Fixing the Log4j2 vulnerability in spring boot application

 Hi all,

Software Industry was in a shock with the log4j2 zero day exploit.

Exploited area

The Apache Log4j2 version ( >=2.0 to <=2.14.1 ) is exploitable due to an attacker controlled LDAP and  JNDI endpoints.

Appendix

LDAP (Light Weight Directory Protocol) is an industry standard protocol to access directory services.

JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface) is a Java API for a directory service that allows Java software clients to discover and look up data and resources via a name.

Find more information about the vulnerability from NVD website link.

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-44228

NVD (National Vulnerability Database) is maintained by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),  An official part of United States of America (USA) government's Department of Commerce.

Fix the vulnerability

• Even in the latest spring boot package uses the vulnerable 2.14.1 log4j2 version.
• So, we need to explicitly add the specific version in the properties as below
• In pom.xml file, creating <properties> tag if not exists and add the attribute log4j2.version with version 2.16.0 (latest)

<properties>

    <log4j2.version>2.16.0</log4j2.version>

</properties>

• To check the version applied to the project, run the following command

mvn dependency:tree | grep "log4j"

• The result should look like below

[INFO] |  |  |  +- org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-to-slf4j:jar:2.16.0:compile

[INFO] |  |  |  |  \- org.apache.logging.log4j:log4j-api:jar:2.16.0:compile

• The similar type of vulnerability fixes available for other project builds.

Hope you will find the above information useful and fix the issue immediately to keep the servers safe from attacks.

Send your valuable feedback and comments to psrdotcom@gmail.com

 

Ubuntu and Windows system level utilities

Hi friends,

Please find the below links to customize or maintain your OS.

Recover data in Ubuntu
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/15761/recover-data-like-a-forensics-expert-using-an-ubuntu-live-cd/

Ubuntu LiveCD Customization from scratch
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCDCustomizationFromScratch

Boot windows7 from USB
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-windows-7vista-from-usb-drive-detailed-100-working-guide/
http://kmwoley.com/blog/?p=345

Windows OS Updates(SP?)
http://www.bootdisk.com/

Partition and Back utilities

Backup
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

partition
http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

disk to disk copy
http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/

Data Recovery
http://www.easeus.com/datarecoverywizard/free-data-recovery-software.htm

Hope the above tools will be useful for you.

Please send your comments and feedback to psrdotcom@gmail.com

Ubuntu Windows dual boot order changes GRUB

Hi friends,

From long time, I was thinking of modifying my default boot option to Windows instead of Ubuntu. Finally today, I've done those changes in my laptop.

My system has Windows 10 and Ubuntu 14.04 dualboot and Ubuntu OS is my default boot option with 10 seconds timeout.

I thought of sharing the information with everyone.

Please open the terminal and run the followin commands in sequence 

1. sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer
2. sudo apt-get update
3. sudo apt-get install grub-customizer

By now, grub-customizer will be successfully installed in your PC.

Please follow the below step to do the necessary changes in boot order

• Open the grub-customizer

 

• Grub customizer lists the installed OS with versions

 

• Rename the OS entry by right clicking and selecting "Rename" option [Optional]

 

 

• Choose the default boot option by navigating to "General Settings"
• Select options from "predefined" entry

• Click on "Save" option to save all the changes.
• You can revert the changes by clicking the "Revert" option, if you feel like going back to original/initial options

Hope it would help you in changing the default boot order

Please send your comments and feedback to psrdotcom@gmail.com

Ubuntu 11.04 to 11.10 upgrade on MacBook Pro Early 2011 (13 inch) 8,1 Model booted from USB Pen Drive and Updated Wireless Drivers

Hi MacUbuntu Users,

I have upgraded Ubuntu 11.04 to 11.10 in Early MacBook Pro 13" (8,1) Model and the upgrade steps as follows.

1. We should have EFI boot enabled on the MacBook as per my previous post
2. Copied the Ubuntu 11.10_amd64+mac.iso to boot folder in the USB (as per the instructions from the EFI Boot)
3. Renamed the Ubuntu 11.10_amd64+mac.iso to boot.iso
4. Restarted the system and Hold the Option button
5. Select EFI (USB) to boot from the 11.10
6. After OS loading, click on Install 11.10 shortcut icon from the Desktop
7. Select Upgrade 11.04 to 11.10 option
8. Select timezone
9. Import 11.04 contacts, firefox bookmarks etc
10. It will take some time to copy and reinstall the packages
11. I got a error like, some packages are properly installed, please install manually.
12. After successfully upgrading the OS, reboot the mac.
13. When EFI display comes, please select EFI partition manager to update the grub
14. Once it has updated the grub, restart the mac and remove the USB pendrive
15. Now, you can boot to your Ubuntu 11.10 on MacBook Pro
16. Now, we need to install the wireless drivers. Please follow my previous post.
17. Then enjoy the latest Ubuntu on MacBook Pro

If you have any queries, please mail to psrdotcom@gmail.com

Boot Windows XP, Vista, 7 from USB Pen Drive

Hi everyone,
I was thinking that, How can I get rid of carrying DVD to install OS on friend's laptop. When I googled, I got some useful info and want to share with you ppl.

Please use the following commands to make USB Bootable with Windows OS

STEP 1: Make USB Ready to made bootable

1) Run Diskpart, In Windows Vista and 7 it has come default, I think in Windows XP you need to install Diskpart.
2) New Window with Diskpart as prompt will be opened.
    DISKPART>
3) See the connected disks by running
    DISKPART> list disk
4) Select the USB disk with its name of the list disk command output. The output usually comes as disk 0, disk 1 etc.
   DISKPART> select disk 1
5) Clean the disk by typing the command
   DISKPART> clean
6) Make the disk partition as primary
   DISKPART> create partition primary
7) Select the partition
   DISKPART> select partition 1
8) Activate the partition
   DISKPART> active
9) Format the partition with NTFS filesystem
   DISKPART> format fs=NTFS
10) Type following command to exit
   DISKPART> assign
   DISKPART> exit

Now the disk is formatted and ready to made bootable

STEP 2: Make USB Bootable

Make USB drive as bootable by executing following commads
1) Insert or mount the Windows OS disk
     Ex: DVD Drive path say G:
2) Use the bootsect.exe to make the USB bootable.
  a) Open CommandPrompt
  b) Change the directory to G:
      cmd> G:
  c) Change to boot directory
      G:> cd boot
  d) Run the following command to make USB Bootable, assume USB drive is H:
      G:/boot> bootsect /nt60 h:
3) Close the command prompt
     G:/boot> exit

STEP 3: Copy OS to USB

Say Example Windows OS DVD drive is G: and USB Drive is H:
Run the following commands to copy the contents from DVD to USB
i) cmd> G:
ii) G:> copy *.* h: /Y /V (or) xcopy /s *.* h:/

STEP 4: Install Windows OS from USB Drive

Please restart and boot from the USB drive to install Windows OS

References:
http://kmwoley.com/blog/?p=345

Please send your valuable feedback to psrdotcom@gmail.com