Unix as a Second Language

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Sandra Henry-Stocker has been administering Unix systems for more than 25 years. She describes herself as "USL" (Unix as a second language) but remembers enough English to write books and buy groceries. She currently works for TeleCommunication Systems -- a company that builds innovative technologies to make critical connections happen -- where no one else necessarily shares any of her opinions. This blog offers advice for everyday Unix systems administration and some clever ways to approach more challenging problems. Send comments and suggestions to mailto:bugfarm@gmail.com.

by Sandra Henry-Stocker

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  • Unix: Under the spell of magic numbers

    Posted Feb 24, 2013 - 08:09 pm

    If you've ever wondered how Unix systems identify files, you might be surprised to learn that file names really aren't an important factor. Unix systems reach into files looking for special codes called "magic numbers" to figure out what your files really are. They also examine other file content to pick out additional details.

  • Security: The beauty of ... malware reverse engineering

    Posted Feb 17, 2013 - 05:35 pm

    Malware represents one of the greatest threats that organizations face today and IT departments are coming to understand that their AV tools can only do so much to protect them. When malware is discovered on their systems, they want to know what it might have done, if the threat is still ongoing, and what they might have lost to the infection. Answers can be very tough to find, but reverse engineering the malware might just be the way to provide them.

  • Unix: Looking at files this way and that

    Posted Feb 10, 2013 - 02:46 pm

    Don't throw up your hands if your boss won't buy you Tripwire and a modern debugger. There are a lot of things that your Unix system -- right out of the box -- can tell you about files and processes.

  • Counting processors on your Linux box

    Posted Feb 04, 2013 - 11:52 am

    The quickest way to determine what and how many processors are installed on a Linux system is to turn to the mighty gateway of kernel data -- the /proc pseudo-filesystem. In it, you'll find a file called /proc/cpuinfo that provides a lot of information in the processors in your system. Read on to see how easily you can get answers to questions and an explanation of what those answers really tell you.

  • The beauty of hard links

    Posted Jan 27, 2013 - 06:08 pm

    Hard links are not called "hard" because they're difficult. They're just ... mildly elusive. Read on and find out why one long-time Unix admin thinks hard links are the penguin's meow.

  • Maybe you should read the Bad Data Handbook

    Posted Jan 21, 2013 - 07:02 pm

    Planning to spend the next six months fighting with troublesome data that you might have to scrub, decode, reformat, store, classify, annotate, visualize, analyze, explain, report and then start all over again? Maybe you should first get some advice from others who have been there, done that.

  • How to wrap your brain around CIDR

    Posted Jan 13, 2013 - 10:37 pm

    If you're only comfortable with CIDR when the / is followed by a multiple of 8, a quick refresher on how the numbers work might be just what you need for a balmy January afternoon.

  • How to freeze Unix accounts

    Posted Jan 07, 2013 - 08:31 pm

    Before the chilly winds of a RIF blow in your direction or a pile of your friends take off for greener pastures, you need to be prepared with an easy way to freeze account and preserve what might be of value in the abandoned home directories. In today's post, we'll look at some commands for inactivating accounts on Unix systems and provide some starter scripts for you to adapt to your environment.

  • Python for kids ... and adults intimidated by the very idea of programming

    Posted Dec 29, 2012 - 05:32 pm

    If you love Unix but fear programming or have a kid who you'd like to convince that programming is fun, here's a book you really should consider.

  • Why SELinux is more work, but well worth the trouble

    Posted Dec 24, 2012 - 05:09 pm

    Complexity isn't all bad. Sometimes it comes with a tremendous boon to security. Are you ready to cozy up to SELinux? Maybe it's time.
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