Issue #151 / Jul 2013

Highlights:

We look at SharePoint integration and show you how to manage Active Directory from Linux. But first, a special story on a dangerous new class of intrusion tools.

Cover Stories:

• Drive-By Attack: The latest generation of attack tools is so subtle, all you have to do is click a link sent through email or even an instant message service.
• Alfresco: This open source collaboration tool offers easy integration with SharePoint.
• adtool: Rule your Active Directory from the Linux command line.

Also in this issue:

• Table of Contents
• Comment: Disruption
• On the DVD: Ubuntu 13.04
• DVD Inlay
• News
• Tech Tools: SkySQL Merges with Makers of MariaDB; AMD Announces New Custom Chip Operation; SUSE Studio 1.3 Released; New Supermicro Storage Solution; Nginx 1.4
• OpenWrt: We show you how to use this  specialty Linux to convert your home  router into a mini Linux server.
• Ask Klaus:  This month Klaus looks at bootonly images, data partitions, and cooling Mayah.
• Raspberry Pi Weather: We show you how to interface your Raspberry Pi with a weather station.
• Bind 10: The latest release of the classic open source DNS server comes with new  configuration tools and an innovative modular design.
• Security Lessons: Code signing is a wonderful concept – unfortunately, many developers don't bother to use it.
• Controlling Model Trains with Linux: The very versatile and flexible Linux is a perfect candidate for managing your model train empire.
• Charly’s Column – Snoopy: Keep a log of commands that runwith root privileges.
• Perl – Tmux Configuration: Pre-configure terminal sessions with Perl and Tmux.
• Doghouse – Distro Decisons: Hundreds of Linux distributions are available on servers around the world. Which one is best? It depends on your taste and your environment.
• LibreOffice 4.0: Firefox personas and powerful new features – we explore the latest release of the leading open source office suite.

NEWS: Welcome

Editorial

The long anticipated phenomenon of 3D printing, which the futurists have long identified as a potential “disruptive technology,” truly arrived this month with the appearance of the first 3D-printing controversy: 3D printing of cheap hand guns. Pop science prognosticators who have been bleary-eyed over the “promise” of 3D printing seemed caught off guard by the appearance of the first 3D guns. (You mean this wasn’t just for printing heart valves and Ironman exoskeletons?) At last, 3D printing was not just a quirky popular science oddity, but something that could serve as the fodder for moral arguments – by both sides, and a blogosphere seemingly thrilled to have some new material for speech making and hand wringing.

SERVICE: Table of Contents: 152

What's inside the July 2013 issue

We look at SharePoint integration and show you how to manage Active Directory from Linux. But first, a special story on a dangerous new class of intrusion tools.

SERVICE: On the DVD: Ubuntu 13.04

This Month's DVD

The newest Ubuntu release continues Canonical’s quest for a system that combines an inspired desktop experience with seamless integration to Internet resources. The latest release includes several improvements to the default Unity desktop, as well as an easy interface to online photo archives and convenient access to social networking tools. The futuristic (yet controversial) desktop search feature provides integrated access to resources at Amazon and the Ubuntu store.

NEWS: Linux News

News

• US gov embraces open data
• Apache Cdorked.A exploit discovered
• News Bites

New Intel CEO

• FSF scolds W3C
• Torvalds releases Kernel 3.9
• Xen new LF collaboration project

Operating Systems

• Debian 7.0“wheezy” debuts
• Windows XP most likely to be victim of attack.

NEWS: Tech Tools

• SkySQL Merges with Makers of MariaDB
• AMD Announces New Custom Chip Operation
• New Supermicro Storage Solution
• SUSE Studio 1.3
• Nginx 1.4 Released

: Stopping Drive-By Attacks

Tools to prevent drive-by attacks

You won't find a perfect solution to the growing problem of drive-by attacks, but many tools are available to help you keep malicious code off your network.

: Alfresco

Cross-platform collaboration with Alfresco

The Alfresco collaboration tool lets you track documents, share content, and collaborate with team members – and it integrates nicely with Microsoft SharePoint.

: adtool

Managing Active Directory from Linux with adtool

The simple but useful adtool lets you manage an Active Directory domain from the Linux command line.

REVIEWS: LibreOffice 4.0

LibreOffice 4.0 tested

LibreOffice celebrates its birthday with the release of the first version with a 4 in front of the dot. All modules offer substantial improvements and the kinds of changes that warrant a major version. We look at some features worth celebrating.

KNOW-HOW: Router as a Mini-Server

Pimp your TL-MR3020 mobile router

Many devices now run Linux – but mostly as a closed source firmware that you cannot access. We show how to use OpenWrt to free the TL-MR3020 router from its proprietary firmware and convert it into an all-around server for your home network.

KNOW-HOW: Ask Klaus!

Klaus Knopper answers your Linux questions

Klaus Knopper is the creator of Knoppix and co-founder of LinuxTag expo. He works as a teacher, programmer, and consultant. If you have a configuration problem, or if you just want to learn more about how Linux works, send your questions to: klaus@linux-magazine.com

KNOW-HOW: Tapping Data with the RaspPi

Access data from a weather station with the Raspberry Pi

If you have a weather station that allows you to access data via a USB port, you can use your Raspberry Pi to analyze the data and publish the results via a web application.

SYSADMIN: Bind 10 Test Drive

Exploring the new Bind 10 name server

Admins have waited all of five years for the 10th major release of the Bind name server, which appeared at the end of March this year. The latest release is a complete rewrite of the DNS server, with a modular design and new configuration tools, but is it ready for business?

: Security Lessons: Signing Code

Insecure updates are the rule, not the exception

Kurt looks at the practice of code signing and examines why so few upstream open source projects actually do it.

KNOW-HOW: Linux-Controlled Model Train

Python, Linux, and Lionel trains

Controlling a miniature train empire with concurrent Linux processes.

: Charly's Column: Snoopy

The sys admin's daily grind: Snoopy

Sometimes sys admin Charly needs to know when exactly he did something ingenious on one of his servers. Finding an infallible memory aid is difficult, you might think. "Peanuts!" says Charly.

PROGRAMMING: Perl: Tmux Configuration

A Perl script controls Tmux configuration

Instead of manually rearranging windows in a development environment time and time again, the Tmux terminal multiplexer can restore them from a configuration script.

LINUXUSER: Command Line: Logging Tools

User commands and logs

Many logging and user-related commands can help you check on your system and keep track of security matters. We guide you through several helpful tools.

LINUXUSER: Workspace: Linux on Android

Transform an Android device into a Linux machine

If you want to install Linux on an Android device, you have several options. We examine some of the possibilities.

LINUXUSER: Fine Art HDR Processing

Luminance HDR offers top-notch high dynamic range imaging

Processing images with a high dynamic range – that is, an image with a wide range of values between its bright and dark areas – is possible with open source Luminance HDR.

LINUXUSER: 3D Molecular Visualizer

Four 3D molecular visualizers compared

Modern chemistry and biochemistry are hard to understand without 3D models. In this article, we look at programs that bring order to the chaos of connected atoms by arranging them in functional sections and in three dimensions.

COMMUNITY: Doghouse: Distro Decisions

Selecting a distribution is a personal decision

maddog explains what's behind his use of particular Linux distributions.