What are the best security practices for your forms and databases

What are some of the best security practices to follow to
ensure your database isn't attacked with injections, forms abused
with snippets of code, and mass spam DB inserts on your
forms?

On Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:17:01 +0000 (UTC), "jsteinmann"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>What are some of the best security practices to follow to
ensure your database isn't attacked with injections, forms abused
with snippets of code, and mass spam DB inserts on your forms?
David Powers books on php for Dw give detailed advice on how
to do
forms, first with html, and then validate them with secure
php
scripts.
http://foundationphp.com/
~Malcolm N....
~

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What is the best security package for an imac using yosimity

What is the best security package for an imac using Yosimity

Mac users often ask whether they should install "anti-virus" software. The answer usually given on ASC is "no." The answer is right, but it may give the wrong impression that there is no threat from what are loosely called "viruses." There is a threat, and you need to educate yourself about it.
1. This is a comment on what you should—and should not—do to protect yourself from malicious software ("malware") that circulates on the Internet and gets onto a computer as an unintended consequence of the user's actions. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the computer, or who has been able to take control of it remotely. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it.
The comment is long because the issue is complex. The key points are in sections 5, 6, and 10.
OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user. Internally Apple calls it "XProtect."
The malware recognition database used by XProtect is automatically updated; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
☞ It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
☞ It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
As new versions of OS X are released, it's not clear whether Apple will indefinitely continue to maintain the XProtect database of older versions such as 10.6. The security of obsolete system versions may eventually be degraded. Security updates to the code of obsolete systems will stop being released at some point, and that may leave them open to other kinds of attack besides malware.
3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't necessarily been tested by Apple, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)
Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
☞ It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
☞ A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
☞ An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
Apple has taken far too long to revoke the codesigning certificates of some known abusers, thereby diluting the value of Gatekeeper and the Developer ID program. Those lapses don't involve App Store products, however.
For the reasons given, App Store products, and—to a lesser extent—other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. Sandbox security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.
4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is effective against known threats, but not against unknown ones. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
5. The built-in security features of OS X reduce the risk of malware attack, but they are not, and never will be, complete protection. Malware is a problem of human behavior, not machine behavior, and no technological fix alone is going to solve it. Trusting software to protect you will only make you more vulnerable.
The best defense is always going to be your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "Trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and Internet criminals. If you're better informed than they think you are, you'll win. That means, in practice, that you always stay within a safe harbor of computing practices. How do you know when you're leaving the safe harbor? Below are some warning signs of danger.
Software from an untrustworthy source
☞ Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, doesn't come directly from the developer’s website. Do not trust an alert from any website to update Flash, or your browser, or any other software. A genuine alert that Flash is outdated and blocked is shown on this support page. Follow the instructions on the support page in that case. Otherwise, assume that the alert is fake and someone is trying to scam you into installing malware. If you see such alerts on more than one website, ask for instructions.
☞ Software of any kind is distributed via BitTorrent, or Usenet, or on a website that also distributes pirated music or movies.
☞ Rogue websites such as Softonic, Soft32, and CNET Download distribute free applications that have been packaged in a superfluous "installer."
☞ The software is advertised by means of spam or intrusive web ads. Any ad, on any site, that includes a direct link to a download should be ignored.
Software that is plainly illegal or does something illegal
☞ High-priced commercial software such as Photoshop is "cracked" or "free."
☞ An application helps you to infringe copyright, for instance by circumventing the copy protection on commercial software, or saving streamed media for reuse without permission. All "YouTube downloaders" are in this category, though not all are necessarily malicious.
Conditional or unsolicited offers from strangers
☞ A telephone caller or a web page tells you that you have a “virus” and offers to help you remove it. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
☞ A web site offers free content such as video or music, but to use it you must install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "downloader," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one.
☞ You win a prize in a contest you never entered.
☞ Someone on a message board such as this one is eager to help you, but only if you download an application of his choosing.
☞ A "FREE WI-FI !!!" network advertises itself in a public place such as an airport, but is not provided by the management.
☞ Anything online that you would expect to pay for is "free."
Unexpected events
☞ A file is downloaded automatically when you visit a web page, with no other action on your part. Delete any such file without opening it.
☞ You open what you think is a document and get an alert that it's "an application downloaded from the Internet." Click Cancel and delete the file. Even if you don't get the alert, you should still delete any file that isn't what you expected it to be.
☞ An application does something you don't expect, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
☞ Software is attached to email that you didn't request, even if it comes (or seems to come) from someone you trust.
I don't say that leaving the safe harbor just once will necessarily result in disaster, but making a habit of it will weaken your defenses against malware attack. Any of the above scenarios should, at the very least, make you uncomfortable.
6. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.
Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it—not JavaScript—in your browsers.
Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a padlock icon in the address bar when visiting a secure site.
Stay within the safe harbor, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself.
7. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" (AV) or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they are all worse than useless. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free security apps in the Mac App Store—nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial AV products?
☞ To recognize malware, the software depends on a database of known threats, which is always at least a day out of date. This technique is a proven failure, as a major AV software vendor has admitted. Most attacks are "zero-day"—that is, previously unknown. Recognition-based AV does not defend against such attacks, and the enterprise IT industry is coming to the realization that traditional AV software is worthless.
☞ Its design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere. In order to meet that nonexistent threat, commercial AV software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
☞ By modifying the operating system, the software may also create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
☞ Most importantly, a false sense of security is dangerous.
8. An AV product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," has the same drawback as the commercial suites of being always out of date, but it does not inject low-level code into the operating system. That doesn't mean it's entirely harmless. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
An AV app is not needed, and cannot be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful, if at all, only for detecting Windows malware, and even for that use it's not really effective, because new Windows malware is emerging much faster than OS X malware.
Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else. A malicious attachment in email is usually easy to recognize by the name alone. An actual example:
London Terror Moovie.avi [124 spaces] Checked By Norton Antivirus.exe
You don't need software to tell you that's a Windows trojan. Software may be able to tell you which trojan it is, but who cares? In practice, there's no reason to use recognition software unless an organizational policy requires it. Windows malware is so widespread that you should assume it's in every email attachment until proven otherwise. Nevertheless, ClamXav or a similar product from the App Store may serve a purpose if it satisfies an ill-informed network administrator who says you must run some kind of AV application. It's free and it won't handicap the system.
The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have all the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.
9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.
10. As a Mac user, you don't have to live in fear that your computer may be infected every time you install software, read email, or visit a web page. But neither can you assume that you will always be safe from exploitation, no matter what you do. Navigating the Internet is like walking the streets of a big city. It can be as safe or as dangerous as you choose to make it. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.

What are the best plug ins for iMovie 11 running on Lion?

What are the best plug ins for Imovie 11 or Imovie HD running Lion? Especially transitions & effects for still pictures.
Thank you

Hi
For iMovie'08 to 11 - There are no Plug-ins - not supported at all
iMovie HD (in reality HD5) - doesn't work under Mac OS X.7 - at all
iMovie HD6 - can take Plug-ins and run under Mac OS X.7 - BUT some of the Plug-ins doesn't work under X.7
old list on - Plug-ins - Only relevant to iMovie HD6 (May be they are too old)
Stupendous software
www.stupendous-software.com
GeeThree
www.geethree.com
cf/x.
www.imovieplugins.com
Apple
www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/ezediapluginsforimovievol1.html
www.imovieplugins.com/fxhome.html
fxStabilizer - for iMovie - Google it
Yours Bengt W

What are the best export settings for a HD video in Premier Pro CS4?

Hi!
   I've been having so much trouble with this issue and it's something that continually frustrates my boss. I have a HD video the settings for it are
FPS 23.98
1920 x 1080, then a few lines down it says 1408 x 792
16 bit,
2 channels
48000 Hz
   What should the settings be when I make a new sequence?
             When I look at it in the window in Premiere Pro I have to contantly 'shrink' the image to fit the window, is that something I should be doing or does it indicate the sequence settings are incorrect?
But more importantly what should the export settings be? I exported a 4 minute long video and the size was 1 GB, I know that's too big.
I need to export it without loosing any quality and export another one that meets the Youtube and Vimeo limits on size.
Vimeo is 500 MB per week, sometimes I upload 4 videos per week. I think Youtube you can only upload 500 MB at a time.
I need to get smaller sizes with loosing the least amount of quality possible AND the best export settings for quality, so I guess I have 3 separate questions-
What are the best sequence settings for HD video?
What are the best export settings for HD without loosing any quality?
What are the best export settings for the size to come out around 500 MB with loosing the least amount of quality possible?
Thank You!
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/713070
On the above thread I used the 5th anwer, and it's going to take about 7 hours to export a 4 minute video :/

It Stands for "Coder Decoder."
Your format is like a container for your video file. Certain containers can hold certain codecs and not others. Other containers can hold other codecs. Sometimes different containers can hold the same codecs.
This might be a bad analogy but I'll give it a try.
A coffe cup (container) can hold pretty much any liquid you drink, where a red solo cup (container) won't hold scolding water. So, the coffe cup would be your container of choice most likely because it has the most options for liquids (codecs). But, you might want a red solo cup for just a single crappy beer at a party (a moderate quality streaming video on the web). In that case, you don't need all the optoins of another container.
In Premiere Pro CC H.264 is a Container and the Codec in one option. This has been streamlined for web distrobution of video to be played in browsers without things like Flash or special players.
Were as if you choose the QuickTime Container there are over 40 codec optoins (at least on my machine with additinal ones installed) but you may run into an issue where your browser doesn't support QuickTime playback.
I would say that your container is for compatability with players and your codec is taken into consideration when looking at the quality of the compression.
Yesteraday I wrote a blog entery on Exporting from Premiere Pro and found that the MPEG-4 codec inside of the QuickTime container gave me much richer colors than the H.264 container/codec option.
I posted the link before but here it is:
http://goo.gl/8GZq4i

What are the best AirPlay speakers for Apple devices?

What are the best AirPlay speakers for Apple devices? I would like to get some good speakers to be used with my iPod, iPhone and iPad. Ideally, they should be able to play using AirPlay and be quite powerful, but with a good design if possible.
I am particularly interested in the Fidelio range of speakers by Philips.
Thank you for your help in advance.

Best is going to be a matter of opinion. What environment are the speakers going to be used in? How large is the room? What type of music are you going to play? What features/functions would you like in the speakers? What price range are you looking for? All of these are going to effect which speakers will best fit your needs.

What are the best ways to protect your macbook?

I have ordered my 1st ever Apple product, the White Macbook.
I would like to know what are the best ways to keep it save and in top condition?
Apple have given me this case as a good will gesture, so I won't be needing a case for it: http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=94689A4C&nplm=T J702
But any solutions for stopping the discolouration (i hope this never occures on with my macbook) but any invisible stickers which I can put on the palm areas?
Any tips?

The new plastics really don't have the discoloration problem, so you don't actually need palm rest protection. Any dirt can be taken care of with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I use only a silicone keyboard cover by Carapace to protect my macbook. I type so much that the letters often wear off my keys, and this will prevent that, as well as dust entering through the keyboard or, God forbid, any spilled liquid. The macbook heat vents are in the back, so my macbook does not overheat with the keyboard cover in place.

What is the best security lock for a 17" mac book pro?

Hello Folks! Happy holidays!
Quick question:
What is the best security lock for a 17" mac book pro?
Any models or brands ?
Cheers!

Most computers refer to the locking attachment in some relationship to the name "Kensington", and that might be a useful clue.
Following that, be sure to avoid counterfeit products. A well-known computer vendor (not Apple), was approached by a large purchaser (several tens of thousands of laptops) who insisted on using a counterfeit locking product that had a larger than normal locking tab. The vendor modified the tooling to accept the counterfeit product and, wouldn't you know it, the genuine product would no longer secure the computer properly.

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Hi c,
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Most Mac users run bare.
I still haven't seen anything in the wild, no OS X virus really going beyond proof of concept; some malware, yes, but not a virus. And the existing malware requires users to "open the door" and basically tell the malware it's ok to do its thing. I'm not sure there'll ever be software which can overcome the actions of such a user.
For those who feel the need, ClamX has been often suggested.

What is the best security lock for the new 21 inch imac?

I want to know what is the best security lock for the new 21 inch imac?

Most computers refer to the locking attachment in some relationship to the name "Kensington", and that might be a useful clue.
Following that, be sure to avoid counterfeit products. A well-known computer vendor (not Apple), was approached by a large purchaser (several tens of thousands of laptops) who insisted on using a counterfeit locking product that had a larger than normal locking tab. The vendor modified the tooling to accept the counterfeit product and, wouldn't you know it, the genuine product would no longer secure the computer properly.

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What is the best Apple notebook for video editing and pro music creation?
I know I could opt for the most expensive and probably get what I want that way, but I´m not made of money, so what are your suggestions for minimum criteria and which would you recommend?

MacBooks Pro are great Macs with a good hardware, so all of them will work for the use you want, but I think that you want the biggest display possible because of your uses. In this case, it has to be a 15-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro, with the settings you want. Note that, after buying the Mac, you can upgrade the HDD and memory without voiding the warranty, so you are free to install as much memory and the HDD size you want after buying it. It's my opinion, but you are free to do whatever you think it's better

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What is the best free app for editing word and excel documents in ipad?

what is the best free app for editing word and excel documents in ipad?

You can download free Quickoffice.
https://itunes.apple.com/sg/app/quickoffice/id578386521?mt=8

What are the best archiving methods for small colleges?

Hi Folks,
Im thinking a few terabyte hard drives will be my best option for a hundred dollars each.
We have a small operation here at a New England college with two editing systems that get a good amount of student use and use by myself for college needs. Some of the student work will get deleted at the end of each semester, but I need to save all the college's video.
What are the best ways to archive? Some of my concerns are cost and space. I can afford a few externals, do any of you have a nice cheap solution?
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Then store the drive carefully in the foil anti-static bag it came in a dry location where it won't get jostled about by errant students (or kids in my house).
The savings in not getting full drive enclosures in the cost of multiple power supplies and interfaces. You pay for that once with the mountable enclosure / drivedock, and thereafter, just buy bare drives.
I also like another reply: have the students provide drives on which to back up their projects. A friend of mine has a ProTools audio studio, and part of his "set up" charge, is $100 for a bare drive that he will archive for 5 years, or the client can take with him at the end of the project (when the bill is paid).
Eddie O

What are the best UK sites for buying more memory for iMac?

Here is the info on my current imac:
Mac OS X version 10.5.8
Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 1 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Model Identifier: iMac7,1
I want to get myself more memory for my type of imac, like 6GB worth. I want to buy from a UK website so I only have to pay minimal postage fees. What are the best sites for this?

Crucial:
http://www.crucial.com/uk/
Lifetime warranty, very reliable, fast service and very helpful.
(No, I don't work for them!)

CS3 - What Are the Best Export Settings for Animation?

I have edited a project in Premiere Pro CS3. It is animated, and I want to preserve as much of the quality of the animation as I can.
What are the best possible settings that I can use to export the video to a .MOV file?
A little background info, in case it helps:
The animations were created in After Effects, and the .MOV files were made with the Animation codec.
After editing in Premiere, I exported the finished file to the Animation codec. It looks so-so.
Important: I imported the Premiere Project into After Effects, and exported the project with After Effects. The After Effects Quicktime file looks better than the Premiere version of the Quicktime file. (And has a higher data rate, in case that matters.)
What kind of settings do I need to select in Premiere when I export the video to make the .MOV file look as good as it can?
(And please don't be afraid to dumb it down.)
Thx!

Try an Uncompressed "QT" file. (Component YUV - 10-bit)
BTW: Did your PPRO Settings match the AEFX Comp you exported from?

What are the best security practices for your forms and databases

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