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It’s just a quick reminder to let you know that there are 37 days (release schedule: Dec. 18, 2008) to be able to download the OpenSuse GNU/Linux distribution.

Suse

I like OpenSuse because it is a very robust distribution. It is: stable, nice-looking, updated and combines the two major desktop environments: KDE and Gnome. It can support others desktop environments, too.

It is easy to update the system using Yast. In addition, you can even install software with one-click.

So… it just was a quick reminder, then, I finish here, but I promise to come back with more OpenSuse news in a few days.

There is a weakness vulnerability in in the random generator used by OpenSSL in Debian and derivated distributions.

Luciano Bello discovered that the random number generator in the OpenSSL package of Debian is predictable. So, it is strongly recommended to update the OpenSSL package in Debian and its derivated distributions, like Ubuntu. Moreover, all cryptographic key material which has been generated by OpenSSL versions starting with 0.9.8c-1 on Debian systems must be recreated from scratch.

Ubuntu published: “This vulnerability only affects operating systems which (like Ubuntu) are based on Debian. However, other systems can be indirectly affected if weak keys are imported into them.”

There are many hosting providers that started upgrading their Debian or Debian-based servers. Please be aware that it is a critical necessary security upgrade, so, please prepare yourself in both technical and budget areas to face this situation.

On this time, Debian and Ubuntu had published fixed upgraded packages of the OpenSSL software. Please visit the following sites, to download them as well as to make a further reading and news updates.

For Debian: Fixed OpenSSL packages and further reading.

For Ubuntu: Fixed OpenSSL packages and further reading.

The well known security researcher H.D. Moore, creator of the MetaSploit project, has published very interesting findings about the OpenSSL vulnerability. Please check it here

Moore explains the cause of the bug and how easy is for attackers to take advantage of the OpenSSL vulnerability in Ubuntu, Debian and derivated distributions.

It was already a year ago that I bought my iMac G3 computer. I got very excited about it because I love computers, in special Macintosh ones. I bought my iMac G3 without software. There was no any Macintosh operating system in it, so, as soon as got this machine in my house I started looking for some GNU/Linux distributions to install in it.

I used to keep some Ubuntu discs that Canonical sent me in the past months. I tried the version 6.06 but it didn’t work in my iMac, so, I decided to look for an older version of it. I found the pocket of Ubuntu’s version 5.04 and I placed the “live-CD” in the nice cd-rom unit. I started my iMac and it booted the live cd. It was a very strong workload to my 256 Mb of RAM, but, I was able to check that Ubuntu was working fine.

These Macintosh machines are pretty advanced in hardware, so, I upgraded it by installing a new hard drive. As soon as I completed this task I installed Ubuntu 5.04. It was a matter of a few minutes to be running Ubuntu in my iMac.

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