If you forget to use sudo and spend some time editing a file with vim, not all is lost. You can actually escalate using sudo without leaving vim, and losing your changes.

:w !sudo tee %

Note : this only escalates for one write. You must run the command again if you want to save file after making more changes.

We are having a baby tomorrow. The c-scheduled for tomorrow morning. We have to be at the hospital at 5am.

Two kids under 2. Life is going to be crazy.

I stopped after work to fish a fully fresthwater retention pond for bass. A saltwater tarpon in a retention pond is something you see everyday.. Definitely not what I was expecting. I had to go in and get him out of the hydrilla. I took a video of the fight because I was 100% sure I was gonna lose him on 10lb test. What an epic battle!

Here is the video...

Youtube Video

Some of ya'll need to hear this...

• A bad employer or boss cannot ruin your career. Perhaps it can make your life hell for a year or two max. Anything beyond that is completely on you
• Contrary to popular belief, you have the ability to make or propose changes in any work environment. Labs and testing should be done regardless of company policy or direction. For examples companies afraid of cloud should at minimum have an AWS or Azure Lab.
• You don't have to enable your employer to be pennywise and pound foolish. (You don't have to host 50 different open source solutions to help your employer save perceived costs)
• I've never seen an employer that pays well ever give a shit about rocketchat or next cloud. Spend your time with technologies that real businesses are using
• IT jobs are plentiful and have been since 2005.
• 90% of jobs I'm looking at are remote post covid. Remote work existed before, but was less common
• You do have time and money for certifications and training. You just like to make excuses
• Worry about you first. When you're worried about you, then your goals and company goals should align 90% of the time. But at the end of the day, any company can cut you at any time. Just like you can walk out the door anytime. Never be hostage to the company no matter how much you think they depend on you.

Welp, I made the jump into the IT security world. I am leaving Windows System Administration to join IT security full time. I wanted to make the announcement last week, but with the hurricane I figured I would wait.

When I started my career at GeekSquad for $10 an hour back in 2004 I would never imagine where I would be today. Fast forward 12 years and I am working an IT security job for a enterprise organization.

I have no degree and my path certainly wasn't easy. I started out at the bottom and worked my way up every chance I could get.

2004 - Geek Squad

2005-2006 - Enterprise Help Desk

2007 - 2008 - Desktop Support

2008-2010 - Network Technician (basically entry level system admin)

2010-2012 - System Admin

2012-2016 - Network Administrator II (basically high level System Admin)

2016 - Cyber Security Vulnerability Manager

I wanted to share my journey because if you have enough drive anything is possible. A degree is definitely not needed. I started out of high school when all my colleagues started by getting a 4 year degree. I am ahead of my everyone of my colleagues that I talk to that has a degree.

I am only 29 years old so my journey is far from over.

Ugh CEH is the worse option. I have it and that is scam certification IMO. It is like over $1000 to take a test that is multiple choice and extremely easy.

CISSP - Great, but you have to commit a good amount of time and brainpower to it. I have it and it was pain in the ass, but well worth it.

CISM - Weighed the same as CISSP by DoD DIrective 8570, but an easier test.

Security + - Used to be a basic watered down security cert like Scott said, but recently was made much tougher and is more well respected now

If I wanted the most value and was willing to do the work I would do CISSP.

If I wanted a good amount of value and wanted an easier test, I would do CISM

If I wanted to learn something and build a good base, I would do Security +

Luckily we didn't have any structural damage to the house during the Hurricane, but I did lose a good portion of my fence, some siding, and a very nice palm tree. We are lucky enough to be on the same power grid as an elementary school (we are directly behind the school) so we got power back very early on. However, we didn't get water until last night.

I am glad to be back at work as things return somewhat to normal.

@travisdh1 said in Split Hotel Room for MangoCon '16?:

Well, that idea appears to be a bust, the only rooms available are the ones with single beds.

@jaredbusch said in KVM or VMWare:

@stacksofplates @IRJ
While you are both correct with your statements. The idea that the typical SMB is using or even understands these tools is ignoring reality of the typical SMB.

This really sums it up.

@irj said in KVM or VMWare:

I would say most SMBs who aren't trained in IaC would be better off with other options.

This is why it is either vCenter, Proxmox, or Hyper-V Manager

I agree, and I knew what you meant. However, you didn't specifically say SMB. You said any business. You did also mention it was places you consulted so it could be assumed you meant SMB.

However, this ML so I had to argue 🤣

@jaredbusch said in KVM or VMWare:

@hobbit666 said in KVM or VMWare:

Didn't get on with KVM but thats down to my skill set. (i.e. limited linux skills)

No business should run on just KVM. Until the most current iteration of Proxmox I would never recommend KVM for a business.

I have used it personally for years now. But that is different than running a business. A business needs simple easy to follow processes that are enabled by things like Proxmox, vCenter, and Hyper-V Manager.

Unless you use terraform or similar to build your servers on KVM. You would then need to leverage bash/powershell to do the builds. Then you have a very repeatable process that doesn't rely on GUI management. You can also use an open source tool like Jenkins to manage pipelines for deployment so it's easy repeatable.

I would say most SMBs who aren't trained in IaC would be better off with other options.

@wrcombs

Are you printing like this?

https://support.logmeininc.com/gotomypc/help/how-do-i-print-from-my-windows-client-computer

It also seems like you can bypass their printer and print directly to local printer.

https://support.logmeininc.com/gotomypc?articleID=1196625511

@gjacobse said in Does a script imply Automation?:

• Save key to text file with the file name of the computer name, saving to network share.

Saving the key to a text file on a mapped share is really bad lol.

@jasgot said in Does a script imply Automation?:

I'm going to try and demonstrate the difference between a script and automation in a super simple way. This scenario can certainly be expounded on, but this is a super simple way to show the difference between a script and "automation" using the same script.

Here is a Script we have. It is just a script. There is no automation. This script does not run without our input. This script does not run if another event is not triggered. This script does not run on it's own.

The Script. We run MyDefrag.ps1 to start it. When it dies, it is dead.

# Sleep until 19:00
$a = Get-Date -Format HH:mm:ss
$b = [datetime]"19:00:00"
Start-Sleep (New-TimeSpan -Start $a -End $b).TotalSeconds

# get volumes on local system
$v = get-wmiobject win32_volume

# Now get the C:\ volume
$v1=$v | where {$_.name -eq "C:\"}

# Perform a defrag analysis on the C: drive
$dfa = $v1.DefragAnalysis().DefragAnalysis

# Sleep for 24 hours
Start-Sleep -Seconds 86400
# Run Optimize (Defrag) if File Fragmentation is more that 6%
if ( $dfa.TotalPercentFragmentation -gt 6)
    {
    Optimize-Volume -DriveLetter C -Defrag
    }

Now we are going to make it "Automation".
Install NSSM so we can turn this script into a Windows service that starts at boot time with no human intervention whatsoever.

Register the Script as a service with NSSM:

nssm install [serviceName] [PathandScriptName] [arguments]

Now our script starts when Windows boots and runs defrag every evening at 7:00pm if needed, without any human intervention.

Daily Defrags

@travisdh1 said in Does a script imply Automation?:

Where did that question even bubble up from?

This 👆

@dafyre said in Does a script imply Automation?:

TLDR; That depends.

Does your script run entirely without human interaction? Then yes, it's automation.

If it's a script you run by hand to manually accomplish a certain set of tasks that requires your input, then no, it's not automation.

I disagree. You can require input and still have automation. Fully automated and automated are two different things.

@gjacobse said in Powershell Start-Process Differences:

@irj said in Powershell Start-Process Differences:

Have you gave any recommendations on how to use powershell in a secure way? You could ask for a bastion host to that's only purpose is to send out PS scripts and block internet access on it.

Since I'm the new guy.. they don't hear but so well.. maybe in time. And I do bring it up from time to time..

I think sometimes they listen to new guys more. You bring experience from other places

@gjacobse said in Powershell Start-Process Differences:

@irj said in Powershell Start-Process Differences:

How big is the organization? Have you talked to others in IT about what's acceptable and what isn't?

It sounds like you need the ability to write powershell scripts. Why not bring it up to your manager and other teams if need be?

It's been a (sore) subject since I started... Having worked with @EddieJennings and @Dashrender on some scripts and the goal of moving to PS over MS Batch.. I wanted to do more..

But between Execution Policy and such, it's pretty much trying to pour water through a wall... just not going to happen due to security (reasons). We are a clinic - so security is of course important. But the State dealt with PHI and such as well and the Policy was permitted.... sigh

I honestly have no clue what your last paragraph means. PHI requirements are actually very lax, and there's nothing about restricting powershell or remote scripting in HIPAA.

From a security point, what's the difference between batch and PS? You can remotely take over either way?

Have you gave any recommendations on how to use powershell in a secure way? You could ask for a bastion host to that's only purpose is to send out PS scripts and block internet access on it.

There's a ton of things that you can actually do while being security minded that your coworkers cannot reasonably refute.

I've been told NO more than 10 times before and it doesn't stop me from continuing to bring a topic up when I know I'm right. Have some confidence and bring it up to management and force them to give you a written answer to why they cannot do it. Then when their written answer makes no sense, call them out on it. You've been in mangolassi long enough to know how to argue 🤣🤣🤣

How big is the organization? Have you talked to others in IT about what's acceptable and what isn't?

It sounds like you need the ability to write powershell scripts. Why not bring it up to your manager and other teams if need be?