Development
Linux on the desktop as a web developer
A breif look at the tools you need as a web developer in 2020, running Linux on the desktop as a web developer. OSX is my os of choice, but I’ve always used linux on at least one of my Read more…
Beer
Pear Cider Bottling
I’ve been waiting to bottle my pear cider since I started making it – that time has finally arrived The bottling process was easy – I bought a reusable kit online which came with a syphoning hose and tap, and Read more…
Development
How to set up a shopify local development environment
How to set up a shopify local development environment. Shopify is an interesting platform – they allow you to create and edit your own tempaltes (using liquid) but there isnt a way to run an instance locally, like you would Read more…
DIY
Led lighting
Starting the finishing touches on the workshop – adding some Led lights. They turned out very well :)
DIY
DIY garage makeover – part 6 – music corner
We are entering ?third? lockdown now (though it feels like 7 months of solid lockdown, minus two days in the office) so I thought it time to do some more in the workshop; I needed somewhere for my music production Read more…
Vagrant
Fixing the vagrant sshfs remount after timeout error
“Connection to 127.0.0.1 closed by remote host” The dreaded ‘vagrant sshfs remount after timeout’ error when using vagrant-sshfs. It happens when forgetting to suspend the guest machine before the host machine hibernates. If you use vagrant along with the vagrant-sshfs Read more…
cooking
Pear Cider
I’ve been looking forward to this post for a year since we moved to our house. We have a pear tree in the back garden, and I was determined to use the fruit for something. In the very early spring Read more…
cooking
Pear Chutney
I took a few of the pears from our harvest and made some pear chutney Once I had all the ingredients, it was fairly easy Just simmer for an hour and a half till it thickens Then serve :)
cooking
Home Made Pear Jam
After a bumper harvest from our pear tree, we decided to make some Home Made Pear Jam from a few of the pears. First time making jam, first time using our own Pears! I found a home made pear jam Read more…
Methodology
Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Master
I’ve been training over the last 4 weeks for my Scrum Alliance Certified Scrum Master Certification. I took an online course, which was delivered over zoom in real time (as compared to a lot of courses which are pre-recorded video) Read more…
DIY
Solar Security Flood Lights
The house had an old school mains powered security light. Time to upgrade to the 21st century with some solar powered lights. The ones I got were basic and from ebay, they have 142 leds per light, and have a Read more…
DIY
DIY garage makeover – part 5 – machines
The workshop is coming along nicely now – areas for tools, music equipment, and plenty room for working on machines, servers, blog content, experiments or random things like gameboys! The rug is going to go soon – it was from Read more…
DIY
DIY garage makeover – part 4 – network
What would a modern workshop be without an Internet connection 😂 We have FTTP which enters the property at the front – into a router. I’ve run a cable from there, along the skirting and out near the front door Read more…
DIY
DIY garage makeover – part 3 – electrics
In Scotland there are a few things that you can do which don’t require planning permission (or a building warrant) extending a ring to add extra sockets is one of those things you can do if you have a regular Read more…
Liverpool
Liverpool
At the end of the COVID lockdown, we took a drive to see family in Kent; Both my Brother and his family and Zoes Sister and her family live down there. It was a long drive down (7 hours driving Read more…
vuejs
Jonathansblog App
Following on from my vuejs and cordova tutorials, I decided to launch the app – you can now download the app from the app store I’ll be creating a roadmap and adding features – it is very very basic at Read more…
Hardware hacking
Philips B2G81U valve radio
Nice little retro radio (after re-seating the loose valves and sorting the plug it works fine :) https://www.vintage-radio.com/recent-repairs/philips-b2g81u.html
Hardware hacking
Simrex X300 mini drone
I got a little drone for my birthday – the x300c from simrex, it’s got a great set of features – watch out for some more posts (it’s far from a pro drone, but will be great fun)
Php
wordpress plugin scaffolding from scratch
Building a wordpress plugin scaffolding from scratch This is a basic walkthrough on how to create the scaffolding for a wordpress plugin from scratch. Firstly, create a repo in githubclone that repo to your machine and inside, create a file Read more…
Technology
Woodford Reserve and Fentimans Curiosity Cola!
Woodford Reserve and Fentimans Curiosity Cola!
DIY
DIY Garage makeover – part 2 – desks and bookcases
I ordered some alex drawers, some linmon desktops (the 2m versions) and some little stands from Ikea for some ikea desk hacks, and three 4×2 kallax units for storing books on the other wall. The first thing to do was Read more…
Methodology
Defending Against Injection Attacks Through Context-Sensitive String Evaluation
300 word summary: What is the paper about? Defending Against Injection Attacks Through Context-Sensitive String Evaluation introduces CSSE – Context-Sensitive String Evaluation – a way to detect sqlI in php at runtime – essentially an intrusion detection platform for php apps Read more…
Methodology
Introduction to APIs
What is an API (Introduction to APIs) Carrying on from my previous posts on SOA here and here I thought it may be useful to write a post on what an API is, giving some lower level information on my Read more…
Methodology
AMNESIA: Analysis and Monitoring for NEutralizing SQL-Injection Attacks
300 word summary: AMNESIA: analysis and monitoring for NEutralizing SQL-injection attacks. Provides a valuable background section on the countermeasures for SQL injection attacks: Defensive ProgrammingGeneral Techniques against SQLiStatic Analysis techniques Provides examples of SQL injection attacks, with sql code.Provides a Read more…
Methodology
Evaluation of SQL injection testing tools and techniques
My MSc Thesis in 2016 was titled Evaluation of SQL injection testing tools and techniques. I had a quick look through all my old uni work looking for content to put on my blog, and decided to see if I Read more…
Methodology
sql injection attack types – a list of sqli types and papers
My research notes about the different types of sqli – sql injection attack types; inband (eg reading errors from the screen) out-of-band (getting information from a different channel eg from an email after the attack) inferrential (or blind) – getting Read more…
Methodology
Securing Web Application Code by Static Analysis and Runtime Protection
What is the paper about? a holistic approach for a static analysis algorithm to detect sqli in web applications using run-time inspection Who is the intended audience? researchers Is title/abstract accurate yes Is the big ‘point’ of the work clear? Read more…
Methodology
A Classification of SQL Injection Attacks and Countermeasures
This paper (A Classification of SQL Injection Attacks and Countermeasures) has an excellent section on Injection mechanisms – the way that sql code is modified to actually perform the injection attack – the attack vectors – user inputs cookies server Read more…
Adventures
Blantyre Anti Aircraft Battery
There are limited opportunities for adventure during covid. This adventure took place less than 2 miles from our house, and for the government mandated 1 hour. ? https://blantyreproject.com/2016/12/blantyreferme-anti-aircraft-battery/
DIY
DIY Decking makeover
Our new house came with decking, but it was in need of a coat of paint. It lasted the inter fine, but was in need of some TLC. Just before lockdown I managed to get some grey paint (our shed Read more…
DIY
DIY Garage makeover – part 1 – painting the walls white
Our new house has a garage, which I’m going to use as a workshop area (though I wont be changing its actual use from a garage, it will still be a garage, only with nice shelves on either side and Read more…