today's howtos

1. How to Install phpMyAdmin on Debian 11 Bullseye (Apache) - Linux Shout

   PhpMyAdmin is an open-source web-based application that offers a web interface to directly manage and access MySQL or MariaDB databases from anywhere/remotely using a web browser. The user can use the web graphical user interface provided by it to interact with databases without having extensive knowledge of the commands. Hence, even a newbie with some knowledge of computers can manage database tables for querying data and manipulating individual parameters.

2. How to reset or refresh Firefox

   Browsers can be customized; you can change the way they look by installing themes and you can add or extend features by installing add-ons. Firefox is no different. In fact, Firefox offers users access to more customization options than most other browsers.

3. Install and setup Steam on Manjaro Linux

   Steam is a digital game distribution platform for gamers developed by Valve (a well-known game developer). It provides cross-platform support and can be used to buy, play thousands of games. To use Steam, users have to create an account, and they can access the same games on various computers. Steam was initially launched in 2003; since then, they have focused on providing Linux-based systems support. Apart from providing games on Steam, users can also enjoy the voice/text chat feature. However, it is not necessary that these chats are related to the games only. The steam app is free to download, and along with paid games, it offers hundreds of free-to-play games as well. Many games now natively support Linux; in this guide, we will provide an installation process as well as the instructions to set up steam on Manjaro Linux.

4. How to fully disable the Firewall on Linux Mint

   A firewall is a network security system built into an operating system that monitors and manages network traffic according to preset rules. The firewall also aids in the monitoring of networks to determine whether they are trustworthy or not. They also protect your PC from hackers by filtering dangerous network traffic. The uncomplicated firewall (UFW) in Linux Mint provides a user-friendly interface for managing firewall rules. Its main goal is to make firewall rule management as simple as possible, as the name suggests. Although it is recommended that you keep the firewall turned on, there may be times when you need to disable it, such as when troubleshooting or testing. So this article will provide you the details on how you can disable a firewall on Linux Mint.

5. How to extract rar files on Manjaro

   RAR is a file format used to combine multiple files/folders in a single compressed file. The .rar file extension refers to the RAR files, and several applications can create these files. The RAR file format is practiced compressing files used for various purposes like you can keep various types of files inside one compressed file. These compressed files are then extracted to access the files contained by them. The rar files can be extracted by using the graphical interface and terminal support of Manjaro. In Linux-based systems, unrar command-line utility is required to extract .rar files. In this piece of writing, we have provided possible ways to extract rar file in Manjaro Linux. As the interaction with rar files is impossible without the unrar package. So, we will also provide the installation procedure of the unrar package as well.

6. How to enable remote access in Manjaro Linux

   Enabling remote access is crucial when you need to permit your office members to work from the branch office, home or when you want to hand over your system to the IT teams for troubleshooting purposes. However, when you want to access your own Linux-based system from anywhere, any time, without the hassle then the ideal way is to utilize remote desktop software or SSH. This post is all about how to enable remote access on Manjaro Linux. For this purpose, we will first use SSH and then show you the procedure of installing and configuring Chrome Remote Desktop to establish a remote connection between your Manjaro system and mac. This post will also discuss some other remote desktop software for a Linux system. So, let’s start!

7. How to enable SSH on Linux Mint

   Enabling SSH on Ubuntu is one of the first things you should do after installing the operating system as it provides an encrypted network protocol for safeguarding remote server and client logins. It allows you to access your machine remotely and execute operations securely. It encrypts all client-server traffic to prevent eavesdropping, connection hijacking, and other types of attacks. Secure Shell (SSH) protocol is used to manage or transmit data between computers through the internet. Old methods for accomplishing these actions, such as telnet do not have these capabilities. They are unsafe since they transmit the user’s password in plaintext. It offers a secure route over an unprotected network, connecting an SSH client program to an SSH server in a client-server architecture. It is mainly used to communicate to Unix-like operating systems, although it may also be used on Windows.

8. How to add a user on Linux Mint

   Linux is reliable and secure compared to other operating systems, yet granting complete permissions to an unskilled user might lead to severe difficulties. This is where the administrator took control, one of the most important aspects of being a system administrator is user management. Because there are so many critical components to administrate, even the tiniest error can result in the intruders taking over the entire system. The system administrator can create, add and give each user a separate set of permissions. When a user is added or created, the appropriate level of access is granted to that user. Adding a user on Linux Mint can be accomplished in two ways; through the terminal and through GUI.

9. How to Set Up a Synology Drive Server and Synology Drive Client

   Synology Drive is an alternative to OneDrive and Google Drive. You can upload files to your Synology Drive, share files, create documents, sync files between your computer and Synology Drive, and back up files from your computer to your Synology Drive. Each user of your Synology NAS can have their own Synology Drive and the files they create on their own Synology Drive are not accessible to other users by default. Each user can use Synology Drive from a web browser. Users can also sync and back up files using the Synology Drive Client desktop app. To use Synology Drive, you will have to install the Synology Drive Server package on your Synology NAS. Once installed, your NAS will become a productivity and collaboration powerhouse. In this article, I will show you how to set up and configure Synology Drive Server on your Synology NAS, install Synology Drive Client on Windows and Ubuntu operating systems, and use Synology Drive Client to sync and back up files. So, let’s get started.

10. How to Disable Comments on WordPress

    This brief tutorial explains how to disable comments on WordPress sites in different and simple ways. After reading this tutorial, you will get rid of comments on all your WordPress posts or on specific posts. All instructions explained in this article to remove comments from WordPress posts contain screenshots and can be followed by low and medium-level WordPress users.

11. What is a Tar File

    Tar is a powerful archiver that is frequently used for collecting files and archiving them. It was created to produce archives for data storage on tapes, thus the name “Tape Archive”. It was initially included in UNIX version 7 in 1979, and it is currently accessible on a variety of systems. Before we go into the situation’s specifics, let’s define Archive files so that no Linux newbies are left out. Archived file is a combination of multiple files with metadata information. By combining multiple files and their information into a single file, you may improve the storage and mobility of your data. The basic purpose of Tar is to combine the data but you can also compress the data using other utilities. These compressed files are referred to as Archive files, and they assist users to reduce file size and simplify data management. The tar is one of the must-have utilities for managing various files in Linux.

Programming Leftovers

• p6steve: raku at Monterey Docks (part II)

• Convert a String to JSON Python

  In Python, strings are a series of elements or items. The strings are unchangeable objects. We cannot change the string after their declaration. “JavaScript Object Notation” is the full form of JSON. In Python, the ‘JSON files contain information that is readable for humans. The elements appear in the form of pairs. In web APIs, the information we send and receive is usually in the form of a dictionary string. To utilize this information, we extract consequential data. For this, we have to convert this information to dictionary format for more operations. JSON provides several techniques for serializing and deserializing “JSON”. The process of changing the string to “JSON” is called serializing. And the process of converting the JSON to a string is known as deserializing. Serialization is the opposite of deserialization. Several methods are used to convert strings to JSON.

• How Do You Repeat a String n Times in Python?

  In Python, we utilize the asterisk operator to repeat a string. This operator is indicated by a “*” sign. This operator iterates the string n (number) of times. The “n” is an integer value. After repetition, a new string is created. The operation requires two arguments: a string and an integer value. We multiplied the string by a specific number for the repetition of string n times. Repeating the string merges the copy into an identical string. The asterisk operator repeats the string up to a definite length.

• How Do I Check If a String Is Empty in Python?

  The strings are unchangeable. We cannot modify the string after defining it. Different operations are performed on strings. If we have a string that contains only whitespaces in it, that string is not considered empty. It contains the size of the non-zero value. So, if len() method and “not” operator is applied on this type of string, it considers whitespace as an element of the string. Sometimes in Python, we want to check whether the specified string is blank or not. To check the emptiness of the given string, use the “not” operator to utilize the variable of string instead of a condition, or utilize the equal operator to match an empty string. Now, we are going to explain numerous methods...

• Static Method C++

  A method in C++ is also known as a function, and using methods in C++ promotes the concept of modular programming and code reusability. It means the methods that are once written can be called repetitively for as many times as needed without having the necessity of writing them every time.

• C++ Unsigned Integers

  The integer data type in C++ is further divided into many sub-types. One such sub-type is the unsigned integers. The unsigned integers are capable of storing only the positive whole numbers. The unsigned integers in C++ are preferred while manipulating bits in operating systems since you have limited storage space. Moreover, they can also be used for array indexing since the index of an array can never be negative. This article is devoted to the discussion of the unsigned integers in C++ in Ubuntu 20.04.

• C++ Getline function

  Getline() is used to get the input string from the user in one or more lines until a special character comes (delimiter). It is a predefined function and uses a library in the program, as its definition is present inside the library’s header file.

• C++ Pointer Arithmetic

  Within mathematics, we have always used the term raise to the power for calculating a number having some power exponent on it. This can be said as (base number) raise to the power (exponent). How an exponent can be used for raising a number to a certain power in C++ is discussed in this article.

• Exponents in C++ to Raise a Number in Power

  Within mathematics, we have always used the term raise to the power for calculating a number having some power exponent on it. This can be said as (base number) raise to the power (exponent). So, within today’s article, we will see how an exponent can be used for raising a number to a certain power in C++. Make sure to have a G++ compiler already installed and configured on your Linux operating system. Let’s start implementing today’s article by opening the shell terminal using the shortcut “Ctrl+Alt+T”. As the terminal is opened now, we can start implementing our examples.

• Bit masking in C++

  Bit masking is a process that is used to access a specific bit in the bytes of data. This phenomenon is used when you are performing the process of iteration. A bitmask is said to be a mask of a sequence of N –bits that are used to encode a part of our collection. These elements of the mask can be set or cannot be. There are bitwise operators to create or toggle the bits. These operators are used to turn on the off bit or vice-versa. To use the C++ programs in executing them on Linux, you need to have the Ubuntu file configured and in running state. Moreover, the user must have some knowledge of the C++ language. C++ source codes are written in the text editor. Whereas for the execution process, use the Ubuntu terminal. A bitmask is also said to be a simple mask that is a sequence of n bits. It encodes the subset of the collection. The element ‘I’ is present in the subset of the ‘ith’ bit is set in the mask. For the set of elements having nth bytes, there are chances of having a 2N mask corresponding to a subset.

• Deep Copy C++

  The copy means the same to the same replica of an original object. Within programming, there are different methods to create copies of objects. The copy of objects, variables can be done with a copy constructor or using the default assignment operator “=”. Two types of copies can be made within the C++ code, i.e., shallow and deep copy. You can use one to copy any variable or object in the code. When our object has variables that are dynamically allocated throughout the program, we need to create a Deep copy of such type of object. This article will see how a Deep copy can be created in C++.

• An Introduction to MATLAB: Structure and Application

  Programming is the core of a modern computer. You can not even think of an alive computer without programming. There are several languages to do computer programming, and each of them has its special field. Some are known for scientific computation, and some are specialized for making the building blocks of an operating system. MATLAB is also a very popular programming language. Today we are going to get an absolute introduction to MATLAB and its wide application in today’s world. Although there is a wide variety of programming languages available there in the virtual world, we have chosen MATLAB for several important reasons. It is a compact language for heavy-duty works. We are going to discover each and every detail of MATLAB in this journey. Stay with us to learn. The more you know, the more you grow.

Security Leftovers

• Vulnerability in firmware of MediaTek DSP chips used in many smartphones - itsfoss.net

  Researchers from Checkpoint have identified three vulnerabilities (CVE-2021-0661, CVE-2021-0662, CVE-2021-0663) in the firmware of MediaTek DSP chips, as well as a vulnerability in the MediaTek Audio HAL audio processing layer (CVE-2021- 0673). In case of successful exploitation of vulnerabilities, an attacker can organize eavesdropping on the user from an unprivileged application for the Android platform. In 2021, MediaTek accounts for approximately 37% of shipments of specialized chips for smartphones and SoCs (according to other data, in the second quarter of 2021, MediaTek’s share among manufacturers of DSP chips for smartphones was 43%). Among other things, MediaTek DSP chips are used in flagship smartphones by Xiaomi, Oppo, Realme and Vivo. MediaTek chips, based on the Tensilica Xtensa microprocessor, are used in smartphones to perform operations such as processing sound, images and video, in computing for augmented reality systems, computer vision and machine learning, as well as implementing fast charging.

• CronRAT: A New Linux Malware That's Scheduled to Run on February 31st [Ed: This is not about "Linux" and Linux isn't how or why this malware gets on systems in the first place]

  Researchers have unearthed a new remote access trojan (RAT) for Linux that employs a never-before-seen stealth technique that involves masking its malicious actions by scheduling them for execution on February 31st, a non-existent calendar day. Dubbed CronRAT, the sneaky malware "enables server-side Magecart data theft which bypasses browser-based security solutions," Sansec Threat Research said. The Dutch cybersecurity firm said it found samples of the RAT on several online stores, including an unnamed country's largest outlet.

• Unexpected database server downtime, affecting bugs, forums, wiki

  Due to an unexpected breakage on our database servers, several Gentoo websites are currently down. In particular, this includes Forums, Wiki, and Bugzilla. Please visit our Infrastructure status page for real-time monitoring and eventual outage notices.