I don’t blame the author of the software or the PHP programming language. It was an easy mistake to make. I still intend on using the software (and upgrade to the newest version even). It was my own fault for not keeping a closer eye on the server logs and on the TNG mailing list to notice that this kind of thing was going on.

I haven’t actually been able to pinpoint the exact day or time when the hack occurred. The first attempts began in mid-March. I don’t think the hack actually occurred until just a few days ago, when I noticed the page on my site was posted in a Spanish-language forum as a badge of honour as it were. Thankfully, the kids trying this stuff out aren’t really that bright, as witnessed by a lot of failures to even copy and paste correctly.

One of them actually managed to copy a couple of executables that looked like IRC server software or something, but was undoubtedly stopped cold when it had no chance of running on my server’s architecture.

These are the IPs of the machines from which these kiddies attempted their hacks, followed by the URLs where they hosted their payloads:

Update (18 Jul 2007): I’ve created a quick and dirty live feed of hack attempts and the external links from where the attack scripts are being hosted, seeing as I’m still getting the odd attempt now and then…

Update (15 Sep 2007): List removed since it’s grossly out of date.

I’ve found a new toy to occupy my time… facebook.com. I joined back in Nov, 2006, when they opened their doors to the public. I heard a lot of MySpace people were migrating to Facebook, and I wanted to see what the big deal was. Well, not a whole lot was going on at the time.

But only just a week or two ago, friend requests started trickling in from old school chums I hadn’t seen in 10 – 15 years! Now I’ve got several dozen people on there that I’ve either gone to school with or worked with, and it’s starting to feel like it’s building to a critical mass. Give it a try!

As I write this, faceborg.com is still untaken for those with a sense of humour.

Up a Paddle (iTunes Link)
The weekly ramblings of my buddy Kentcer. Mostly covers news and reviews of computers, video games, movies, and anime. Filled with “Angry Dome” rants and pseudo-scientific “Random Facts,” it’s both entertaining and educational.

JamesPod (iTunes Link)
Those of you from Regina or the surrounding area may remember The James and Kevin Show from Cable Regina and Access Communications. Well, James is back in his own podcast with the same witty and irreverent humour as before. Also simulcast in youtube and blip.tv.

Two Girls and a Podcast (iTunes Link)
Two great gals from New Brunswick host a show about books, movies, tv, or anything else that suits their fancy. ‘A’ is for awesome…

BLARM! (iTunes Link)
What is it with chicks from Atlantic Canada and podcasting? An audible diary of a girl named WankerGirl, including all the ups and downs that go with it. It’s another lovable, quirky podcast. She must be doing something right, as she’s now part of the PodShow Network.

Podpackers (iTunes Link)
Hosted by Heath Corson, Ned Mochel, and Krista Lally. You might already be familiar with a couple of them if you’ve seen the Cake short. A new episode comes out every two weeks. Season one has ended, but they say season two will be starting up early next year. Hard to tell if they’re acting, or genuinely shooting the breeze. Either way, it’s brilliant.

Already In Progress (iTunes Link)
Another “shootin’ the breeze” podcast. Two friends, Jason and Gary, catch eachother up on their previous days’ activities. Not sure what it is, but it’s surprisingly captivating (possibly, it’s Gary’s infectious laugh). Slightly erratic schedule, but a new episode seems to come out every few days. Each episode ends quite abruptly, usually on a funny note.

Chicken Fried Radio (iTunes Link)
I’ve referenced this podcast before. This one has been a featured iTunes podcast in the comedy section. Another ensemble cast (T E, Christian, Abby, and sometimes Ryan or a special guest). It’s not very often that a podcast comes along that has its own Wikipedia entry. Very regular schedule. Once a week; new episodes on Wednesdays. Also has its own fan forums. Based out of Austin, Texas.

Naughty Karate (iTunes Link)
Slightly musically oriented. Hosted by Jaime and Kyle, and based out of Brooklyn, New York. Quirky podcast where they talk about pretty much whatever the hell they want. Catchy theme.

Chub Creek (iTunes Link)
Two best friends from the same small town in Ontario, grow up, spread out to different parts of the country, become fathers, and find eachother online after having not seen the other in years. Amatuer musicians, Dave and Gary, write and play their original songs for the podcast, as well as doing some skits to pass the time. Due to an extended leave of absence by Gary, Dave has been hosting the show by himself lately.

This is Screaming Halibut (iTunes Link)
Weird name. Funny show. Geek humour galore. Audio sketch comedy from Toronto, Ontario, I believe. Each episode is 10 minutes long.

Remember Line Rider? Amazing!

So who am I? I’m a geek.

Officially, my given name is Robert, but I prefer to go by Bob. I’m half Irish and half German, but 100% Canadian. I was born in, raised, and am currently living in Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan. Having been born on October 12th, 1976, means I am now in my 30′s, and I can’t wait to see what that brings.

I’m a software programmer by trade. Having a father in the industry, I’ve been around computers practically all my life. I love problem solving and designing algorithms, and I get off on making computers do my bidding. My favourite platforms of choice are Mac OS and Unix, which means I think Mac OS X is the best operating system in the world. But I know the world needs Windows, too. I’m currently employed by a large federal corporation here in town.

I love movies and rarely find anything bad to say about them. My favourite kinds of movies are comedies, sci-fi, fantasy, and action. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies, but I also love a good Hong Kong shoot ‘em up. I have more DVDs than I’ll ever be able to watch (and now an ever-increasing collection of Blu-rays), and that’s A-OK with me. Some of my favourites are 12 Monkeys, Bean, Office Space, Dutch, Hudson Hawk, Galaxy Quest, Groundhog Day, Swordsman, and Sneakers. My favourite actors include Bruce Willis, Stephen Chow, Jackie Chan, Bill Murray, and Rowan Atkinson.

I don’t watch anywhere near as much TV now as I did in the 80s as a kid. I still love to watch my early childhood cartoons like Rocket Robin Hood, Spider-Man, The Mighty Hercules, Dungeons and Dragons, Gummi Bears, M.A.S.K., and so on. The best series, past or present, is Doctor Who, and I love every British comedy that has ever been written. Except for The Mighty Boosh; that stuff’s just plain weird.

Canadian Football is my favourite sport, the Riders are my favourite team, and I don’t watch NFL. I’ll watch hockey as long as it’s the playoffs or the Olympics, but will just as easily turn it off or turn to something else. I refuse to watch golf, baseball, and basketball, but I’ll watch soccer or rugby as it’s something different. Nascar is not a sport.

I used to carry my entire music collection with me on my iPod, but have since moved to an iPhone, requiring me to be a little more selection. In some respects, that’s OK, as my musical taste seems to have frozen sometime in 2002. My tastes vary wildly, but there are some artists and bands I can always trust to deliver like They Might Be Giants, R.E.M., Chemical Brothers, and FatBoy Slim. I don’t know if I’ll like something until I hear it, so I have a lot of one hit wonders and chart toppers (unless it’s hip hop or from the last 7 or 8 years). I also have a lot of soundtracks and scores from movies, tv shows, and video games that I’ve enjoyed over the years. Generally, I don’t like easy listening or jazz unless, of course, I’ve heard it and liked it. To sum up in as few words as possible, I’d say anything that I can tap my feet to.

I’d love to travel, but have never done anything about it. I prefer more temperate locales, as I hate being hot and sweaty. The UK and Scandinavia are my dream vacation spots, but I could probably convince myself to go anywhere if I worked at it hard enough. My biggest obstacle is food, as I have zero imagination or courage when it comes to experimenting with food. To me, meat and potatoes is not a stereotype, but a way of life.

I collect comic books, but rarely ever read them. Much like my movies, it’s more about the collecting, categorizing, sorting, organizing, and recording in a database, that I enjoy than the actual spoils.

Genealogy is my favourite hobby, but I don’t hang out in graveyards like some kind of devil worshipper.

I hate small talk, and would prefer silence instead of it. This is because I don’t read the news, I don’t listen to the news, and I don’t watch the news. Politics don’t interest me in the slightest bit, but I still vote when I’m told, usually for whoever I hate the least (I had a fleeting romance with Canadian politics recently, but that was abruptly quashed on election day). I was raised Roman Catholic, and went to Catholic schools, but I don’t go to church, I don’t pray, and to me the Pope is just a nice old man. In short, I’m an agnostic, but I still like to think there is or was a higher power at some point, at that there is something for us to do after we die, whether or not it’s heaven, because life seems short enough as it is. Basically, I know right from wrong, and that’s all I feel I need. That’s my own opinion, I don’t try to force it on others, and I have no problems with people having their own beliefs and opinions. I just wish they wouldn’t try to push it on others, or judge people because they’re different.

Carl King wrote a pretty good piece on what he calls the 10 Myths About Introverts that I think explains a lot about me.

Did I miss anything? Questions? Comments? Drop me a line.

Go Riders!