Dark Tip : USB Switchblade
I am back for another dark tip that not only is useful but potentially devastating for security.
It is called the USB Switchblade. This was a community based project that was introduced in the Hak.5 forums (http://hak5.org) . What the device does is upon insertion in the targets PC will automagically obtain information (depending on what type of USB you have).
So let’s go over the steps of installing the USB Switchblade.
- Make sure that you have a USB drive. I would say that 32mb is fine but if you want to obtain a lot of information I would say that 128 is perfect. If you have the U3 there is a method for you but I will discuss that in a future post becuase the type i am covering is for standard USB drives.
- Next go to this page
- Download the original Non U3 version
- After the download is finished, open the .rar file. If you can’t open this file i recommend you download the free 7-Zip program at http://www.7-zip.org/
- Now insert your USB drive and extract the files inside the PCInfo folder into the root of the USB drive (ie, C:\ or F:\). The folders that are now added should be “batexe” “dump” and “icons”
- Take out your USB device and plug it in again. You should notice the usual dialogs and message window pop up. Click OK but make sure the icon is on the icon used to show the USB drive.
- Now wait 5-15 seconds and look in the folder called “dump”. In there you should find information on your pc in there including autosaved IE passwords.
Hopefully everything worked out for you in this post. Until the next time I post, i have been your Dark Tipper of the site, Psichonico. Bye
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Got a full hard disk? SpaceMonger might just be the answer.
Heard about SpaceMonger on Leo Laporte’s Tech Guy podcast, after a caller was asking if there was a graphical way of seeing what was taking up all the space on a hard drive.
SpaceMonger is a software application developed for Microsoft Windows, created by the small company Sixty-Five. SpaceMonger is a data management and visualization tool that allows for the visual analysis of file and directory sizes on a hard disk or other file system viewable as a drive. SpaceMonger uses Tree Maps to create a visual representation of the contents of the selected drive; this shows at a glance which files and folders are using the most storage space.
I’ve used the older free SpaceMonger 1.4 myself, and have claimed around 7 gigs of free space, just by deleting temporary folders and files which where not apparent just by looking at Windows Explorer. In another example. one may have ripped some DVDs in the past, and forgot about them. SpaceMonger makes it immediately obvious whats hogging all the space on your hard disk.
Important: Always backup your data before running any kind of disk utility like this.
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Quick Tip "How to uninstall Norton SystemWorks"
To uninstall Norton SystemWorks
Do one of the following:
On the Windows task bar, click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
On the Windows XP task bar, click Start > Control Panel.
In the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
In the list of currently installed programs, click Norton SystemWorks.
Do one of the following:
In Windows 98/Me, click Add/Remove.
In Windows 2000/XP, click Remove.
Click Remove All to confirm that you want to uninstall the product.
If you have files in Norton Anti-Virus Quarantine, you are asked if you want to delete them. Your options are:
Yes
Deletes the quarantined files from your computer
No
Leaves the quarantined files on your computer, but makes them inaccessible
Click Reboot Now, then click Finish.
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Windows System Restore
Do you wish you could turn back time? Well you can, on your PC of course. Turn back time on you computer to before it had problems. Go back to before you installed that new program that made your computer greet you with the blue screen of death.
System Restore is a great way to fix those buggy .dll file crashes or small software glitches you might be having. How it works is Windows periodically records a snapshot of your computer, like a photo of your Hard Drive. Then when you have problems you just pull out your old photo of when your PC worked fine and your on your way.
Make sure System Restore is ON…
To Turn ON System Restore:
1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. In the System Properties dialog box, click the System Restore tab.
3. Click to clear the Turn off System Restore check box. Or, click the Turn off System Restore on all drives check box.
4. Click OK.
How to use System Restore…
System Restore:
1. Click Start
2. Click on All Programs
3. Click on Accessories
4. Click on System Tools
5. Select System Restore
6. Select “Restore my computer to an earlier time”
7. Select the date that you want to restore and follow the rest of the instructions
Its as EZ as that…………