Michael McGrory

Welcome to my corner of the World Wide Web.

Recent Entries

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Site Moved to GCP!

I have successfully migrated this server to Google Cloud Platform running Nginx. We are now behind a Cloudflare proxy for maximum security...

Beware the Common Gateway Interface (CGI)!

Hello cyber-surfers! Today's topic is a serious one: CGI scripts. While these handy little programs let us do amazing things...

The Magic of SSL

Have you ever noticed a small lock icon in the corner of your Netscape Navigator window? That means the site is using SSL...

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Site Moved to GCP!

I have successfully migrated this server to Google Cloud Platform running Nginx. We are now behind a Cloudflare proxy for maximum security against bots and scripts. The load times should be blazing fast compared to the old hosting provider.

Setting up the firewall rules was tricky. I had to ensure only Cloudflare IPs were allowed to touch port 443. This prevents direct IP attacks on the origin server.

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Beware the Common Gateway Interface (CGI)!

Hello cyber-surfers! Today's topic is a serious one: CGI scripts. While these handy little programs, often written in Perl, let us do amazing things like count visitors to our site or process forms, they can also be a major security hole!

A poorly written script can allow a malicious user to run commands on the web server. Imagine that! Always validate user input and be careful with what you pass to the system shell. Don't let your guestbook become a gateway for hackers.

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The Magic of SSL: What's That Little Lock Icon?

Have you ever noticed a small lock icon in the corner of your Netscape Navigator window? That means the site is using SSL. It encrypts the information sent between your computer and the web server. If you don't see the lock, don't buy!

This is cutting-edge technology! It is essential for any "e-commerce" site where you might type in your credit card number. The future is secure!

Software Library

Feel free to download my open-source tools. No warranties implied!

Filename Ver. Size Description D/L
NetGuard.exe 1.0 1.4 MB Simple firewall configuration tool for Windows 98. [DISK]
PortScan.pl 2.1 4 KB Perl script for auditing open ports on localhost. [FILE]
MatrixSaver.scr 0.9 500 KB Falling code screensaver. Very cool. [ZIP]

Note: All files are scanned with Norton AntiVirus before upload.

Who is the Webmaster?

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Name: Michael McGrory

Location: The Internet

Occupation: Enthusiast

I created this site to document my journey through the information superhighway. I am passionate about keeping the web open, secure and free.

> SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS:
> ---------------------
> CPU: Intel Pentium II (400 MHz)
> RAM: 128 MB SDRAM
> HDD: 10 GB Quantum Fireball
> OS: Ubuntu 22.04 (via Time Machine)
> CONNECTION: 56k Modem (Simulated)