Tag Archives: security

[first] keeping FIRST kids safe (the new youth protection program)

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Keeping FIRST kids safe (largely about the new screening process)

This session was a short video followed by mostly Q&A.

For other posts about the 2014 FIRST conference, see the index page.  (written on my iPad; please excuse typos)

The video

  • about how to protect students from physical, mental and emotional abuse. It also covered physical safety and teamwork.
  • Good – reinforce coopertition and go
  • For small issues, Talk about a problem, redirect to something more appropriate, be specific, document (for yourself, in case a pattern
  • If bigger problem, email safety@usfirst.org

Youth Protection Program

  • Will be training materials online- not yet
  • Two key coaches must register

Screening

  • Free.  (FIRST covers the cost of)
  • Give full legal name, address, optional last 4 of social security number
  • They look at:  Sex offender registry, criminal records db
  • Takes 1.5 business days unless problem

Who is screened

  • If screened in past 2 years, don’t have to do it again.  Expires every 3 years
  • “All” coaches and event volunteers
  • Up to lead coaches whether need other mentors require youth protection clearance
  • Anyone who volunteers for events in VIMS will be screened.
  • Walk on volunteers will still be accepted and paired with someone who has been screened

My impressions:

I had heard about the youth protection program, but hadn’t read what it was. Since I was here, I figured I would hear it live.

using spring RestTemplate and 2 factor authenication to add issues to github

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Last month, I figured out how to use Spring’s RestTemplate to add issues to github programmatically figuring it would save me time in the future.  Well, the future is here.  I needed to add 16 issues (one per milestone.)  I run my program and get a 401.  In particular, I got

Apr 20, 2014 6:42:18 PM org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate handleResponseError

WARNING: GET request for "https://api.github.com/repos/boyarsky/repoName/issues" resulted in 401 (Unauthorized); invoking error handler

Exception in thread "main" org.springframework.web.client.HttpClientErrorException: 401 Unauthorized

at org.springframework.web.client.DefaultResponseErrorHandler.handleError(DefaultResponseErrorHandler.java:91)

at org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate.handleResponseError(RestTemplate.java:588)

at org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate.doExecute(RestTemplate.java:546)

at org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate.execute(RestTemplate.java:502)

at org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate.exchange(RestTemplate.java:444)

at jb.Trial2.main(Trial2.java:29)

Right.  I’ve changed my password AND enabled two factor authentication on github in the past month.  Luckily, it was easy to switch my program to two factor.  Here’s what I did.

Create personal use token

I created a second personal use token just like I did for for my git commmand line use by going to the applications page and clicking “generate new token”.  I chose to create a separate token so I could revoke access as soon as I’m done running the web service.

Testing the token

Per the getting started with oauth doc, I ran a command line to test the token:

curl -i -H 'Authorization: token notMy40CharToken' \

https://api.github.com/user

 Wrote another trial program

I adapted my second trial program from the initial iterations to test out two factor.

package jb;

import org.springframework.http.*;
import org.springframework.web.client.*;

/**
 * Call a web service that uses authenticated user to test passing credentials
 *
 * @author jeanne
 *
 */
public class Trial3 {

	public static void main(String[] args) {
		String url = "https://api.github.com/repos/boyarsky/oca-ocp-book/issues";

		HttpHeaders headers = new HttpHeaders();

		String personalToken = "notMy40CharToken";
		headers.add("Authorization", "token " + personalToken);

		// ignore result because just testing connectivity
		HttpEntity<String> request = new HttpEntity<String>(headers);
		RestTemplate template = new RestTemplate();
		template.exchange(url, HttpMethod.GET, request, Object[].class);
		System.out.println("success");
	}

}

I then replaced the authentication part of my real program and it worked like a charm.  Even with the changes to the program, it was faster than creating 16 issues by hand with the proper text/assignee/milestone.

Delete the personal token

I deleted the token to ensure it never gets used again.  I don’t want to run the program by accident with my credentials.  Or accidentally post the token here.

2-factor authentication and twitter

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I’ve had two factor for gmail enabled for two years.  This morning, I set up two factor for github and some others due to Heartbleed (check if sites you use are affected), Then there was Twitter.  After the other sites being straightforward, I expected the same from Twitter.  Twitter did not deliver.  I had to turn off two factor.  I’m left with secure my password and hope I notice if someone logs into my account.  (I think my friends would tell me about bad direct messages)

How to enable on a mobile device

  1. Install the official twitter app on my iPad
  2. Follow the menus described here
  3. Write down the backup code
  4. I logged off in a browser and re-logged in.
  5. Then I went to the twitter app and approved my login under settings.

And if it ended here, all would be fine.

Adding a phone number

I thought about adding a phone number as another option.  Don’t bother.  They are mutually exclusive.

Apparently they are mutually exclusive.  I cancelled the phone number sign up process part way through due to usability issues.  (Twitter wants you to text GO to 40404.  I don’t know how to do that on my BlackBerry.  I know how to reply to texts and text real numbers.  And I don’t want to lookup how to do it since I likely never will again.)

Anyway, when I clicked cancel on the process, it had already turned off my iPad option so I had to set it up again.  Grumble.

The BlackBerry app

Once I had two factor turned on, I was no longer able to logon to Twitter using the BlackBerry app.  A quick search online says I’m not the only one with this problem and the BlackBerry app just plain doesn’t support it.  Which means I can’t use two factor for Twitter.