Hello and Help :)

[solidsnake]

Hello there everyone how do you do?
Since i am completely a newbie and even a new member to the site, i didn't where to introduce myself. However i thought i should do it here. Anyway the intro part:

I am new (obviously) to hacking and i was aiming somewhat to join the "Gray Hat Hacking" society. But to do that i understand i need to know and follow some guides. That is what i am merely doing. First i am trying to learn Python, ASP.NET, Visual basic, and Java. Of course some of them for hacking and some for just some work here and there. Currently i live in Egypt and i am 20 years old.

However after reading almost 2 books about ethical hacking and intros. I came to feel the need to accomplish something. I thought (after reading about 100-130 articles around various sites) about hacking techniques, i should probably start with telnet. Since also i have no constant internet access and i don't want to damage or get into any trouble i should start to telnet to localhost. Sadly i failed to use the telnet to connect through various ports (23,20,28,50,80,8080,500,17,21,22) i was wondering what is wrong...

I am using WinXP (i know how lame but i have some data on my HD i am not yet ready to part with to change to linux or even Unix). I used both command and cmd to run such sessions. The message is always connection to host failed. Nothing more nothing less. To be even more lame i pinged myself (OBVIOUSLY i am online) i tried both when i am offline and online.

Hope i haven't been rambling too much...
Thanks in advance and all the best wishes

EDIT: Sorry i forgot one other thing. I tried to get one of my firend's IP over MSN using Netstat -a but all i got was punch of IPs belonging to the sites i am browsing (hence the http attached to their ends) i tried both while chatting and while sending or downloading files sent to them or recieved by them... nothing worked.

[G-Brain]

Since i am completely a newbie and even a new member to the site, i didn't where to introduce myself.

I think there's a sticky somewhere. Don't worry though, this thread is fine.

I am new (obviously) to hacking and i was aiming somewhat to join the "Gray Hat Hacking" society.

What do you expect to find within that society? How do you define hacking? Why grey hat?

But to do that i understand i need to know and follow some guides.

For the basics, yeah. Don't ever stop reading, though. It's not like you can follow some tutorials and BAM you're a hacker. We're still looking for someone to write a guide like that.

That is what i am merely doing.

No need to make excuses.

First i am trying to learn Python, ASP.NET, Visual basic, and Java. Of course some of them for hacking and some for just some work here and there.

Why did you choose those languages? What kind of work do you expect to be doing? How will they help you hack?

However after reading almost 2 books about ethical hacking and intros.

Try listing them. Please note that "Ethical hacking" is a crock, the books are full of shit and the courses are a waste of time and money. It would be interesting to know what you got from it though.

I came to feel the need to accomplish something.

That's always good.

I thought (after reading about 100-130 articles around various sites) about hacking techniques, i should probably start with telnet.

The program or the protocol?

The protocol was used to log in to remote systems. It's a plain text protocol, and anyone that can see the packets can see what you're doing. It's unencrypted, and therefore no longer used. A popular alternative is SSH.

The program is used to establish raw connections to certain servers on certain ports. The web, for example, is port 80. If you telnet to suck-o.com on port 80, you'll have connected to the HTTP server. The HTTP protocol is plain-text, which means you can type commands in your telnet window, and the server will respond with an answer.

For example

Code: Select all

$ telnet www.g-brain.net 80
GET / HTTP/1.1
Host: www.g-brain.net

Followed by an [Enter], would request my index page (the forward slash).

http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616.html

Since also i have no constant internet access and i don't want to damage or get into any trouble i should start to telnet to localhost. Sadly i failed to use the telnet to connect through various ports (23,20,28,50,80,8080,500,17,21,22) i was wondering what is wrong...

You're trying to connect to closed ports. When bad_brain starts his Apache web server*, port 80 opens. Since you don't have a web server, port 80 is not open. Same thing for telnet (23), ftp (21), ssh (22), et cetera. You need a server.

Telnet today is most useful for learning about protocols, or connecting to bindshells.

* You know, Uncle Poopy's v1.272

I am using WinXP (i know how lame but i have some data on my HD i am not yet ready to part with to change to linux or even Unix).

Try a Linux LiveCD, LiveDVD, or LiveUSB distribution, and get used to Linux.

EDIT: Sorry i forgot one other thing. I tried to get one of my firend's IP over MSN using Netstat -a but all i got was punch of IPs belonging to the sites i am browsing (hence the http attached to their ends) i tried both while chatting and while sending or downloading files sent to them or recieved by them... nothing worked.

MSN doesn't make a direct connection between you to. You both connect to an MSN server, not to each other.

[DNR]

solidsnake,
welcome - you did a nice intro, better than most.
Here you will find lots of personality, wide age range, and various levels of skill. Grey-hat? yea, that is a good definition of suck-o, or any reputable hacking forum. It just means we admit we have an interest in both sides of hacking, black and white, it is our ethics that keep us closer to the 'good' side of hacking.

There are many good books out there, even I liked 'hacking exposed'. Try to read from various authors, even about the same subject matter, and it can help you get the right perspective on what you need to learn.

Don't give up on windows, it is still the most common OS in use, all over the world. You should know the inside and outs of this common OS. Don't let an elitist attitude convince you that you must know nix/nux now. I also have known AS400 and Novell. Windows or any OS can be a decent product with the proper administration.

Get another computer and make your own network at home. This hands-on is a big step in learning, and you will need computers that you can have access for hours on end, and view both sides of the converstation. You can play with a packetsniffer now, and see what traffic comes and goes from your network and the ISP. Later you might start scanning other networks, footprinting their network layout, ports used, and OS versions, etc.

Its a lot of fun, so get ready to jump in!

DNR

[solidsnake]

Thank you very much for the warm welcome...

What do you expect to find within that society? How do you define hacking? Why grey hat?

I expected (and found) a good knowledge of how computer connects to networks. how computer softwares work. and how can i connect my computers to others, not for destroying but for both obtaining knowledge and possibly fix some others for others (which has been asked of me already but i couldn't :S) Why Gray Hat. As i read once (i think in this forums) "No White nor Black Hat.. It is only Gray and it's shades" (in the meaning of.. of course) and i believe he is true.

Why did you choose those languages? What kind of work do you expect to be doing? How will they help you hack?

Not to sound as some on that takes the easy route... But i was directed to Python at first by some friend of mine as it is nearest to C++ and C in power but yet simple and easy to learn (tbh i tried C and i got lost after the second example in the book i was reading) Visual basic i try to learn to keep me going till i finish learning Python (VB is much easier and faster to learn). I am learning ASP.NET so i can understand web programming (till i can match my knowledge to meet the requirements of PHP) I aslo know HTML and it seemed as easy. Also learning Java because it is both a easy and efficient (Something like Python) aslo one of my goals after learning how to hack (i mean passing the beginners stage) is to develop games.. Java seemed fine (again i hate C)

The program or the protocol?

Probably the protocol as it ran under DOS

For some advice (another, sorry to be pushy) i have a laptop and a PC with network cards in both of course. Connecting both into network doesn't need ISP ? Also doesn't need any special or specific knwoledge in tinkering networks ?

[G-Brain]

Don't give up on windows, it is still the most common OS in use, all over the world. You should know the inside and outs of this common OS. Don't let an elitist attitude convince you that you must know nix/nux now. I also have known AS400 and Novell. Windows or any OS can be a decent product with the proper administration.

He showed obvious intentions of switching to Linux, I just suggested ways of doing that. No need for name calling, or dictating what other people should do.

Whether he needs to know Windows inside out depends on his interests.

solidsnake, try to answer some of the questions I posted so that we can get an idea of what you want and we can help you further.

[Lyecdevf]

Well to become a hacker one needs to know at least two operating systems very well. I would not take windows out of that equation but you do not have to like it! I use windows for what it is good for. Most hackers today use several operating systems.

[solidsnake]

ummm.... I did in the post just before your last

About Windows/Inx systems. Well the idea of knowing Windows inside out always fascinated me. But i never knew where to begin or how. But after learning windows throughly (DOS too) i will probably switch to Inx and learn ittoo

[G-Brain]

I expected (and found) a good knowledge of how computer connects to networks. how computer softwares work. and how can i connect my computers to others, not for destroying but for both obtaining knowledge and possibly fix some others for others (which has been asked of me already but i couldn't :S)

Cool

Why Gray Hat. As i read once (i think in this forums) "No White nor Black Hat.. It is only Gray and it's shades" (in the meaning of.. of course) and i believe he is true.

Hey, I think I read that once. That's actually pretty funny. I consider whitehats to be "security specialists" that spent a week watching training videos, without dedication or real understanding, who "ended up in IT". I'm not a big fan of those people.

Not to sound as some on that takes the easy route... But i was directed to Python at first by some friend of mine as it is nearest to C++ and C in power but yet simple and easy to learn

Minus the speed, that's a good argument. I agree with your friend.

(tbh i tried C and i got lost after the second example in the book i was reading)

That's understandable. I remember when I first saw C code. Don't worry about it, you'll get it eventually.

Visual basic i try to learn to keep me going till i finish learning Python (VB is much easier and faster to learn).

Hmm... I'd recommend sticking to Python. Visual Basic is pretty weird and gives you a lot of wrong ideas about programming, as I recall.

I am learning ASP.NET so i can understand web programming (till i can match my knowledge to meet the requirements of PHP)

The skill set required for each is about equal. The advantage of learning PHP is that it will work on Unix as well as on Windows. Learn that, and you cover more ground.

I aslo know HTML and it seemed as easy.

That's good. Remember to post some of your work, or maybe problems you're having. Be it HTML, Java, Visual Basic, or Python, it always helps to have an extra bag of eyes.

Also learning Java because it is both a easy and efficient (Something like Python)

Java is also cross-platform, which is indeed very handy. I'm a big fan of the JVM, Java not so much, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to learn it.

aslo one of my goals after learning how to hack (i mean passing the beginners stage) is to develop games..

Hacking is a skill set that you develop over a long period of time. It will help you develop games, as you'll find out soon enough.

Java seemed fine (again i hate C)

Oh, here's a rule in programming: you're not allowed to hate a language until you know it inside-out. You've only come so far as a single exercise. Don't hate on the unknown

The program or the protocol?

Probably the protocol as it ran under DOS

That would be the program. Don't worry about it, it's confusing.

[solidsnake]

Thanks G-Brain..

But i was wondering... Till now i am reading scattered articles from various sites, including of course this one. The most interesting thing so far is that i have gathered alot of knoweldge about alot of subjects yet i don't know how to use it in the best way. Also one other thing, i can't seem to find my "next step" on the line. I read stuff but i don't know how to go from that point on to advance and not stay in the same level.

I am a fan of "code" hacking. At first when i read Hacking for Dummies i started downloading every tool mentioned in the book. But as i read about telnet and about how can i use DOS to program (i mean the batch file making). I was fascinated. Now i am looking for ways to hack and learn where i can only use code whether it is in DOS, or something i have to code myself. Anyway i know you get asked alot about this thing... But am i on the right track? Is really coding better than using programs (i know i am having fun using telnet and batch files although i get only errors)?