There are two clues that your WordPress site has been attacked.

There are strange additions to the pretty permalinks, such as example.com/category/post-title/%&(%7B$%7Beval(base64_decode($_SERVER%5BHTTP_REFERER%5D))%7D%7D|.+)&%/. The keywords are “eval” and “base64_decode.”

The second clue is that a “back door” was created by a “hidden” Administrator. Check your site users for “Administrator (2)” or a name you do not recognize. You will probably be unable to access that account.

Please Upgrade for Gods sake, I dont want to see my readers or listeners get their sites hacked.
Also please download the WP- Security plugin from the WordPress.org site and make sure that all scans are GREEN.

How to know what version of WordPress you are using?
At the bottom right of every WP admin page it shows the version number.

How do I upgrade WordPress?
If you are using 2.8 or later its easy goto Tools > Upgrade and update your WordPress install for their.
If 2.8 or older you will have to download the latest version of WP from WordPress.org.

My WordPress site did get hacked!
All I can say is goto this site and it explains what to do,

http://smackdown.blogsblogsblogs.com/2008/06/24/how-to-completely-clean-your-hacked-wordpress-installation/

• Express – Download Speed: Up to 1.5 Mbps, Upstream Speed: Up to 1.0 Mbps
• Pro – Download Speed: Up to 3.0 Mbps, Upstream Speed: Up to 1.0 Mbps
• Elite – Download Speed: Up to 6.0 Mbps, Upstream Speed: Up to 1.0 Mbps
• Max – Download Speed: Up to 12.0 Mbps, Upstream Speed: Up to 1.5 Mbps
• Max 18 – Download Speed: Up to 18.0 Mbps, Upstream Speed: Up to 1.5 Mbps

Now I have just one note to ad here just down right BAD.
Now if you take a look over at Verizon’s Fios High-speed Internet the upstream is 5Mbps with an down of 15Mbps, Hell I get that right now with Comcast.
I dont know about you but this is an AT&T FAIL upload like a DSL :D

Recently I came upon a problem where Vista wouldn’t show my external Hard Drive as a drive letter, it was kind frustrating because when I powered it on, the computer showed that something was being installed.
so I just GOOGLED it. This only brought up fragmented questions and answers … maybe I should have Binged it LOL.  Anyway here is what I found and what worked for me

First turn off the external Hard drive and Open up your Device Manager Via the Control panel.
Browse to the Universal Serial Bus Controller and expand the menu to see the devices.
You might want to maximize the window so you can see all the devices in the menu. Note: You need to note all the devices in the menu this is the key otherwise you will have to start all over.
Now power on the External Drive. Once the Device manager has been refreshed look for the device that has just been installed.

The Driver that was installed on my computer was oddly a camera driver! kinda odd huh. Well I had installed this camera about a month ago, you might have seen this type of camera before, the type that doesn’t use mass storage… its better known for being a e El cheapo camera with less than QVGA specs. and the type you get at the dollar store for 5-10 bucks.

Well reader do you want to know how I made the external hard drive work again? Ok I’ll tell you. All I did is right click on the device that was just installed and clicked “Update Driver Software” Next you will get another screen click “Browse my computer for driver software” after that Choose “Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer” and select the “USB Mass Storage Device” Driver And POW it will work I hope this works for you, and have fun with your Hard Drive that has Come Back to life :D

Steve Cherubino Podnutz.com
Ben Straw – BensTechShow.com
Steve McLaughlin – DoorToDoorGeek.com
Topics: Spinrite, Netbooks, Music Subscription Services

Running time: 1:02:33
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Being a Podcaster and publisher of audio content, recording my guests and interviews can be a big challenge. Recording skype on windows (mainly Vista 64 bit) is not fun at all, with a LONG list of programs that do so many different things and some programs require you to jump through hoops (uninstall, reinstall, install this, install that). Macs users have it a little easier and less hassle. The list below are links and a little run down for Free and Payed applications to record skype.

Mac

Übercaster
Ubercaster is a all in one production suite for podcasting. It lets a podcaster prepare, record, cut and release your show. With its Native Skype panel that records Skype conversations. This is due to the fact that Ubercaster uses the official Skype API to communicate with the popular chat application, and that is what makes it the best.  ($79.99)

Audio Hijack Pro
*Editors Pick* Record from applications like iTunes, Skype, Firefox, even hardware like Microphones, mixers and other sound cards. Audio Hijack Pro is as easy as a selecting the application and clicking Hijack.  ($32)

Call Recorder
Call Recorder is an add-on for Skype which automatically transforms your audio to ACC or MP3 and can also transform Skype video calls into QuickTime movies. ($14.95)

GarageBand
It’s a great application to use for creating your own music or the almighty podcast. ($79.99)  Using LineIn (Free) and Soundflower (Also Free) and a little workaround you can get GarageBand to record skype.

WireTap Studio
Using WireTap Studio, you can record the discrete audio output of any application, as well as all system audio, or record audio input from any microphone, line-in, or audio input hardware. WireTap Studio also boasts full Audio Unit effects support, for adding professional quality effects to your audio. ($69)

Windows

Virtual Audio Cable
*Editors Pick* Not a well known Program, and a very good one at that. What you can do is take a USB Microphone or microphone input, and the Sound cards “Sound Mixer” and pipe it to a Virtual audio cable and record the Vcable in your favorite recording program. The down side you have to open two of these programs and if you are using Microsoft Vista 64 bit you want to run this application in “Test Mode” but its well worth it. ($30- Free to try).

Hot Recorder
This program has High rave reviews looking it over it gets an “A” for ease if use “F” for the creators bad taste in IFrame Image pane website. ($14.95)

i-Sound
Also a nice program that has a good Voice-Activation (VOX) system that automatically monitors the input source and activates streaming recording when the input volume reaches a specified level. and one thing most can is record MIDI. ($29.95)

Pamela
Pamela isn’t really a recorder but a answering machine, to tell you the truth I never cared for Pamela. it was a little hard to setup. All I can say is… toyed with it, and didn’t like it. (€19,95)

PowerGramo skype recorder
PowerGramo skype recorder, I can say looks like a bad translated program… but has some good features that most don’t. Memo/Note while recording a call (Very good to note if someone drope the F bomb and what to note the time), Logs skype chat messages together with voices, and mix music with callers during a skype call. ($14.95 Basic, $44.95 Enterprise)

PrettyMay Call Recorder
This application is almost a spitting image of Pamela and with her, I had the same feeling. one nice feature is the ability to record chat and multi-chat history, I dont know how many times I forgot a link to throw into the show notes. (Free 15min, $24.95 Pro)

Skylook and CallBurner
Both the highest priced windows skype software. Skylook is a allinone app with including a answering machine($100). Callburner is just a skype recorder with out any bells or whistles($50) . Most wouldn’t think twice about buying this software.

MX Skype Recorder
MX Skype Recorder is one of the most popular and most basic recorders around. One nice feature is the ability to record conversations in either single or dual audio track (one channel for input (Guest), other for output (Yourself)). The Pro version allows you to record Google Talk, Y! Messenger and other VOIP Applations. Starting at $14.95 for the Basic and $24.95 for Pro.

Skype Recorder – Skype Recorder created by Extralabs Software was one of my favorites it recorded a nice skype call. On vista 64 it does have some problems reliability is one when testing it wouldn’t always allow you to record. ($18.95 Single user)

Skype Call Recorder – During my test I was unable to use due to a .Net runtime error that I couldn’t get fixed But you get what you pay for… mmm oh wait its FREE

Places like Hulu, Joost, Surfthechannel.com, Fancast Netflicks, and for those of you who are over the pond BBC iPlayer.
With all the choices of programing and sites that have the programing, its hard to choice a favorite place to watch shows. and then you have other video sites like Youtube, Daily motion and clipmoon.
not to mention people like me, who create content on Ustream, Stickam, or Justin.tv.

For years we where stuck with broadcast and here comes a new type of Media called oddly enough “New Media”. ISP’s like Comcast, Cox, ATT, and Others, who are content providers them selves want to destroy it.
Big wigs that sit high and mighty in their $500 office chairs on top of the world, need to think short and hard on how they can make money with this type of media, Because New Media is here to stay.

In the past and present other company’s have made free (my favorite kind) and payed tools, all have ups and downs and some dont work at all I.E. AV 2009.

Back in 2005 Microsoft created its own spyware killer called “Windows Defender” along with “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool”, Both came to the tech world with BIG criticism, most where saying “WHY?” I also said the same thing a time or two. Now 4 years into the game Microsoft has improved there Software and Services (yes that includes Vista) one is the Malicious Software Removal Tool (MRT), which is updated once a month using Windows Update or Automatic Updates.

Once you update the computer it is ran after the restart… Well Mine Doesn’t! DAMN XP.
After listening to Security Now With Steve Gibson, I learned about the MRT and how to use it, when ever you want.

MRT lives in the Windows System32 directory under the name MRT.exe.

Simply goto “Start” “Run” and type “MRT” (or type “mrt” on the command line) and there you go.

MRT has three options Quick Scan, Full Scan, and Custom Scan. After the system restarts it runs a quick scan, BUT as all techs know a Full Scan is better.
If you want to view the log from the resulting scan then enter

%WinDir%\Debug\mrt.log

in the Run… dialog. This should open it (the log) in a standard text format.
As you may have found out, this cool tool by Microsoft is a good tool to put in any Tech’s Bag of tricks.

“Dear MySpace User,

MySpace has just launched support for maiden names where you can enter your maiden name, keep your new married name and still have all of your friends find you.

All you have to do is fill in your maiden name here.

Thanks!

Tom

PS – While you’re filling in your maiden name, you can also add alternative email addresses and Instant Messaging handles that people can use to find you as well.”