Is Hacking a game of the 21st Century?

By Sushant Joshy

Every night, you’ve been at it for several hours sitting at your computer and hitting one web site after the other. Every ten minutes that passes, you log on to some different. You log on to different site, which are vulnerable domains and can be easily hacked by the people. Different web pages have been replaced from time to time of your own design.

You are part of what has seemingly become the latest trend of fad: that of computer hacking and webs sites defacing. The term ‘Hacking’ once meant, one who access other computers illegally" or in general terms it meant that, "to find a clever solution to a difficult problem." Regardless of the variety of terms used to describe the activity, illegally accessing computers and altering web pages has exploded in the recent last twelve months. The frequency of the defacements along with the messages left on these altered sites suggests that many participants see their activity as nothing more than a game for the 21st century.

Recent case history has shown that a majority of those defacing web sites are between 15-21 yrs old. Because of their age, and the lack of understanding of their action, this often leads them into a world of problems. Keeping these entire things aside for a while we may say that defacing web page has become as popular as ever.

Perhaps the largest contributing factor to web sites getting defaces is due to the simplicity of it. Because of this, the information, the matter of minutes for someone to download the tools required defacing a web page and the wide variety of web sites dealing with both hacking and security offers the scripts and utilities required to commit these act this game has become very popular.

Computer security sites make this information available under the policy of cull disclosure. Unfortunately, this policy is a two-sided blade of sorts. By making the information available for administrators and security consultants in order for them to path the vulnerability they are also making this information available to hackers and other assorted people with questionable motive and ethics. The information shared under full disclosure allows hackers to create tools that automate the exploitation of the vulnerability. Worse, they can easily write additional tools that automate the process of finding vulnerable hosts on the Internet. Rather than try one server at a time, their tools can scan thousands of machines in a matter of minutes.

Several factors lend to the insecurity of computers all over the world. These factors do not necessarily apply only to web sites that have been or will be defaced, rather they apply to any network system. Regardless of technical steps that can be implemented to protect these systems, diligence and continues attention are the most effective resources you can throw at your security. Spending about one hour a day to stay updated on the latest security concerns and vulnerabilities will allow any system administrator to protect themselves against majority of attackers.

Lack of time spent maintaining security on computers systems leads to several technical issues that become a Achilles Hell of any network.

Poorly trained staffs: In an effort to maintain lower costs of operation, companies are looking for the lowest possible salary for their administrators to do their jobs. This leads to hiring under trained and poorly skilled administrators that become responsible for large computer networks controlling incredible resources.

Six to Eight years ago, hacking was mostly rumor and legend. Tales and stories handed down from a hacker to hacker, admin to admin. Web sites were unheard of so most system intrusion were never seen in a public manner. Often times only a handful of hackers, the system administrators and occasionally law enforcement knew about system intrusions or the level of skills involved. Today "Hackers" are a new breed unto themselves. Rather than learning and discovery, many seem to enjoy the fame and glory behind it. Instead of learning new aspects of how computers work with each other, they would rather vandalize web site with poorly written rants backed by weak justifications for their actions.

Today at present about 10-70 sites are reported as hacked and effaced. These reports are often sent in by the person(s) who committed the crime, as a sort of bragging.

Now days, different people have different views on the hacking scene. Often people of similar skill lever have similar opinions. The true hackers in the world have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Boredom is never an object of challenge for hackers. They have almost anomalous ability to absorb, retain, and exert vast amounts of knowledge with regard to intricate details. Hackers used to be viewed as people who sat locked in a room all day programming nonstop, hours on end.

Hackers have developed methods to exploit security holes in various computers systems. Curiosity of what the system did, how the system could be used, how the system did what did, and why it did what it did.

In Context to Nepal, the hacking is slowly coming up. Out here the computers are used just for the sake of typing rather than gaining information and yet doing other things. Today’s youngsters of Nepal are likely to the future hackers of the greater Nepal where rules and regulation are to be made from the government. Strict rules and regulation are to be implemented to avoid hacking. Since this is a game of intelligence and the once who know it and understand it can only play the impact of this is yet to be faced by the people of Nepal.

Thus there is a great question mark in saying weather Hacking is a Game or a art of the intelligence which is/can be played by everyone in this changing world of information technology.

Maghe Sankranti in Maithili culture

By R.D. Rakesh

The Maithili culture is very rich and renowned. Its main manifestation and magnificence can be exhibited in its fairs and festivals which are performed frequently.

If winter comes can spring be far behind. That’s why people of the Mithila region are optimist. They wait for the holy month of Magh impatiently. People who do not take bath in the month of Poush are eagerly desirous to take bath from the first day of Magh. This month is famous and considered pious for taking bath. People take bath for the whole month early in the morning especially the women folk of Mithila are fond of bathing because they are very religious minded. They consider this month very sacred for bathing purpose.

This festival is celebrated on the auspicious occasion of the first day of Magh Bikram Sambat when the shivering winter days become gradually soothing. The observers of this festival take bath early in the morning in a pond or nearly a river or at home. It matters little but bathing is compulsory whether with hot water or cold water. It depends upon the stamina and energy of the observers. After taking bath they make aripan (artistic drawing on earth) to sanctify the earth. They sit in the east direction facing the sun. By doing this they also got warm rays of the early sun. They prepare ‘Khichadi’, a mixture of rice and lentils.

They also make delicious dishes using ghee. Sugar and milk. This festival is called Tila Sankrat in the Maithili language because ladoo made of Til is the main food. They eat these ladoos with curd and beaten rice for several days because they are made out of Til (a black corn grown in the Mathil region) ghee and sugar. So they are good for use for several days. They also eat sweet potatoes, fruits and some other sweets made at homes especially for this occasion. These food items are shared with friends and other family members. Sometime they also invite their relatives from far and near, Elderly women especially mother blesses all family members with putting of mustard oil on the heads of the family members.

People do not eat their usual diets on this day. Khichadi is the main food item to be taken. It is so famous in the whole Terai Belt that it is called Khichadi festival in the Bhojpuri language. They want to make this day rememberable in so many ways in their daily life. So they promise to do many things on and before and after this family festival. Some people also observe Satya Narayan Pooja on this holy occasion. They also do some marriage rites and rituals on this occasion. They fix final day of their son’s and daughter’s marriages. This way it is a social festival because they also send ladoos made of Til and rice to their far distant relatives. This is a part of social gathering at home as well as far distant places of their near and dear.It is also beneficial for physical and mental health of the people of Mithila. This festival has no religious background. There is no legend also behind this festival. It is purely a family festival which lasts for only one day but special food items prepared on this auspicious occasion are taken for several days continuously. This festival has also no religious flavour. This festival’s main message is to eat for good health. Thus this festival has special importance for the people of Mithila since longtime.

Talks on gender mainstreaming

By Deepak R Joshi

While talking about the gender phenomenon we come across many and different phrases used for this issue: gender question, gender equity, gender parity, gender-mainstreaming etc. These words have become cliché-words looking good on paper but without substance.

Gender equality means all human beings should be free to develop their personal abilities and make choices without the limitations set by strict gender roles; that the different behavior, aspirations and needs of women and men are equally valued and flavoured. Gender question is proving its relevancy in papers, documents, policies and listed programs. It should be borne in mind that gender is a structural difference, which affects the entire population. Neither women nor men should be treated like some special interest group among several such groups. On the contrary, gender affects, and indeed often reinforces, differences and vulnerabilities according to other structural differences, such as race/ethnicity, class, age, disability, income groups, opportunity holder/seeker/avoider, sexual orientation etc.

Benefits to accrue, women first need exposure to both skills and knowledge for initiating a successful venture, and the support of local organizations that can provide with the help along the way e.g. can be sought out from micro-credit, small entrepreneurship development activities, and other state-sponsored programs..

Gender mainstreaming issue is very much timely arisen carrying high relevancy with it too. Today, setting the policies, developing programs, to identify tools is easy but hard to close the gender gaps and implement that policies, programs and tools.

While talking about gender mainstreaming issues; lack of awareness, prevailing social structure, cultural aspect, political practice, low literacy, downturn economy are as a barriers ahead of us and globalization, emerging importance of education, media effect and tremendous growth of IT are seen as an opportunity.

For gender equality two types of approaches can be adopted to integrate gender equality in programs and projects i.e. women-specific approach and gender-integrated approach. The two are not mutually exclusive.

- The participation of women (as decision makers, direct participants, and beneficiaries) in all plans, programs and projects

- The incorporation of gender issues and concerns into the content of all plans, programs and projects

Programs and projects can work at two different levels in terms of gender equality integration, depending on their objectives and activities. They can address practical gender needs, and/or strategic gender interests

Transformation activities can give women more confidence, knowledge and information, collective voice and action, decision-making opportunity and authority, capacity and experience, legal rights, political representation and clout, and economic security. They can also generate more understanding, appreciation, respect and openness to change from men.

While talking about the gender mainstreaming tools, the most important aspect that gender analysis is a tool for understanding the roles, needs, interests, work and relative status of women and men, in a particular society, taking into account a range of social, cultural, economic, environmental and political considerations. Its goal is to combat the "invisibility" of women: to ensure that women’s status as equal partners in development, as well as their aspirations for change, are recognized, valued and supported.

Gender analysis provides a basic methodology for incorporating not only women, but also gender issues into all aspects of program planning, decision and delivery. It thus provides the basic for effective, inclusive planning as well as a baseline against which to measure change.

Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha

By Razen Manandhar

That must be none other than Lumbini, if the whole people of the Himalayan Kingdom looks for something that can represent Nepal as a country of history, culture, religion and civilization to the world. It is of course a matter of pride that the "person" who revolted against the discriminating orthodox religion showed way to enlightenment was born in Nepal. This reflects the rich civilization that flourished anywhere out of the Ktahmandu Valley that is in no way less important than that of the valley. Thus Lumbini was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in February 1996.

The original architecture of the shrine, where the pious man took in 623 BC is never known. We can only assume that the birthplace of Prince Siddhartha was marked as a special spot in his days. And as the teachings of the Buddha took shape of a religion, centuries after his death, people regarded it as a holy place. Obviously, the shrine architecture might have transformed many times before the area was covered by jungle and plains of the Terai.

Beside the sanctum sanctorum, the exact place where the birth took place, there are Ashokan pillars, the holy pond. Around the area, a score of Asian monasteries, Kapilbastu, Arorakot, Charadei, Gotihawa, Kudan, Niglihawa, Sagahawa and some other places which reveal the history of over two thousand years old history of civilization.

Until Commanding General Khadga Sumshere and the German archaeologist Dr AA Fuhrer found out the Ashokan pillars, and thus Lumbini itself, in 1896, the relic of Lord Buddha was in the layers of history. Earlier, or even until 1925, the undated idol of Mayadevi giving birth to Siddhartha, was prayed as a Hindu goddess of Luminmai, which used to "accept" animal sacrifices from the locals. Then a battalion of scholars and archaeologists has had remarkable experiences with excavations and writing reports on Lumbini, which still going on.

Fa-hien and Hieun Tsang, the two known Chinese scholars had visited Lumbini in 403 AD and 636 AD respectively and described it as "a piece of heaven on earth". Their accounts became a credible source to relate the findings of excavations later.

Visit of the UN secretary general U Thant in 1967 accelerated the world interest to contribute from their side to make it the most holy shrine the Buddhists. Lumbini Development Committee tried to boost development of Lumbini in 1976.

Then came the ambitious master plan to develop around 11,150 bigha of land of Lumbini in 1978 with a dream to develop the sacred region with 25 million US dollars, dividing the whole area in to sacred garden, International Monastery Zone and the Lumbini Village Zone.

The Lumbini Development Committee was turned into a Fund in 1985. After many ups and downs in the Funds administrative scenario, the government decided to excavate the temple area again and a "marker stone" was found and then another phase of development of Lumbini started.

Of course, many changes have taken place in the over a hundred years. But taking all the development activities into accounts in comparison to the period, Buddhist pilgrims as well as conservationists can scarcely take a breath of satisfaction. Despite the snail-pace development, Lumbini has always been a topic of talks among the Buddhists, conservationists and the government officials. All the three factors, equally important to keep the value of the heritage site alive have seldom contented with the intention, process and results of other component factors. It has only been a means for making personal profit, travelling abroad, recruiting party cadre, writing reports, holding seminars and summits for the religious maestros as well as the government.

In the labyrinth of bureaucrats, technocrats and the government policies, Lumbini could not have a proper shape in last a century long history. In past several years at least half a dozen designs have come to the authority’s table and been failed. To the irony, the holy image of Mayadevi, giving birth to the Siddhartha Gautama is lying in a cowshed like hut for one whole decade. The government could not show its concern to the heritage site of Lumbini even when the media were making a hue and cry over the possibility of drowning of the whole region due to an Indian barrage near the border. What else could be the example of the state’s negligence to a monument that the whole world adores either as a shrine or a heritage site?

The main reason behind the state’s failure to protect and conserve the country’s only other UNESCO World Heritage Site (Cultural) than the Kathmandu Valley is the government’s lack of sincere commitment to develop it. Being an optimist, one can still hope that the future of the Lumbini may not be as gloomy and painful as its past and present have been.

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