPN method, but it’s a great starting point for your first VPN because almost every operating system supports it, including Windows, Mac OS, and even mobile OSs.
Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) and Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) are more secure than PPTP and are almost as widely supported, but they are also more complicated to set up and are susceptible to the same connection issues as PPTP is.
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN systems provide the same level of security that you trust when you log on to banking sites and other sensitive domains. Most SSL VPNs are referred to as "clientless," since you don't need to be running a dedicated VPN client to connect to one of them. They're my favorite kind of VPN because the connection happens via a Web browser and thus is easier and more reliable to use than PPTP, L2TP, or IPsec. 

 

An SSL VPN server is designed to be accessed via Web browser and creates encrypted channels so that you can safely access the server from anywhere.

OpenVPN is exactly what it sounds like: an open-source VPN system that's based on SSL code. It's free and secure, and it doesn't suffer from connection issues, but using OpenVPN does require you to install a client since Windows, Mac OS X, and mobile devices don't natively support it.
In short: When in doubt, try to use SSL or OpenVPN. Keep in mind that some of the services highlighted in the next section don’t use these protocols. Instead, they use their own proprietary VPN technology.
Now, let's talk about how to create and connect to your own VPN. If you want simple remote access to a single computer, consider using the VPN software built into Windows. If you’d like to network multiple computers together quickly through a VPN, consider installing stand-alone VPN server software.
If you need a more reliable and robust arrangement (one that also supports site-to-site connections), consider using a dedicated VPN router. And if you just want to use a VPN to secure your Internet traffic while you're on public Wi-Fi hotspots and other untrusted networks—or to access regionally restricted sites—consider subscribing to a third-party hosted VPN provider.

Set up a simple VPN with Windows

Windows comes loaded with a VPN client that supports the PPTP and L2TP/IPsec protocols. The setup process is simple: If you're using Windows 8, just bring up the Search charm, type VPN, and then launch the VPN wizard by clicking Set up a virtual private network (VPN) connection.
You can use this client to connect securely to other Windows computers or to other VPN servers that support the PPTP and L2TP/IPsec protocols—you just need to provide the IP address or domain name of the VPN server to which you want to connect. If you're connecting to a corporate or commercial VPN, you can contact the administrator to learn the proper IP address. If you're running your own VPN server via Windows, you can figure out the server's IP address by typing CMD in the Search charm, launching the Command Prompt, and typing ipconfig. This simple trick comes in handy when you're setting up your Windows PC as a VPN server, and then connecting to it so that you can securely, remotely access your files from anywhere.

 

Quick note: When setting up incoming PPTP VPN connections in Windows, you must configure your network router to forward VPN traffic to the Windows computer you want to access remotely. You can do this by logging in to the router’s control panel—consult the manufacturer's instructions on how to do this—and configuring the port-forwarding or virtual-server settings to forward port 1723 to the IP address of the computer you wish to access. In addition, PPTP or VPN pass-through options need to be enabled in the firewall settings, but usually they're switched on by default.

If you're using Windows 7 and you need to connect to a VPN or to accept incoming VPN connections in that OS, check out our guide to setting up a VPN in Windows 7. 

Use third-party software to create a VPN server

If you’d like to create a VPN between multiple computers to share files and network resources without having to configure your router or to dedicate a PC to act as the VPN server, consider using third-party VPN software. Comodo Unite, Gbridge, and TeamViewer are all decent, reliable, and (most important) free.

LogMeIn Hamachi is a simple, elegant, and secure VPN client that's free for up to five users.

You can also use LogMeIn Hamachi for free with five or fewer users, but it's good enough that if you have more than five PCs you want to link up securely—say, as part of your small-but-growing business—you should consider paying for the full service.

Go whole hog with your own VPN router

If you want to get your hands dirty while providing robust remote access to an entire network, or if you wish to create site-to-site connections, try setting up a router on your network with a VPN server and client. If you’re working on a budget, the cheapest way to set up your own dedicated VPN router is to upload aftermarket firmware that enables VPN functionality, such as DD-WRT or Tomato, to an inexpensive consumer-level router.

The ZyXel USG20W VPN router is a smart investment if you want to set up your own dedicated VPN at home or in the office.

You can also purchase a specially designed router (commonly called a VPN router) with a VPN server built in, such as the ZyXel ZyWall 802.11n Wireless Internet Security Gigabit Firewall (USG20W), Cisco Wireless Network Security Firewall Router (RV220W), or Netgear ProSecure UTM Firewall with Wireless N (UTM9S).

When you're choosing a VPN router and third-party router firmware, make sure they support the VPN networking protocol you need for your devices. In addition, check the VPN router to verify how many simultaneous VPN users it supports.

Let a third-party VPN provider worry about it

If you merely want VPN access to cloak your Internet traffic while you're using public Wi-Fi or another untrusted network, or to access regionally restricted sites, the simplest solution is to use a hosted VPN provider. Hotspot Shield is my favorite, as it offers both free and paid VPN services for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. HotSpotVPN, StrongVPN, and WiTopia are other paid services we’ve reviewed in the past.

EFF

The Onion Router is an excellent, free utility that anonymizes your Internet activity through a series of servers scattered around the world.

If you want to keep your browsing activity anonymous but can't spare the cash for a paid VPN, check out the Onion Router, a network of servers that can anonymize your Internet traffic for free. Visit the TOR website and download the latest browser bundle, and then start browsing with the TOR extensions enabled. The software will encrypt your connection to the TOR server before routing your Internet traffic through a randomized series of servers across the globe, slowing your browsing speed but cloaking your online activity from prying eyes.

No matter how you choose to go about it, start using a VPN today. It takes a bit of work up front, but spending the time to get on a VPN is one of the smartest, simplest steps you can take toward making your online activities more secure. 

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