4 Clever Innovations for a Greener Future

Black Hole: This is just an ordianry solar cell that reflects about a third of the light hitting it at any angle, the cell is coated with anti reflective film, and absorbs approximately 96 percent.

A Funnel For Sunlight

Without a direct stream of light on a solar panel, the efficiency of a the power generated lets up once the sun does as well.   A new invention to fix this is a anti reflective film coating that may help panels collect sun at 96 % efficiency from almost any angle. Developed by at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the film consists of seven layers of nanoscopic silicon and titanium-oxide rods arranged in increasing densities, with the topmost nearly as porous as air. This funnel-like setup captures light from almost every direction and focuses it onto the photovoltaic panel while also inhibiting reflection. The film, which is about one hundredth as thick as a human hair, could easily be applied to any solar panel, says lead researcher Shawn-Yu Lin, and would help collect 20 percent more light while eliminating the need for the expensive hardware usually used to rotate solar panels as the sun moves. Before Lin can sell the film, he must find a way to protect the outermost layers from the wind and heat, a process that he says may take another year.

Diesel Diet

Green Streets: This device saves truckers fuel, California based Save the World Air, Inc, came up with iStock., they say their Elektra fuel pump add-on can improve a big-rig truck’s highway fuel economy by as much as 10%.  That could cull a trailer truck’s diesel intake by more than 2,000 gallons a year, says Joe Dell, the company’s vice president for marketing, saving a typical 1,000-truck fleet two million gallons. The thermos-size device is based on technology from Temple University that thins fuel with an electric field, creating smaller droplets that burn more thoroughly, which yields more energy and pumps less unburned fuel from the exhaust pipe. The company will test a refined, smaller version of the device this year and could have a model ready for diesel cars by 2011.

Turning The Tide

Engineers at the University of Oxford recently tested a 1.5-foot-wide prototype turbine that generates energy by spinning in the tide like the blades of a push lawn mower. The cylindrical turbines could be roughly 10 percent less efficient than fan-shaped turbines, but each rotor’s size—the full-size versions will be 33 feet in diameter and 200 feet long—and the ability to link multiple units means they can harness more energy for less money. Spanning an entire river with the six-megawatt turbines could save 40 percent per megawatt on manufacturing and 60 percent on maintenance. The engineers are lining up funding and plan to evaluate a full-scale device next year.

Roll With It: Several linked push-mower turbines could span a river courtesy Ross McAdam/Dept. of Engineering Science/University of Oxford

FRICTIONLESS WIND TURBINES

The problem with wind turbines? Often, it’s just not windy enough to get them turning. It’s not really the lack of wind that is the problem, but the friction in the turbines themselves. Chinese scientists may have cracked this problem with the first “magnetic levitation” (or MagLev) wind turbines, which replace ball-bearings with the technology used in advanced monorails, making a frictionless turbine that can generate electricity from winds as low as 1.5m per second. They’re ideal for low wind areas, such as mountain regions and small islands. The MagLev wind turbines could also use the airflow caused by passing cars to generate roadside lighting.

CNC Math

The follow information on programming macros comes from the experienced and very talented G-code programmer David Hagan.

Macro Programming And Using Variables.

What is a macro? A complex operation that is represented by a single command. For example, canned cycles such as the G80 series drilling cycles or G70 series turning cycles are macros that are provided as standard features by CNC control manufacturers.
These are possible due to the use of variables. If your CNC control has macro options you can use variables along with math and logic statements to simplify programming of part families and / or create custom canned cycles, even add features to machines such as tool measurement or part locating and measurement probes.
However, before you can create canned cycles or add features to equipment and expect them to function correctly you should understand variables along with math and logic statements. In this installment we’ll cover the basics.

Variables

Simply put, variables are places to store numbers. Their address is signified by “#”, the number sign.
There are 3 types of variables. Local, common, and system variables.

Local Variables

Local variables are assigned #1~#33. Each is assigned to a specific letter.

#1=A        #4=I        20=T
#2=B        #5=J        21=U
#3=C        #6=K        #22=V
#7=D        #13=M        #23=W
#8=E        #17=Q        #24=X
#9=F        #18=R        #25=Y
#11=H        #19=S        #26=Z

Local variables are passed to the macro program at the time it is called; they are local to the program that is called.
Ex. G65 P9110 X4.0 Y5.0 Z6.0 A45.0 B-60.0
G65 = call a macro
P9110 = macro called is O9110
X4.0 = value of 4.0 is stored in #24
Y5.0 = value of 5.0 is stored in #25
Z6.0 = value of 6.0 is stored in #26
A45.0 = value of 45.0 is stored in #1
B-60.0 = value of -60.0 is stored in #2

When the data block containing G65 executes, program O9110 is called and the XYZAB data is transferred into the local variables.
Local variables are cleared when the reset button is pressed. Something to keep in mind in case the program is interrupted and reset is pressed.

Common Variables

Common variables are assigned #100~ #149 and #500~ #531 (optional #100~#199 and #500~#999). These can be used for what ever is needed. The key characteristic of these variables is that they are common to all macro programs, so if one macro puts a value in #100 another macro can also read that value.
The difference between variables #100~#149 and #500~#531 is that #100~#149 are cleared when the power to the CNC is shut off, #500~#531 are backed up by battery.

System Variables

System variables are assigned #1000 and up. These allow you to read the CNC display information, depending on the information some variables can be written from the macro. Everything you can see on CNC screens can be accessed in a macro program using system variables. There’s a lot of ground to cover with system variables so we’ll deal more with them in a future installment.

Macro Arithmetic Instructions

The CNC will perform math functions following the standard MDAS order of operations. Brackets “[ ]” are used to force the order of operations, which will affect the result. Ex. #100=[5+[4*2]-[6/3]];
Why do the math when the CNC can do it for you? Incidentally, math functions can be placed in word addresses too, that is, the above example could be an axis destination in a data block. Ex. N220 G1 X[5+[4*2]-[6/3]]; .

Trig functions are useful for calculating positions based on angles. There are 4 functions available:

Sine         SIN[ angle]
Cosine        COS[angle]
Tangent        TAN[angle]
Arctangent        ATAN[value]

Scientific functions include:
Square root    SQRT[number]
Absolute value    ABS[number]
Rounding        ROUND[number]
Fix            FIX[number]
Fix up        FUP[number]

Sqrt is self explanatory. ABS returns the absolute value of a number, that is ABS[-2] yields the result 2. Round will round to the nearest whole number.  Fix removes everything to the right of the decimal point and FUP rounds up to the next whole number.

Decisions and Loops

The real power behind macro programming is in its ability to make decisions, looping allows the repetition of a process until groups of actions have been completed.
The IF statement is used to make decisions. After the IF statement is a bracketed statement. If the evaluated statement is true then the bracketed statement is performed. If the evaluated statement is false the bracketed statement is not performed. There are 6 decision statement operators, they are:
EQ        equal to (=)
NE        not equal to (<>)
GT        greater than (>)
GE        greater than or equal to (>=)
LT         less than (<)
LE        Less than or equal to (<=)

If statements are formatted:
IF[#101EQ0] GOTO3000;
Where if #101 contains the value 0 the CNC will jump to sequence number 3000.
IF can also be used to conditionally set a variable:
IF[#500NE1] THEN[#501=.75];
Where if #500 does not contain the value 1 #501 contain the value .75.

The WHILE statement is used to create a loop. A loop repeats itself until the conditional statement is true.  Example:
#110=0;
While[#110LT6] DO1;
G1 Z-1.0;
G0 Z.1;
G91 X2.0;
G90;
#110=[#110+1];
END1;
G30 Z0;
M30;

This would result in 6 holes being drilled along the X axis in 2 inch (or mm) increments then the tool will go home and the program would end.

The DO and END statements work together to indicate the beginning and end of process loops; loops can be nested 3 deep.

In the next installment we’ll look at some practical applications of what has been covered so far and take a look at system variables.

Gcode and CNC math tips

Setting up a Gcode program and do not want to manually type in .375, .750, 1.125,
1.500…etc? It’s easier to program a sub routine in gcode then type that 100+ times, how can this be automated?

method 1

Write the code for one then save that into a subroutine. The next program moves to the start of the next cut, in this case next slot, uses G93 to set offset that starting position to be zero, and calls that subroutine. When done,  move to the next starting point and G93 X0, Y0 to set X and Y to zero again for the next subroutine.

The subroutine program is like a normal program but replace the M30 at the
end with M99

The easiest way to learn this is to use the nesting wizard, look at the
program it creates and use that.

In Mach there is one problem, It will draw your program in the tool path
correctly before you start the job, however during the job the traced line
forgets there is a G93 offset, so each subroutine is draw on top of the last
one at the normal work offset co-ordinates.

another approach would be using G91 (incremental) rather than G92 (offset coordinate) In which case you add to your loop the line : G91 X0.375
To repeat every 3/8″ then don’t forget you need to do a G90 to get back to absolute mode instead of incremental.

Another approach would be using a hack in MS Excel 2003 or later, earlier version might work too.

method 2

Open a blank page in Excell

>At A1 type .375
Hit enter and the highlight will move to A2

Type .750
Hit enter

1.125
Enter

1.5
Enter

Now, for the magic…

Pasting from Excel will have each column element separated by a Tab so if you need a space or other character, you will need to search and replace outside of Excel.

If you are going to use Excel, you can just start with cell A1. Type
0.375 into this cell. Then select cells A1 through A100, next choose
“Fill” (I think it is in the edit menu, then “Series” and change the
increment value in the dialog to 0.375. It will fill the cells from A1
to A100 with values incremented by 0.375 in this case.

method 3

Start by defining the variable,

#01 = 10 (sets variable 01 to a value of ten)

Use it like

G0 X[#01]

you can also do

G0 X[#01+10]

Or have another variable that is the offset and try

G0 X[#01+#02]

Or let the offset progressively add to the #01

#01 = [#01+#02}

G0 X[#01]

Set you offset and call your subroutine.

Now copy and paste that above, so each time it runs X moves on by value in
#02

Information Nuggets

• The ID (in) of a finger ring can be found from ID=0.032*R+0.458 where R is the ring size, e.g., size 6 ring has an id of 0.65 in.
• The major diameter of a numbered thread (e.g. 6-32) is given by D=0.013*N+0.060 so a #6 has a major diameter of 0.138 in.
• A rough way to calculate tap drill size (DRILL is much better) is to subtract the pitch (in units of length/thread) from the nominal diameter:
  1/4 (in) – 20 (tpi) => 1/4 (in) – 1/20 (ipt) = 0.2 in (#7 drill)
  6 x 1 mm => 6 – 1 = 5 mm
• pi~=355/113 with an error of only 0.002% (22/7 is in error by 0.9%)
• A (US) penny is almost exactly 0.75″ diameter.
• A (US) nickel weighs ~5 grams.
• A (US) dollar bill is (imprecisely) 2.5 x 6″.
• A (US) standard(?) business card is 2 x 3.5″.
• Zig-Zag cigarette paper is ~0.001″ thick.
• Metric length conversions aren’t difficult. The (Imperial) inch is defined as exactly 25.4 millimeters. Memorize that number.
• John Pagett of Birmingham, UK sent along a clever way of converting fractional inches to their metric equivalent. Keep doubling numerator and denominator until the denominator is 256. Then the numerator divided by ten is the equivalent in mm with an error of only 0.78%
  13/64 = 26/128 = 52/256 -> 52/10 -> 5.2 mm (correct value = 5.159375 mm)
• Steve Redmond points out that mm->in can be done approximately by multiplying by 4 and dividing by 100.
  30 mm * (4/100) =~ 1.2 in (correct value = 1.181)
• Rule of thumb for milling cutters: depth of cut <= 0.5 * cutter diameter.
• Stan Dornfeld sends along a handy relation he uses for calculating feeds when drilling:
  d = drill diameter (in)
  r = spindle speed (rpm)
  f = feed (in/min)
  f = d * r / 30
• Quick way to compute allowance for standard 118 deg. drill tip: multiply drill diameter by 0.3
• A one foot head of water exerts a pressure of 0.433 psi. A 2.309 feet head of water exerts a pressure of one psi.
• The flow (GPM = gallons/minute) from a horizontal pipe of (inside) diameter d (in) can be estimated by measuring how far from horizontal the stream has dropped, y (in), at a distance x (in) from the end of the pipe and using the formula GPM = 2.56 * x * d * d / sqrt(y).
• Most people, when they make homemade signs, make the letters way too small. A good rule of thumb is 2.5 to 3 inches of letter height for every 100 feet of viewing distance.
• Tap drill size for a thread-forming tap can be found from:
  tap drill = OD – 0.0068*(DOT)/pitch
  For example, with a 1/4-20 tap and a desired depth of thread of 65%, we have:
  tap drill = 0.25 – 0.0068*65/20 = 0.228 in. (#1 drill)
• This one from Redgie Joy:
  When grinding cutting tools to an accurate profile it is difficult to prevent the layout from getting destroyed by the heat of grinding. Neither Dykem blue or magic marker stand up very well. Mix a dilute solution of Copper Sulfate (Blue Stone) and water. A couple of small lumps dissolved into water is fine. Add a drop or two of Sulfuric Acid (Battery Acid). The acid is not necessary, it just makes it work better. Degrease the toolbit, then paint a drop or two of the solution on the bit. It will immediately leave a thin coating of copper plate on the bit. Wash off in water, then scribe the profile in the copper plate. The copper will not burn off during heating, and since it is very thin, it is possible to engrave extremely fine lines.
• The Imperial measurement system is hands-down one of the most nonsensical systems still used in (a few) industrialized countries. One of its most ludicrous examples is the system used for indicating the weight of an anvil. A triplet of numbers, e.g., a:b:c, is cast into or stamped onto the anvil. The first number is the number of hundredweights (cwt), the second number is the number of quarters (of a cwt), and the third number is pounds. Thus, the formula for the weight of the anvil in pounds is: 112*a + 28*b + c. The fact that a hundredweight is really 112 pounds and not 100 pounds has something to do with the British who thought eight stone ‘looked’ like about 100 lbs. Since a stone is 14 pounds, 8*14 = 112. Contact John Cleese at the Ministry of Funny Walks and Ridiculous Units for further information.
• The full series of BA (British Association) threads runs from N=0 to N=22. The pitch of a given thread is given by P(mm)=(0.9)^N and its diameter is given by D(mm)=6 * P^(1.2). All BA threads have a thread angle of 47.5 deg.
• The volume of a pizza of thickness ‘a’ and radius ‘z’ is given by pi z z a.
• If you’re going to check a micrometer for accuracy, it’s important to use a set of gage blocks that cause the spindle to seat at different orientations so drunken thread errors will be noticed. The preferred set for inch micrometers is: 0.105, 0.210, 0.315, 0.420, 0.500, 0.605, 0.710, 0.815, 0.920, 1.000. For metric micrometers the preferred set is: 3.1, 6.5, 9.7, 12.5, 15.8, 19.0, 21.9, 25.0.

Essential Tools A plus

What tools are essential for taking care of a computer, what tools should you not be without on hand when going to fix a desktop or server and what can you leave in your shop? A+ certification is a relatively new field, though the skillsets that make it up are as old as I.T itself, it consists of addressing the core issues surrounding a PC, fixing serial ports, software and hardware issues, hexidecimal and binary, the basic nuts and bolts of taking care of a computer.

Hardware Tools
Time Shaver For the Core Hardware exam, you’ll need a thorough understanding of the tools used to diagnose, troubleshoot, remove, and install FRMs in the PC. Your ability to appropriately use tools in troubleshooting, diagnosing, and repairing a PC is assumed in the A+ exams. If you have a fair amount
of experience using tools to diagnose and troubleshoot PC problems, then you should at least skim this chapter. However, if you don’t have much hands-on experience with these tools and how they are used, study this chapter, especially the section on multimeters. There are literally hundreds of different types of hardware tools. Some tools are specific to particular tasks and others are more generic. Luckily for PC repair technicians, most of the necessary tools are
fairly generic, which saves money when buying tools. The more specific a tool is to a task, the more it costs. Tip You can buy an adequate tool kit that has most of the basic tools you need at your local computer or electronics store or online for less than $20. (They often come in nifty little zippered cases.) When buying a tool kit, be sure that it has an electrostatic discharge (ESD) grounding wrist strap.
The PC repair technician’s tool kit consists of two groups of hardware tools: the never-go-to-thecustomer- site-without-these-tools and the tools-that-are-kept-at-the-shop-for-major-surgery. Like a doctor’s bag, only the instruments and generic medicines that are needed for general care are carried in the bag, and the really strange and specific tools are left back in the operating room. The following sections discuss the general categories of hardware tools, separating each category into those tools that go into the doctor’s bag and those that should be left in the operating room. Tools you shouldn’t leave home without
Many tools should be carried to all customer sites. They’re the staples of your tool kit. Don’t leave home without ‘em.

Screwdrivers

Tip Screwdrivers are used in assembly and disassembly tasks, which are common activities in repairing
and diagnosing PC problems. (You don’t need a huge assortment of screwdrivers.) The screws used in the PC come in four general flavors: Phillips (cross-head recess or star), slotted (standard), hex head, or Torx. If you have one or two good screwdrivers for each type of screw, you’ll never need to return to the shop to get the screwdriver you didn’t think you’d ever need. Know the different screw heads by sight, especially the Phillips and Torx. Warning Magnetic screwdrivers, although convenient, can be dangerous to the sensitive electronic components inside the computer. Take it from somebody with fingers like small tree trunks: Using a magnetic screwdriver to fish out a screw that has fallen inside the system case is tempting, but there are fragile electronic circuits that the electromagnetic field can damage. More than likely, poking around with the screwdriver is a greater danger than the magnetic tip. Regardless, I suggest you adopt a bettersafe- than-sorry attitude and use nonmagnetic tools.
Needle nose pliers
While not completely necessary, you can use needle nose pliers to hold screws and connectors when your fingers are just too big. They also are handy for working with wire, and most needle nose pliers have a wire cutter near the hinge. I suggest carrying a set with you, just in case. Warning The handles on some pliers are plastic or rubber, which improve your grip, but don’t protect you from electrical shock. Pliers that are insulated against shock are marked as such, but are very rare.
Parts retriever
This tool has a small set of retractable claws that extend when a button on the spring-loaded handle is pressed. After they are extended, you can place the claws around an item to be retrieved, such as the screw that fell onto the motherboard, and release the spring to grasp the item. This tool is a necessity and a safer choice than a magnetic screwdriver.

Diagonal cutters (dikes)
Manufacturers usually bundle all the cables, including the one you need, with cable ties. A small pair of diagonal cutters, also known as dikes, are useful for cutting cable ties and any other thick wire or plastic that you need to cut. Of course, cutting a cable tie should remind you to put some extra cable tie in your
tool kit.
ESD wrist strap
This tool is a necessity in every tool kit for travel and in the shop. An ESD wrist strap (shown in Figure3-1 ) is akin to the mask worn by the surgeon over his or her mouth and face. An ESD wrist strap is an elastic or Velcro wristband with a coiled wire that has a snap or clip at the end. The clip or snap attaches to a computer chassis or a grounding mat, or both, that grounds you and eliminates

the potential for ESD
damage from you or your tools. Wear an ESD wrist strap (or ankle strap or heel strap if your workplace is equipped for them) whenever you open the system unit or handle circuit cards, such as the motherboard or expansion cards. The wrist
strap must make two good contacts–with your skin at the wrist strap end and with a grounded surface through the clip or snap end.
An ESD wrist strap is an essential piece of equipment to have in your tool kit. Follow these steps to ensure that both you and the PC are protected against ESD:

1. Turn the PC’s power switch to its OFF position. Verify that the power actually goes off.
2. Unplug the PC’s power cord.
3. Ensure that you and the PC will not be in contact with any other grounded objects.
4. Place the PC on a flat surface that is free from metallic objects, electrical cords, power supplies,

hydroelectric plants, and the like. Make sure that the PC is not touching another PC or any other electrical device that is plugged into an electrical outlet.
Shocking Information An ESD wrist strap has a one-megaohm resistor located in its grounding cord. Never, for any reason, remove this resistor. If the resistor is damaged or is not working, replace the grounding cord or the entire wrist strap immediately. Dispose of the faulty cord or strap to avoid using it accidentally.
You can find just about anything you ever wanted to know about ESD and ESD protection on the ESDSystems.Com Web site provided by Desco Industries, Inc. at www.esdsystems.com .
Multimeter
One of the primary troubleshooting and diagnostic tools in your tool kit is a multimeter, also known as a digital multimeter or digital voltage multimeter (DVM). On the A+ Core Hardware exam, it is referred to as a multimeter. This tool, shown in Figure 3-2 , is used to test or measure a range of electrical
properties of the PC.

A multimeter is used to test and measure the electrical properties of the PC and its components.

Flashlight
A flashlight is another must-have. Many gloomy shadows lurk inside the computer where screws and other small parts can fall. You may also need it to read some very small print on chips, labels, or circuit boards, such as the pin markings on a connector or version numbers on a ROM, that can be hard to read
in the shadows inside of the system. A small high-beam flashlight comes in handy, although some of us need what amounts to a searchlight for finding small parts or components inside the PC’s case.
Loop-back plugs
You rarely need to diagnose or repair a parallel or serial port on a PC. However, if it is necessary to isolate a port problem, loop-back plugs , which simulate a connection on a port, can be used to test the function of a port. Loop-back plugs, which are constructed by connecting the pins of a connector head together so that the data sent out is immediately sensed on the receiving pins of the port, are typically used in conjunction with a diagnostics software package, such as Pc-Check ( www.eurosoft-usa.com ),
Norton Utilities ( www.symantec.com ), or CheckIt ( www.touchstonesoftware.com ). A loop-back plug
performs a full operations test to determine if the cause of a communications error problem is in the
port.
Operating tools
These have no specific repair purpose but come in handy when I need to see a
connector or wire deep inside the computer or around a card or connector. You can find nonmedical
versions (which are cheaper than medical versions) of these tools at most tool shops. Most good commercial tool kits available now include these items.
Angled mirrors help you see around corners inside a PC.
Sharp edge
When you need to cut through something that can’t be cut with wire cutters or dikes, a utility knife or blade of some type can be just what you need. If you carry one with you, be sure that it has a retracting edge or snug-fitting cover. You may also want to include a small, good-quality pair of scissors in your tool kit. Just make sure that it has a cover or small case to keep you from stabbing yourself when you reach into the kit.

Vacuum

Anytime you open a PC, perform a little preventive maintenance. If nothing else, vacuum the system case to remove all of the dust bunnies that have accumulated inside since the last time it was cleaned (if ever). A variety of small vacuum cleaners designed specifically for PCs is available in both AC and battery powered models. Most have either a small brush head, like the one shown in Figure 3-4 , or a relatively short hose on which brush attachments are mounted.

Software Tools
You will definitely encounter questions that ask when, why, and what to expect from the software tools described in this section. A PC’s problem is not always apparent. Rarely do you arrive to find the power supply on fire, which would be a clear indication that the problem is actually the power supply. If you’ve worked with PCs long enough, you know that no problem is ever exactly what it seems. (Of course, the power supply or another FRM being on fire would definitely be an exception.) The problem often lies deep inside the computer, and you must employ something other than hardware tools. When the problem is apparent, you may need to use diagnostic and trouble-shooting software. These tools are as essential to your tool kit as the Phillips screwdriver is. Whether they’re a part of your travel tool kit is a policy matter for you or your employer. Using your software involves installing and uninstalling the software for each use. If your customer has a particular need or is having a repeating problem, you may want to encourage the customer to purchase a copy of the diagnostic software for his or her PC. Luckily, some of these tools are included with the operating system,

Contracts

This email came to me today via Thomasnet and I thought it was interesting. Keep Ahead of Your Contracts in 2009 In today’s economy, it’s essential to make the most of every opportunity. Be sure your 2009 strategy includes pursuing the best supplier deals available and dropping contracts that don’t make sense to the bottom line. ThomasNet’s Contract Manager can help you start the new year right. Quick, free and easy to use, this simple web-based application allows you to store, track and access all contracts – new or old. Contract Manager’s automated renewal alerts build flexibility into your decision-making process, giving you enough time to cancel bad contracts and research good ones. Plus, you can grant read-only reviewing privileges when colleagues or employers need a look at stored contracts. Free yourself from the file-copy-fax hassle, and empower your process. ThomasNet’s free Contract Manager offers a big business tool without big business effort.

Reader Responses

Your Thoughts
Is It Still Possible To Start Really Small?
A reader recently asked this question: “Can someone make money with one Bridgeport mill? I’m thinking about starting small with one mill in my home shop. Is it worth it? Will I be able to grow and buy more machines?”

Many shops got their start this way. Is it still possible? Would your response have been different a year ago?

To respond, send an e-mail to alex

RE: Your Thoughts
Readers Respond
Last month we asked for your New Year’s resolutions. Richard Dolin of Kaydon Ring & Seal Inc., which is based in Baltimore, Maryland, said, “As leadman for the CNC operation, my New Year’s resolution is to get the operation more organized and the people trained to follow consistent methods.” Carrying out this plan includes:

• Changing tools at scheduled and proven intervals to control the process.
• Cleaning tooling and returning it to its proper storage space so the next person can find it easily.
• Tightening what needs tightened without over tightening.
• Disposing of spent tooling in proper containers.
• Cleaning and picking up the area even if it was a mess when you got to work.
• Taking pride in the work.
• Making sure incoming material and outgoing finished products are properly identified, protected and stored.
• Making others’ jobs easier and more enjoyable.

protect your server: Conficker-Antivirus 2009- Eastern Europe Threats

Warning do not get your information on computer security from the backwards right wing paper the WSJ. they do not respect science enough to get facts right..

Go ahead and connect a fresh install of windows to the internet,  within an average of 5 minutes and in many cases less than 30 seconds, your computer will be taken over by a virus (malware). This virus may very likely be a version of the Trojan horse “Antivirus 2009” which poses as antivirus software to extort a person out of money or steal information.  Or you may get a version of the Confiker virus which uses brute force” password cracking technique to crack system passwords and buffer overflow attacks to spread to other machines.  Brute force techniques use advanced programs to guess a password using a massive “dictionary file”, a file of mind boggling proportions  containing billions of password variations.  Here is a list of passwords used by the worm. The program can guess thousands of passwords a second. the expected number of trials before the correct key is found is equal to half the size the passwords characters. For example, if there are 264 possible keys, a brute force attack would discover the key after approximately 263 trials. Cracking programs such as rainbow tables log the search by keeping tables or records of previous guesses.  Apple O.S and Linux are still basically safe from viruses without one major virus being discovered.  Microsoft is a huge target and has monitored over a 43 percent jump in malware removed from Windows computers in the past half year alone.

Hackers, many traced back to eastern European countries such as Russia or the Ukraine profit off of a massive underground economy of stolen banking information, fraud and other scams such. The sale of fake antivirus software alone in this black market totals an estimated $100 billion a year.  The success of antivirus 2009 made it one of the most infamous viruses around, the scale of the virus was due to many variations of the programs being created and used in “affiliate programs” if you will by people associated with the criminal gangs.  People using the software would get a cut of the money they made off computers they infected. Versions of Antivirus 2009 include those that scan I.P. blocks looking for vulnerable computers (such as the fresh install we plugged in earlier), as well as the original Zlob version of the Virus. A Zlob is a Trojan horse which masquerades as a needed video codec in the form of ActiveX when the user downloads the add on, they are infected. Antivirus 2009 had a version which would check to see if the user had a Ukrainian keyboard, if this was the case, the malware would not install, other viruses such as the Swizzor virus will not install if they detect a Russian layout. This is interesting to note and reinforces the knowledge that most of these viruses are of eastern European origin. The reason for this detection is that it is much easier to perform cyber crimes and terrorism in other countries across oceans and international borders. By only targeting computers countries apart, the “shadow servers” which are the servers behind the virus, and the “bot herder” the computer controlling the botnet, can remain elusive.   Back in October Microsoft shocked us all by releasing an emergency security update to inform users about a vulnerability known as MS08-067, this was the Confiker virus it spreading via network shares as well as removable drives, Confiker is building its own botnet of over an estimated 3.5 million computers. Confiker also checks for the Ukrainian keyboard layout.

What is The Risk?

There are about three different angles a virus can take to compromise your system; different variations of a virus may take a different route. They may install a “root kit” or an entry in the windows registry that turns your computer into a “zombie.” Meaning that there is a small program running on your computer at all times, connecting you to a network of millions of other infected zombie computers, which can all be controlled at any time.” This massive web of computers or botnet may be given instructions on call by the “bot herder”.  This massive number of computers commands tremendous power that can be used for malicious ends such as extortion attempts and DoS (denial of service) attacks. For example gambling site may get a call on the day of the indie 500 saying “it would be a shame for your server to go down on this most important day, for $100,000 we can assure you this will not happen.” It’s the old protection racket. The virus can also simply steal your banking information and other passwords for further fraud.  In the case of Antivirus 2009 the renegade software can pose as legitimate antivirus software, holding your computer hostage until you pay them for the “full version” upgrade of their You may want to remove the virus manually through checking registry entries, directories and the Autorun.ini file and or by running antivirus programs like malwarebytes, in extreme cases you may have to reimage your hard disk.  (Edit* When I advice using multiple antivirus software I do not mean to have them constantly running in the backround as this eats up memory, I only suggest you run multiple programs when you suspect you have a problem and then delete all but one when you are done running them.) The problem with most antivirus software is that it will not catch a large percentage of viruses out there, all a programmer needs to do is make a tiny alteration such as changing a number by one digit to create a completely new undetectable version of the virus, which is not flagged as a virus in the database of the antivirus company. This is why it is a good idea to install different free antivirus programs such as, Antivir, AVG and Avast, to thoroughly scan your machine from different angles.  Often it is the biggest names in Security which are targeted first by the virus writers to be undetectable by.

the fake antivirus software scans your computer and finds self created threats which it then charges you to get rid of

Microsoft team has built elaborate software tools including traps called “honeypots” that are used to detect malware and a system called the Botnet Monitoring and Analysis Tool. Detecting and disrupting botnets is a particularly delicate challenge that Microsoft will talk about only in vague terms. Their challenge parallels the traditional one of law enforcement’s placing informers inside criminal gangs. Botnets are becoming such a threat some are calling for them to be classified as electronic weapons of mass destruction.

Just as gangs will often force a recruit to commit a crime as a test of loyalty, in cyberspace, bot-herders will test recruits in an effort to weed out spies. Microsoft investigators do not comment on their solution to this problem, but say they avoid doing anything illegal with their software.

Variations of the Conficker virus differ, some infecting any computer regardless of the country such as the version Win32/Conficker.A.  The theme of not attacking certain countries is an interesting consistency that may allow for better tracking of the origins of different viruses.  Let’s look at this more closely to see how and why it behaves this way. The code below is written in the Microsoft .net framework, which is what most viruses are written in. The following is courtesy of Pierre-Marc Bureau

There are different techniques that can be used by a program to identify in which country it has been installed.  It can check for time zone information, public IP addresses or even domain names.  Lately, we have seen two different malware families trying to discover their geographic location in an effort to avoid infecting PCs in specific countries.

Here are some variants of the the Win32/TrojanDownloader.  Swizzor using the following code:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms905289.aspx

call    GetSystemDefaultLangID ; Indirect Call Near Procedure
[...]
mov     edi, eax
[...]
cmp     di, 419h
jz      end_function

This code calls the GetSystemDefaultLangID function and compares the result to a constant, 0×419.  Browsing through MSDN documentation reveals that this constant’s value translates to LANG_RUSSIAN.  It turns out that these variants of Win32/TrojanDownloader.Swizzor will exit before infecting a computer, if they find out that the default system language is Russian.

We have also identified the following code in the earliest variants of the Win32/Conficker malware:

push    edi             ; lpList
push    esi             ; nBuff
call    ebx ; GetKeyboardLayoutList
cmp     esi, eax
jnz     short list_not_found
dec     esi
cmp     word ptr [edi+esi*4], 422h
jz      short dont_install

Here, the malware tries to retrieve a list of keyboard layouts and works through   that list.  If a layout is found with the language identifier of 0×422, the routine terminates  and the malware is not installed.  This means that some variants of the Win32/Conficker family will not install on a computer that uses an Ukrainian keyboard layout.  Please note that this behavior is only present in W32/Conficker.A.   Later variants of this malware infect any PC they can access without checking the keyboard layout.
What we are seeing now is probably the beginning of a new trend.  Malware authors will try to avoid infecting PCs in specific countries to limit the risk of legal actions taken against them.  In most countries, there often needs to be a victim or complaint before law enforcement agencies take legal action against an offender in cases of malware infection.  In cases where an attacker only targets victims outside of his country, it is much harder for law enforcement agencies to take action.

Methods

Win32/Conficker.B has multiple propagation methods. These include the following:

• Exploitation of the vulnerability that is patched by security update 958644 (MS08-067)
• The use of network shares
• The use of AutoPlay functionality

When executed, Win32/Conficker.A creates a copy of itself in the %System% directory with a random filename.

The worm injects its code into the “services.exe” process to keep itself memory resident and difficult to cleanup.

Win32/Conficker.A also creates a service with the following characteristics, to automatically execute on system start:

Service name: netsvcs

Path to executable: %System%\svchost.exe -k netsvcs

and adds the following registry entry:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\<random filename>\Parameters\ServiceDll = “%System%\<random filename>”

Note: %System% is a variable location. The malware determines the location of the current System folder by querying the operating system. The defaul

t installation location for the System directory for Windows 2000 and NT is C:\Winnt\System32; for 95,98 and ME is C:\Windows\System; for XP and Vista is C:\Windows\System32.

Removal

Patrik Runald of F-Secure’s chief security advisor stated that the worm is capable of obstructing a users access to Microsoft’s Websites and also disable the automatic update function. This may make it impossible to get online to get help, in which case you are reading this from another computer. So to install Microsofts fix for the virus Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT), you may need to transfer it onto your computer from a CD or a USB.  You may also try using the “Add/Remove Programs” to uninstall the virus. Or some of the other removal tools listed below. Conficker as well as other viruses may take over windows processes such as svchost.exe, explorer.exe and services.exe. so using process explorer to find out what these processes are really doing can be useful if you have it installed.

Win32/Conficker.A Win32/Conficker.B, symptoms, (similar for Win32/Conficker.AA)

Symptoms: Win32/Conficker.A

• Users locked out of directory
• Denied access to admin shares
• The creation of Scheduled tasks
• Access to security related web sites is blocked.

Symptoms: Win32/Conficker.B

• Tripped account lockout policies.
• Automatic Updates, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Windows Defender, and Error Reporting Services are disabled.
• Slow responses from Domain controllers to client requests.
• Congested network.
• Blocked access to various security-related Web sites.

Precautions to exercise if you do not have this or any other noticeable virus (though you may be a zombie and not know it)

1. First of all make sure your system has the most recent Windows updates, such as MS08-067, MS08-068 and MS09-001.
2. Make sure you have automatic updates turned on in the security center and your firewall is turned ON.
3. Avoid “free” online security scans as these are often maliciouse.
4. Exercise caution when opening attatchments and running .exe’s.
5. Turn the “autorun” feature off, it automatically runs programs found on memory sticks and USB devices, be aware of this when plugging in new usb sticks.
6. Ensure that you utilize strong administrator passwords/passphrases, longer then 14 characters with a a combination of numbers and letters and upper and lowercase.

http://www.update.microsoft.com (http://www.update.microsoft.com)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890830

Here is a list of known infected directories (make sure you can see hidden folders under folder options in control panel)

%Documents and Settings%\All Users\Application Data\[Random Name].dll

%Program Files%\Internet Explorer\[Random Name].dll

%Program Files%\Movie Maker\[Random Name].dll

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker

%System32%\[Random Name].dll

%Temp%\[Random Name].dll

%Documents and Settings%\All Users\Application Data\[Random Name].dll

%Program Files%\Internet Explorer\[Random Name].dll

%Program Files%\Movie Maker\[Random Name].dll

%System32%\[Random Name].dll

%Temp%\[Random Name].dll

Registry entries

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\BadServiceName

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (the run folder is often the source of malware as it runs programs at start up)

If this does not fix it follow the manual removal instructions step by step here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/962007

http://www.spywareremove.com/removeWin32ConfickerAA.html

also try these tools, as often the bigger names such as Norton or AVG do not work because the virus was made with them in mind.

http://www.spywareremove.com/download/SpyHunter-Scanner101413p2s2.exe -Spyhunters malware scanner

http://www.regnow.com/trialware/download/Download_5.1.0.272f-5.1.0.272-sdregnow.exe?item=11719-1&affiliate=56878&linkid=fscconfic

Additional References

this thread from reddit on the subject

http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/7wapy/hey_internet_can_we_please_find_and_make_life/

http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=eWMDs&expire=&urlID=32877260&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hoover.org%2Fpublications%2Fpolicyreview%2F35543534.html&partnerID=162551

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/technology/internet/10attacks.html?fta=y

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/technology/internet/06security.html?_r=1&fta=y