It isn't easy to include only ten Linux open source security solutions, notably while network experts and security analysts have access to dozens, though not hundreds, of these. Different sets of tools are available for nearly every undertaking, tunnelling, sniffing, monitoring, and mapping. And for every situation—WiFi network, Web apps, database systems, etc. To compile the listing of must-have Linux security tools, we interviewed a committee of people (Vincent Danen, RedHat's vice president of product security; Andrew Schmitt, a representative of BluBracket Security Advisory Panel; Casey Bisson, Blu Brackets head of market expansion; as well as John Hammond, the Huntress' senior security researcher). The majority of them seem to be open-source software and free. Burp Suite Pro and Metasploit Pro are indeed the two that cost a lot of money. These are essential components of almost any organisational vulnerability analysis and penetration testing program. Through Linux Training, we'll look at Linux-based security devices and packages that are used for pen testing, analytics, reverse engineering, and more.
1. Impacket for internet protocol pen testing
This toolkit is required for penetration testing internet protocols related services. Impacket is a suite of Python modules for interacting using internet protocols that were created by SecureAuth. Impacket aims to provide limited access to packets and protocol execution for certain protocols such as MSRPC and SMB1-3. Security professionals can create packets from the beginning and analyse original data. The object-based API makes working with complex protocol topologies relatively simple. The various protocols that are supported by Impacket are:
- IPv4 and IPv6;
- ethernet, Linux;
- IP, UDP, TCP, IGMP, ICMP, ARP;
- SMB2, NMB, SMB1, SMB3;
- MSRPC Version 5, different types of transport: HTTP, TCP, SMB/NetBIOS, and SMB/TCP;
- NTLM, Plain, Kerberos, utilising hashes/password/keys/tickets;
- Parts of LDAP protocol execution and TDS (MSSQL).
Cost: Free if the user grants SecureAuth credit. The Apache Software Licensing has been significantly updated to enable Impacket. Security experts can examine it and contrast this to the official version here.
2. Aircrack-ng, particularly for WiFi network safety
Aircrack-ng is a collection of tools for analysing the safety of wireless connections and protocol. Cybersecurity experts can use wireless scanners for network management and hackers, including penetration testing. It concentrates on:
- Monitoring: Packet access and data exporting to text documents for subsequent operations by third-party programs.
- Targeting: Replay assaults, de-authentication, and packet injections to create phoney entry points.
- Checking: Testing the characteristics of WiFi adapters and drivers.
- WEP & WPA PSK Cracking (WPA 1 & 2).
All products are a command-line interface, as per the Aircrack-ng site, allowing for extensive programming. The program operates on Linux, and it also runs on Windows, OpenBSD, macOS, NetBSD, Solaris, FreeBSD, and eComStation 2.
Cost: Free open-source software
3. Metasploit: A vulnerability detection super-tool
Rapid7's attack framework, which could be used for broad vulnerability scanning and penetration assessments, is regarded as a "fantastic tool" by security professionals because it includes functional renditions of practically every documented attack. Metasploit allows security experts to examine networks & endpoints for vulnerability (or imported NMAP result data) and afterwards automate any probable attacks to capture computers.
Acquiring credentials seems to have been a vital yet crucial part of the strategy of many safety analysts, as per the latest Rapid7 blog article. For a long time, Metasploit has made this possible using protocol-specific plugins, all of which fall underneath the server/auxiliary/capture function. Security experts could begin and install every one of these components separately, but now there is a capturing plugin that makes the whole process easier.
Cost: Metasploit Pro costs $12,000 a year and includes vendor support via Rapid7; however, there is a free program.
4. NMAP maps and scans the networks
NMAP is a network monitoring program that uses the command line to find open ports on remote machines. NMAP is widely regarded as one of the most critical and excellent methods on our list, with many security professionals considering it a must-have for penetration testers. NMAP's signature feature is monitoring network domains for active servers, followed by scanning for the operating systems, services, and edition detection. Then it does further systematic vulnerability identification and attacks against another service it detects using NMAP's scripting engine. NMAP can draw out networks with filters, IP filters, routers, and other barriers using a variety of technological methods. Numerous Tcp / Udp port scanning mechanisms and OS identification, version sensing, and ping sweep are included. Security experts have used NMAP to scan vast networks of computers.
Cost: Free open-source tool.
5. Burp Suite Pro focuses on online application security.
Burp Suite Professional is indeed a web app assessment suite for determining the integrity of data websites. Burp Suite is a local proxy system for security professionals that allows them to decode, view, alter, and replicate web requests (HTTP/WebSockets) and responses among a web browser and a server.
The application includes passive scanning that allows security experts to physically scan the website and plan or identify security vulnerabilities. A highly handy dynamic web vulnerability scanner is included in the Pro edition, allowing for much more vulnerability discovery. Burp Suite is pluggable, allowing security professionals to create their additions. Burp is a multi-tool package of really effective tools, with the Pro edition having the most sophisticated plugins.
Cost: The professional version will set you back $399. Even an industrial edition for app development crews allows for several simultaneous scans.
6. Wireshark is a well-known network monitoring tool.
Wireshark is a network monitoring tool, sometimes known as a network interface sniffer, that has been in use since 1998. Edition 3.6.3 is the most recent upgrade. Wireshark allows security professionals to examine a device's network behaviour to determine which machines (IP addresses) it is interacting with instead. In certain earlier network topologies, internet queries from the other machines flow through some security professional's device's network connection, allowing it to monitor the whole network's activity. Security professionals believe it's an effective instrument for locating DNS servers and other communications networks for more network exploits. Wireshark is compatible with various operating systems, like Linux, Windows, Unix, and macOS.
Cost: Free open-source software.
7. Sqlmap searches for SQL injection errors in the database servers
SQLmap is indeed an open-sourced penetration testing device that automates the task of finding and leveraging SQL injection problems that are used to gain control of database systems. The program has a sophisticated detection engine and security testing functions, such as database fingerprinting and access to the core system files, including running instructions on the file system using out-of-band connections. It is said to assist security professionals in automating SQL detection and injection operations even against main SQL back-ends. Microsoft Access, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, Firebird, SAP MaxDB, Sybase, SAP MaxDB, HSQLDB, and SQLite, are among the database systems it provides. SQL injection attacks such as time-based blind, fault-based, stack queries, and out-of-band are also supported.
Cost: Free open-source software.
8. NCAT inquires about network connectivity
NCAT is a follow-up to the successful NETCAT released by developers of NMAP. It allows you to read and write information over a network from either the command line while including security mechanisms like SSL encryption. NCAT, according to security analysts, has already become critical for supporting TCP/UDP customers and servers that receive and send arbitrary data from both victims and assaulting systems. This is also often used for creating a reversed shell and data exfiltration. NCAT is the pinnacle of the presently split variety of NETCAT versions, and it was developed for the NMAP Program. It's intended to serve as a dependable back-end solution for connecting other programs and customers to the internet. NCAT supports IPv4, and IPv6 and allows you to link NCATs together and even reroute TCP, SCTP, and UDP ports to other NCATs.
Cost: Free open-source tool.
9. Network tunnelling with ProxyChains
Proxy chains, the de facto norm for networking tunnelling, allows security professionals to send proxy orders through an attacking Linux workstation to multiple infected devices, allowing them to bypass network boundaries & firewalls whilst avoiding discovery. They use it whenever they want to mask the identities on a system using the Linux operating system. Pen testers' TCP traffic is directed via TOR, HTTP, and SOCKS proxies by ProxyChains. NMAP and other TCP spying applications are compatible, as well as the TOR system being used by default. proxychains are also used by security professionals to get around firewalls & identify IDS/IPS.
Cost: Free open-source software.
10. Responder mimics DNS system assaults.
The Responder uses NBT-NS (NetBIOS Name Service), LLMNR (Link-Local Multicast Name Resolution), as well as mDNS (multicast DNS) for simulating an assault targeted at capturing accounts as well as other information during the domain negotiating process whenever the DNS server fails to find a reference. Responder's current version (v. 3.1.1.0) has complete IPv6 functionality by default, allowing security professionals to conduct more operations on both IPv4 and IPv6 systems. It's significant as Responder does not enable IPv6 and hence neglects various attack vectors. It was particularly true on IPv6-only connections or perhaps even hybrid IPv4/IPv6 systems, particularly since IPv6 has surpassed IPv4 as the primary network stacks on Windows.
Cost: Open-source software is free.
Conclusion
Network analyzers and analyzers are vital tools in a system administrator's inventory for monitoring the company's current network activity. Security does not have to be outrageously costly. System administrators will appreciate Linux-based security solutions for continuously monitoring Security.