have decided to start compiling a list of a lot of useful free software,it will be updated often as am coming up with ideas from head as well as bookmarks.
operating systems
-if have got a half decent computer,and woud to experience both the security and variety of having an operating system within an operating system,woud recommend getting a virtual machine program.
these allow a guest operating system-which coud be any of them to be run from within the host operating system [host-the main OS in use].
once all set up,it allows the user to operate several OSs at the same time in the same window if wanted or can just switch from one to the other,its very different from having a multi boot system.,
the VM am using is called virtual box:
http://www.virtualbox.org/
-once it has been installed and a VM server has been set up [easy enough],can then add the .ISO file which holds the guest operating system.
if have not got one but are interested in using linux,there are many linux operating systems to choose and download [legally free of course] -a good place to start:
http://iso.linuxquestions.org/
-if are new to linux woud recommend ubuntu/kubuntu,SuSE [think its called open suse now],knoppix,& mandrake [now called mandriva].
-blackbuntu and backtrack are best for more advanced users with an interest in hacking as that is what they have been tailored for,both of them are based on ubuntu code.
web browsers:
alternatives to using firefox-
arora:
http://code.google.com/p/arora/
arora is a very unheard of browser,have got it installed on both linux and windows and it does load fast and is easy to work with.
seamonkey:
http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
think this is the old mozilla suite,or at least got carried on from it,from back in the day before firebird [>firefox before its name change]-has a basic IRC client,HTML editor and browser.
sleipnir:
http://www.fenrir-inc.com/global/sleipnir/
sleipnir used to be a strictly japanese browser,we had to browse a site written only in a lot of japanese and no pictures to find it.
it was unknown back then but it was so much better than internet explorer,back then the maority of sites only worked properly with IE-and many such as argos woudnt work at all with gecko rendering browsers so we had to use an IE rendering one.
sleipnir was a hidden treasure.
only problem was,someone had apparently stolen the source code and cannot remember the result of that but it ended up having the code re written ,and it is very different.
anyways woud recommend it its always good having a few different browsers.
kmeleon:
http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net/
kmeleon is very very lightweight,and it does show in the loading.
have been using this for years,but put it to the back of the pile as other ones with different features came along.
worth a download.
links:
this one is for all linux users who love speedy browsing plus using the command line- links merges both features to make an awesome text based browser which is run from the terminal.
-to install,get a terminal up,and assuming are not root type:
sudo apt-get install links
^sorted.
security
sandboxie:
http://www.sandboxie.com/
sandboxie is a great security program.
it allows any program to be opened up within it,and will generaly but not always show the files true colours-if its dodgy or not.
if its a binded file for example,itll just drop the binded file-all done within the safety of the sandbox.
it also allows a chosen web browser to be run from within sandbox so it makes internet browsing safer,for example-java drive bys attempting to run on an older windows.
true crypt:
http://www.truecrypt.org/
-a powerful open source encryption tool,itll encrypt a hard drive and hide a partition amongst other stuff.
apparently the police cant even crack it though dont fancy testing that one out.
DBAN:
http://www.dban.org/
-it securely wipes the hard drive,very powerful.
it has a emergency delete as well if remember correctly.
anubis:
http://anubis.iseclab.org/
-the best online malware report scanner,if have got a suspect file, upload it to anubis.
various trendmicro tools;
http://uk.trendmicro.com/uk/products/personal/free-tools-and-services/
trendmicro have a good av scanner,but they have other tools to like RUbotted; a program which keeps watch to make sure are not part of a botnet.
AVG free:
http://free.avg.com/gb-en/homepage
the latest AVG free anti virus.
spybot; search and destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html
a reliable spyware killer,its been going for years.
coranti anti virus
http://www.coranti.com/
coranti is the best AV out there,its a multi engine AV-does a very deep scan.
it costs but there is a months free trial,woud not recommend it for hackers because it picks every little false positive up,think it was nearly crashing from false positive overload when it was scanning this hard drive due to the amount of 'tools' am using.
pro XPN;
http://proxpn.com/
the best free public VPN,for security & staying anonymous or using a RAT with as all ports are open.
cyberghost:
http://cyberghostvpn.com/
free VPN,good alternative.
online crypter:
http://onlinecrypter.com
has a few different free crypting options,crypting is a good way at protecting files,passwords and all sorts-and it has its less legal uses to.
online crypter is more about the security side and there are several services that cost.
entertainment
foobar2000:
http://www.foobar2000.org/
when was able to listen to music [before the hyperacusis took hold] the music player that used to use all the time was foobar,its not got a snazzy GUI but it is highly editible to own colours and woud assume it probably can be skinned to.
it probably plays the most music codecs out there like FLAC and OGG,and if install the codec for it it will burn/copy from cd.
its very fast at loading and keeps down the resources due to its lack of a snazzy GUI which is a good point.
sopcast:
http://www.myp2p.eu/
watch tv for free on the pc,go to download page on there and download the sopcast client.
make sure sopcast is turned on before clicking on any myp2p links otherwise they wont load.
there are other sites with sopcast links,thats just sports based,and it is legal by the way.
vipbox:
http://www.vipbox.tv/
moar sports such as premiership football,vipbox is legal as well,sometimes there are some very decent high definition streams-good for those of us with high def laptops,and those with high def monitors.
games
openBVE:
http://trainsimframework.org/
its a huge very realistic train driving simulator and is available on linux and windows.
have got it running on this laptop [which is a laptop x netbook thing] under linux and it runs very well but because it so realistic it takes a while to know what to do.
am only into thomas the tank engine train sets and dont give a shit about trains overall but woud reccomend this to anyone both train fans and people who hate them,give it a go-its completely free.
hack & crack tools
sorry,no blackhat stuff here-wont support stuff thats clearly for destructive use.
cain:
http://www.oxid.it/cain.html
cain is a password recovery tool,but can also be used as a packet sniffer and a way for e-gangster gamers on xbox live to retrieve another users IP to DoS/DDoS.
have used it to get our routers login details before cause wasnt given it and no one onsite remembered it,so its a useful tool.
brutus:
http://www.hoobie.net/brutus/
an oldskool brute forcer,ancient but still works.
it will need adding to the anti virus file/directory exception list because its a hack tool which AVs will throw a warning up on,its clean.
THC hydra
http://www.thc.org/thc-hydra/
linux users have got thc hydra-a powerful network cracker.
its compile from source and can be a bit fiddly getting it to properly compile but stick with it.
john the ripper
http://www.openwall.com/john/
another cracker,best for unix cracking.
have finally used JTR,its comand line driven so GUI whores can bugger off or write their own GUI!
JTR can be found in linux repositories under the name john,but will have to compile from source to get the latest version.
nmap
http://nmap.org/
nmap is a powerful,and very useful indepth port scanner,its also command line driven but it has a GUI front end called zenmap just check the nmap site out or linux repositories.
-also available on windows.
WEPcrack
http://wepcrack.sourceforge.net/
probably obvious from the name but WEPcrack is a tool for cracking WEP keys.
its also useful.
aircrack-ng
http://www.aircrack-ng.org/
aircrack-ng is a very powerful command line based program for cracking WEP & WPA-PSK,
it can be a bit pissy to get working if have some difficulty locating the correct driver patches or are using a network card that doesnt support working in monitor mode.
graphic design & arty stuff:
GIMP [GNU image manipulation program]:
http://www.gimp.org/
GIMP is the photoshop of the domestic world,its on a very close level to photoshop except people forget photoshop is aimed at the working graphics industry so is full of stuff that the typical user wont ever use.
artrage:
http://www.artrage.com/
have been using this for years,it is proper canvas art but on screen,good for just messing about with-they have a timeless demo for free.
office programs
open office:
http://www.openoffice.org/
dont pay for the microsoft office suite when we have much better ones available-for free.
open office is by far beter than microsofts.
multi platform.
libre office:
http://www.libreoffice.org/
another awesome and free multi platform office suite,well worth a download.
bluefish:
http://bluefish.openoffice.nl/index.html
bluefish is a nice little editor,aimed at programming but have used this as an alternative to notepad for a while.
website developing
filezilla:
http://filezilla-project.org/
filezilla is a FTP program,for server or website owners.
very useful and easy to use compared to some.
cwahi:
http://www.cwahi.net/
-have read some good reviews on them, its a decent free webhost and the spec matches that at least.
give them a try if need a webhost for free.
development
microsoft visual basic [.NET]:
http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/en-us/products/2010-editions/express
get into making own programs and eventually never need have to pay for one again, but will
warn that its not as easy as it sounds to make the typical programs we use.
there are different versions available,and dont rant if think its taking to long to download because theres a shitload of developer files that come with it,plus it is microsofts servers.
woud recommend visual basic express from that page if have never learnt C# or C++ languages before.
learning C/C++ and lots of other computing guides:
http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/
very useful site,woud recommend it for visual basic to but this is about c#/++ which .NET is based on but isnt as complex.
its the best language to aim for if have got the ability.
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