After initial discussions, the government determined that this new computer language has not yet undergone complete testing and is not suitable for nationwide rollout immediately. Instead, it should be implemented on a small scale as a pilot program. Of course, if SMMH were to make it completely public, others could learn it on their own; therefore, nationwide rollout is not currently planned.
Where should we conduct the pilot program?
This new computer language has not yet been tested, and to put it bluntly, it may be a waste of time to learn it. After all, most people don't have much confidence in a fully Chinese computer language right now.
However, the president of Tsinghua University made the decision to snatch the pilot program away.
Tsinghua University boasts one of the best computer science departments among Chinese universities, and several of the experts on this review are professors from Tsinghua. They immediately recognized the potential of this language and naturally know that the earlier one learns it, the better! If they can gain further support from SMMH through this pilot program, that would be even better!
The Red Hacker Alliance, however, immediately proposed promoting the Chinese language within its ranks and preparing to build an independent forum... The reason it hasn't been built yet is that, firstly, the Chinese language is currently only circulating within a limited group, and many people are still unaware of it. Secondly, even the elite members of the Red Hacker Alliance are only just beginning to explore this language, and are still learning and developing it together. The goal is for everyone to explore, progress, and develop together, striving to become the authoritative Chinese language forum in China as soon as possible after this hacker competition and when SMMH officially releases the Chinese language.
How many members will this bring to the Red Hacker Alliance? How many core members will it cultivate?!
The value that can be brought about in this regard is simply immeasurable!
Therefore, once again, the top leaders of the Red Hacker Alliance are filled with respect and gratitude for SMMH. His intervention this time is completely different from his two public interventions last year to resolve the Firefly virus and Snake virus attacks… those two interventions only enhanced SMMH's reputation. But this time, he has brought honor to the entire Chinese computer industry!
At this time, Chen Xu also brought out the Chinese language and taught it to the current hacker group.
Originally, this group already had Chen Xu, Zhong Ziyu, Zhan Jing, and that prematurely overweight guy we'd never met. Chen Xu had planned to give the last spot to Wu Yuan, but the problem was Gao Xiaojie insisted on joining... Well, fine, let him join. According to the rules, each group of five has one substitute. Hmm, let Gao Xiaojie be the substitute, hehehe.
To be honest, even sending someone like Gao Xiaojie to be a substitute is giving her too much credit. This girl is only a half-baked expert right now… not everyone can become an expert after studying for half a year. Chen Xu's rapid progress is due to his quick learning of Chinese language. More importantly, it's thanks to Xiaomin's guidance that his computer knowledge is incredibly solid. Gao Xiaojie didn't have that kind of luck.
Simply put, the Chinese language allows beginners to quickly get started and thus develop an interest in the tedious work of programming... at least they can understand Chinese characters! But to truly improve their skills, they still need Xiaomin.
Gao Xiaojie is currently barely at the "Newly Learned Flying Bird" level in the Red Hacker Battlefield, which is only slightly higher than the Egg and Rookie levels. It can be said that this level is completely useless in real combat.
However, Gao Xiaojie had no choice but to accept it! Anyone here was better than her. She was very dissatisfied and challenged Chen Xu, but Chen Xu bombarded her with questions and sent her down to fix the system.
It wasn't until she saw the "Chinese Language" exhibit that Gao Xiaojie pouted indignantly and said, "Well, you had the SMMH boss secretly teaching you and you didn't even tell us! That's outrageous! You're hoarding good stuff? Jingjing, what do you think we should do with him?!"
Zhan Jing stared intently at the "Chinese Language" in front of her for a long while before looking up at Chen Xu. She exhaled and said softly, "Perhaps my request is a bit excessive, but if SMMH gives you anything related to computers next time, and if they don't say it can't be given to outsiders, then please be sure to let me know, okay?"
This was the first time Zhan Jing had spoken to him in such a serious tone.
Chen Xu paused for a moment, then nodded and said okay. The quiet girl gave a grateful smile and continued to look down at the "Chinese Language" document.
Chen Xu rarely saw Zhan Jing show such a serious, almost fanatical expression. It seemed she really loved computers, otherwise she wouldn't have been so excited to see this thing.
This is the difference between an expert and a novice. Zhan Jing could see the value in the information at a glance, but Gao Xiaojie was just cheering because he didn't have to read those tedious English documents anymore.
The hacker competition is scheduled for June 10th, which means there are less than two weeks left. In these two weeks, in addition to communicating and exchanging experiences and simulating attack and defense, the team has another very important task: to improve everyone's skills as much as possible in the shortest amount of time.
Hacking is different from other sports like football and basketball, where you can improve your skills in half a month. That's just wishful thinking.
However, with guidance, a hacker's skill level can improve rapidly; half a month is enough for someone who has just learned to use a computer to master basic attack and defense techniques… This progress is very fast. Moreover, these people already have a certain foundation, and with this half-month training, they should be able to make even greater progress.
Or rather, progress in certain aspects.
"Why hasn't Young Fatty arrived yet?" Chen Xu was getting anxious because the main lineup was only missing Young Fatty, who was still nowhere to be found. After all, he didn't know Young Fatty at all, and if they didn't hurry up and get to know each other better, then neither of them would know what the other was good at, which would be troublesome.
“It should be today,” Zhong Ziyu said anxiously. She glanced at her watch and said, “Hmm, he should have gotten off the plane by now. But I can’t get through to his cell phone.” Zhong Ziyu then called Yingnianzaofeidi: “No, his phone is still off. Maybe we should call the airport and ask if the flight is delayed. My boss flies from Shanghai Hongqiao Airport; you know, it’s usually a miracle if a flight from Hongqiao isn’t delayed.”
"Uh." Chen Xu broke out in a cold sweat. Was it really that exaggerated? Hmm. Someone who'd never been on a plane before...
“Alright, let’s not wait for him for now.” Zhan Jing clapped her hands lightly and said, “Let’s do a preliminary assessment first. Let me see what level everyone’s computer skills have reached.”
"How do we get a preliminary understanding?" the four of them asked in unison.
Zhan Jing turned on her computer. To better prepare for the competition and training, the group had all brought their computers to the rented apartment Chen Xu and his friends were staying at. They rearranged things in the living room, creating a small space to set up this temporary studio. Since all five of them were using laptops, and the living room was quite large, it didn't feel cramped.
"Because there are so many people signing up for this hacking competition, they'll definitely have to use some methods at the beginning to select the teams that will make it to the finals. Heh. Don't look at me like that, I'm not the one who set the questions. But I can vaguely guess what methods they'll use, nothing more than breaking into servers, firewalls, or guessing passwords. So we'd better practice beforehand. Also, I want to see what your true level is, so I'll give you a few slightly challenging test questions later."
"Ah!" Gao Xiaojie looked at Zhan Jing pitifully: "Jingjing, what you said is a little difficult, probably even more difficult than the preliminary round of this hacker competition, right? No, no, I just started learning."
"Heh, it won't be too difficult. Simply put, it's just a test of your skills and style. Okay, everyone take your positions now. Our first question is simple. Each of you has an IP address in a document on your computer desktop, and this address is connected to a home computer. Your four addresses are different, but the software protection levels of your computers are almost identical, except that I've installed a firewall on the computers. This firewall isn't very powerful; it's just a little better than the firewalls currently on the market. Your task is to successfully access this computer. That's easy, isn't it?"
Hmm, it does sound like a very simple task, but is it really that simple? There's no one guarding it; it's just a firewall. Although Chen Xu hasn't even started yet, he already believes he has an 80% chance of success. Unless that firewall is ridiculously powerful like the one he gave to the military last time, there will always be vulnerabilities.
Wu Yuan and Zhong Ziyu looked relaxed, clearly indicating that they had done this kind of thing countless times before; it was just a simple matter of intrusion.
Zhan Jing smiled calmly: "In that case, let's begin."
Chen Xu and the others immediately opened the document on the desktop and saw the IP address. Upon seeing the IP format, Chen Xu immediately determined that the computer was located in Shanghai, because the IP address started with 61.129. Since an IP address represents a unique address, Chen Xu was quite familiar with them, having seen many IP addresses before.
The first step in an intrusion is to scan for vulnerabilities, which usually involves using readily available software. For example, Wu Yuan used Retin, Zhong Ziyu used Ice River, while Chen Xu used software he compiled himself. Chen Xu hadn't seen the tool Gao Xiaojie used before; it was probably given to her by Zhan Jing.
The saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle." The first step in scanning is to determine what operating system the target is using. Only by knowing the target's operating system can you perform vulnerability scanning based on that system.
This computer uses the most common version of Windows XP, but all the official patches have been installed, and some system services that are easily exploited by hackers have been disabled. It seems that the user of this computer is not a computer novice.
There is a major vulnerability in Windows XP, whether intentionally left by the developers is unknown. Ordinary users can easily spot it if they pay attention, as the vulnerability lies within system services.
This vulnerability, called RemoteRegistry, can be found in system services. If this service is enabled, it allows remote users to modify the local registry settings… This is an extremely insecure service option. It's crucial to understand that regardless of the operating system, the data in the registry is vital, affecting the entire system. If an outsider can arbitrarily modify the registry, they can disable any security measures on the computer, essentially opening a window for hackers!
The attacked computer was at least at the level of a novice expert in terms of security. He had disabled similar system services, patched the system, and disabled computer sharing settings… Chen Xu felt that if the computer owner hadn't done these things with Zhan Jing's help, but rather did them himself, then he was very likely following the prompts of currently available security software, such as 360 Security Guard.
However, this alone is insufficient to prevent a hacker's intrusion, especially for those self-proclaimed "hackers" who think they're invincible by using readily available software. This setup is enough because their readily available scanning software can't keep up with security software like 360's updates. If they can't find vulnerabilities, these readily available tools are useless, and they won't use other methods to attack.
However, Chen Xu, Zhong Ziyu, and Wu Yuan were far more skilled than the others. Chen Xu easily checked the port the other computer was currently using—haha, those familiar numbers between 4000 and 4009. The other party was using QQ.
QQ is a communication software with extremely poor security; its core is practically defenseless. This is also why it attracts so much attention—currently, apart from the software released by SMMH, no other software company's product can withstand the tinkering of a bunch of experts online… Just look at how many cheats QQ has released, like Coral QQ and Rainbow QQ, and you'll know. This thing is particularly vulnerable to being played with by skilled users.
When Chen Xu was bored, he even modified QQ himself... It was very simple. He just used the QQ kernel and added some things, such as displaying IP addresses, blocking the other party from using stealth mode, and strengthening security. Now, if Chen Xu wanted to, he could easily hack into someone else's QQ account.
And Chen Xu did just that.
It's not that Chen Xu had no other options, but this method was the least strenuous, so he naturally used it. More importantly, Q is inherently connected to the external network. To put it more vividly, a computer is like a closed space, and the network is the channel through which the outside world enters that space. However, if ordinary methods are used, this channel has a firewall—a large door—that ordinary people can't enter. But besides the main door, the space itself has many windows connecting it to the outside world.
Climbing in through the window would not alert the firewall door, making it very simple and easy.
Chen Xu glanced back at Wu Yuan and the others; the three of them were also operating with great tension. This was both a preliminary assessment and a competition—a test to see who among the four had the best skills!
Chapter 222 Zhan Jing's Firewall
Chen Xu disguised the data stream as a QQ message and then sneaked into the other party's QQ chat window.
That's so easy, it's incredibly easy!
It was almost unbelievably easy.
If this is just a preliminary assessment, then it's completely meaningless!
Chen Xu turned and glanced at Zhan Jing; the girl was also looking at him. There was an indescribable meaning flickering in her eyes.
No, there's a trap!
Chen Xu quickly prepared to retreat, but at that moment, a surge of data suddenly poured out from the other party's computer, instantly blocking Chen Xu. He could retreat now, but once he did, his IP address would be intercepted, which, according to the standards of hacker attack and defense, would mean defeat.
Only then did Chen Xu realize that he had forgotten to use the agent!
This is a disgrace to hackers!
A hacker, when infiltrating other people's computers or servers, did not use botnets, but instead used his own local computer... This is absolutely the most unforgivable mistake!
Because he didn't even think about protecting himself first. For a hacker, even if the attack fails, they must learn to conceal their identity. For a hacker, security is paramount!
Chen Xu made this mistake for two reasons. First, he thought it was just a simple test and didn't think too much about it. Second, he was used to using Xiao Min as a tool... Xiao Min's shield represented invincible strength; no one could break through Xiao Min's defenses and find her location. So, over time, Chen Xu even forgot this very important hacker principle.
At this point, Chen Xu's only option was to face the situation.
He told himself that since Zhan Jing said the other party wouldn't defend against it, then this data stream must be like an ARP firewall, automatically intercepting and analyzing data. At most, this firewall is quite powerful, but it couldn't possibly be so powerful as to be irresistible!
Because every program has vulnerabilities. Even Xiaomin's program has vulnerabilities! It's just that if the vulnerability is in a place that can't be seen, then it's not considered a vulnerability!
So how do we withstand the opponent's attack and turn the tide of battle?
Chen Xu typed away, constantly changing the shell of his disguised data stream. Because QQ messages use different methods, each with different data codes, Chen Xu continuously changed the shell to prevent his data packets from being intercepted. He adopted a guerrilla strategy, attacking while simultaneously intercepting and analyzing the opponent's data stream.
Zhanjing's firewall clearly has an automatic counterattack function, but its counterattack methods are quite limited. Chen Xu now needs to understand how this firewall works. Why was he able to be detected by the firewall even when he was impersonating someone using QQ?
As mentioned earlier, this kind of firewall with counter-attack capabilities is like a vicious dog chained to the front door. This dog is very fierce. However, the only place it can control is the front door; it can't reach things coming in through the windows.
But it's obvious that this dog's leash is quite long, allowing it to control not only the front door but also the windows.
Of course, if this dog bites indiscriminately, biting anyone who comes in, whether it's a thief or its owner, then it's just a mad dog and doesn't represent anything. However, if a computer uses a firewall for protection, then that computer doesn't need to be connected to the internet at all.
Therefore, this dog must have a way of recognizing its owner and its enemies. Once this method is found, with Chen Xu's current abilities, he can use his superb disguise skills to impersonate the owner, thus making it impossible for the dog to bite him.
Therefore, Chen Xu intercepted and analyzed the opponent's data stream to determine the mechanism upon which it launched its counterattack.
Just then, Zhong Ziyu suddenly shouted, "Oh dear, how despicable! There's even an automatic attack firewall!"
Chen Xu was startled. Zhong Ziyu had already hacked into the other party's computer.
As mentioned before, this is a competition. It's not exactly a fight to the death, but everyone is secretly vying for dominance!
Therefore, Chen Xu did not want to lose.
At that moment, Wu Yuan's voice rang out: "Damn it. That attack was fierce! How did it find me?!"
It seems Zhong Ziyu and Wu Yuan have already reached their targets, while Gao Xiaojie is still lingering outside. From this perspective alone, Chen Xu's skill level is superior to theirs, but Chen Xu himself feels differently. For a dignified SMMH, the God of the Internet, to be only slightly better than them is hardly convincing. Moreover, if they have a better way to bypass the firewall and enter the opponent's computer faster, he'll lose face big time… although no one present would agree.
But Chen Xu didn't want to lose!
Intercepting and analyzing enemy data packets is no easy task, especially for Chen Xu, who is simultaneously disguising his own data packets to evade detection while analyzing the enemy's data stream through character segments. Such multitasking is beyond the capabilities of most people. Therefore, true hacking masters typically operate in teams with diverse expertise: some specialize in data spoofing, others in viruses, and still others in scanning and analysis.
Of course, Chen Xu could do it now if he wanted to, but it would be very time-consuming. Generally, intercepting the opponent's data only requires intercepting a few pieces, finding the commonalities, and then deriving a unified formula. However, this kind of calculation takes time, and experts like Zhan Jing would definitely include some useless junk information to confuse the opponent. So, although Chen Xu believed he could eventually get the result, by then Zhong Ziyu and the others might have already completed the task using other methods.
So Chen Xu immediately changed his approach.
Violent attack!
The other party's firewall has limited capacity. When one's own data becomes powerful enough, it can completely overwhelm the other party's defenses, forcefully breaking into the other party's computer and completely destroying the firewall's structure.
Such brute-force attacks are frequently used, but they are usually accompanied by DDoS flood attacks. Chen Xu, however, didn't use any botnets; how could he succeed?
This was no challenge for Chen Xu.
Using zombie computers for assistance simply involves bombarding the host with large amounts of junk information via different IP addresses. This slows down system operations and data processing, creating an opportunity to shut down system services and thus completely disable the opponent's defenses.
Sending junk messages to someone's computer is actually very simple, especially using a QQ flood attack tool called a "QQ bomb." The principle behind this QQ bomb is quite simple: it exploits a vulnerability in QQ's built-in file transfer function to launch an attack. The QQ bomb works by rapidly generating hundreds or even thousands of useless compressed files, each zero bytes in size, then selecting them all and dragging them into the target's chat window.
At this point, the other party will suddenly receive hundreds or even thousands of file transfer messages. Keep in mind that the drop-down menu alone can have dozens of pages. Processing these messages will instantly push the other party's CPU and memory usage to their peak – almost 100% full load!
This is a very simple vulnerability in QQ. Although Tencent later fixed it, the fix was completely meaningless to skilled internet users. This feature inherently makes it a vulnerability that skilled users will exploit. Unless Tencent completely disables this feature...
Meanwhile, Tencent QQ has many vulnerabilities. Chen Xu is now going to exploit two of them: one is that accepting files can cause excessive CPU usage, and the other... is the remote assistance function!
QQ's remote assistance feature allows users to send invitations for others to control and operate their computers. This feature is therefore vulnerable to exploitation by hackers. By hacking into the QQ system kernel, hackers can use this feature to send remote assistance messages and gain control of the target computer.
Chen Xu is now going to make use of these two functions.
Writing a flood attack tool that bypasses QQ's system detection is actually quite simple. With Chen Xu's current programming skills, he could write one in less than half a minute. Anyway, there's no need for aesthetics or anything like that; it's just pure programming... Many people haven't seen software actually written by real hackers—that's truly appalling!