Absence of creative flow. (4)

1 Name: !ZtXjKqCmiQ : 2010-07-25 18:54 ID:ApXBX2Sh

I am a C programmer, if I could actually classify myself as that. I don't have a programmers degree on paper, but I know the language enough to make it do something. I would like to think that I am actually learning the language and not just making it put out useless crap to the output. The problem is though, I have previously worked with scripting languages and languages like PHP, including PHP itself, and there, it's all done for you. You don't see PHPs interaction with other programs or anything else.

C, being the language that it is, seems very redeeming to me. I feel as if I am in full control over what happens and how it happens. The only problem is, I am having this, sort of, writers block, if you will. I have no ideas for what to write, except for huge projects which are either out of my league or very time consuming in the long run. What I would like to do is, create small-to-medium applications which interact with other programs and/or services on the network. Or ones without interaction, yet providing the thrill of pushing it a bit further every time.

It seems that I have come here in need of advice. So, I am hoping someone could give some guidance. I am tired of "write a hangman game", "write a calculator", "write <some-generic-application-of-whom-you-see-the-end-after-the-first-400-lines-of-code-and-becoming-completely-useless>".

2 Name: #!/usr/bin/anonymous : 2010-07-26 06:46 ID:NLca9Kkb

Read SICP.

Speaking seriously, you might be interested in writing code that injects itself into vulnerable programs on a network and brings up a shell that gives you access to the target computer. I took a networking class where a group did this. It was only a 3-week course and we were only undergrads, so it can't be too difficult. The catch was that they wrote the vulnerable program themselves to make it easier -- to increase the difficulty, try to infiltrate programs with greater security.

3 Name: !ZtXjKqCmiQ : 2010-07-26 15:56 ID:ApXBX2Sh

Oh. You called it. A friend of mine gave me that book some time ago, yet I haven't had the chance to attend it properly, but it seemed interesting enough for the first few pages. I will have to read it now that someone for aside has suggested it.

So, what you're saying is, I should give a shot at writing shellcode delivering apps. Well, that has been of interest to me for some time, especially because it's a good way to familiarize oneself with assembly, which has been on my to-learn list for some time now.

Thanks for the idea and I will post back if I succeed at something.

4 Name: #!/usr/bin/anonymous : 2011-01-08 11:03 ID:nF20GA69

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