Introduction to Cyber Security Tools
Protecting your IT environment is critical. Size does not matter when it comes to safeguarding your startup or firm. Hackers, viruses, malware…these are just some of the real security threats in the virtual world. Security measures need to be in place. People have heard about SaaS or Software As A Service. But have you ever considered Security As a Service? Every single computer security on your network must have its armor otherwise hackers and cybercriminals will make their mark. From older network security tools that need to be installed to “plug and play” security resources, there are many cyber security tools to meet differing requirements.
Layered Security Approach – Many Lines of Defense: One line of defense won’t protect you, many will. At different levels in the IT security ecosystem- Data, Application, Network, Host and Perimeter, it is important to have an end to end security, and there are many tools to choose from. So, arm yourself from the many weapons in your arsenal and be safe rather than sorry…opt for these amazing cybersecurity tools today and get your very own knight in shining armor to guard you against criminal masterminds in the cyberworld.
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Open Source Software Cyber Security Tools
The best things in life are free and open-source software is one of them. Security at data and network-level is greatly enhanced by these software tools which open the door to a more safe and secure cyber world.
1. Gnu PG: Guarding Your Privacy
The GNU Privacy Guard/GPG is a tool that is used for file and email encryption. A strong encryption measure will provide immense security at the data level. This is a viable open-source alternative to PGP or Pretty Good Privacy. It complies with OpenPGP standards.
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This is a command-line tool part of major Linux offerings such as Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, CentOS, and Fedora. So, throw your hat in the ring today and use this amazing tool to protect data by using GPG to generate public and private keys in the backup server and import the port key to all data servers from where the backup has to be taken and encrypt it.
2. Truecrypt: A Real Solution
Many open source utilities are there for disk-level encryption. Truecrypt is perfect for disk-level encryption. This open-source security tool is used for on the fly disk encryption. This handy tool is the correct choice because Truecrypt encrypts automatically before data is saved on the disk and decrypts it completely after it is loaded from the disk sans user intervention.
3. Open Web Application Security Project: Combating Web Vulnerabilities
Application security is as critical as other levels of security because just as web presence and development is increasing, web vulnerabilities are also rising. Application security is important. OWASP is an open-source web app security project which provides best practices and code review steps among other guidelines that developers, architects, and designers can use to develop secure software.
4. ClamAV: The Perfect Antivirus Tool
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Host level security offers protection for single devices such as servers PCs and laptops. ClamAV is the perfect antivirus system to scan data emanating from different sources. This is an open-source antivirus designed for catching malware, viruses and deadly Trojans which attempt to steal information.
5. OSSEC: Integrating Security Needs
Open Source SECurity is an open-source tool that provides SIM and SEM solutions as well as log monitoring. This is an open-source HIDS or Home Based Intrusion Detection System. OSSEC helps customers to meet standards and integrate Security Incident Management and Security Event Management.
6. Snort: IDS/IPS Tool with a Difference
Snort is an open-source network IDS/IPS (Intrusion Detection and Prevention System) which performs detection and analysis of network traffic moving across in a more detailed way than an average firewall. IDS and IPS tools are known for analyzing traffic and comparing the packet to a database of previous or known attack profiles. IDS tools alert IT staff regarding attacks, but IPS systems go a step further-they block harmful traffic. A blend of the two is an essential part of a comprehensive security architecture.
7. OpenVAS: Providing Comprehensive Vulnerability Scanning
OpenVAS is a framework of services and tools offering intensive vulnerability scanning as well as management systems. It is the open-source version of Nessus. Vulnerability management can be added to patch and configuration management plus antivirus software for blocking/destroying malware.
8. BackTrack: On the Right Path
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This well known Linux based security distribution is employed for penetration testing. This offers a one-stop solution for security needs and comprises more than 300 OSS tools categorized into different areas.
9. OSSIM: All in One Security Solution
Open Source Security Information Management provides for a Security Information and Event Management solution that has integrated open-source software’s Snort, OpenVAS, Mrtg, NTOP, and Nmap. This is a cost-effective solution for monitoring the health and security of network/hosts.
10. IPCop: Protecting the Perimeter
Perimeter…it is the final frontier where the network ends and internet security commences. Perimeter comprises one/more firewalls for protecting the network. IPCop is a Linux based firewall distribution configured and made to protect the network. It can run on individual machines or behind the ISP network. Other functionalities offered by IPCop include the DNS server, Proxy server, and DHCP server.
Push and Play Security: Automated Cloud Security Solutions
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1. Qualys: Cloud Tool for Securing Devices and Web Apps
Qualys secures devices and applications through a cloud-only solution. No hardware and/or software is required. This tool will not only identify malware but also provide steps to keep your data safe, in the world of SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS. What’s more, it aims to create a cloud-only firewall.
2. White Hat Security: Protecting From the Ground Up
White Hat Security offers comprehensive security solutions from the coding to pre-production and testing. It also helps to assess Web apps for holes and works as a firewall and updates information on threats found.
3. Okta: The Perfect Tracking Tool
Okta is focused on identity management- knowledge of users and their location, including customers, employees, and partners. Hanging logins across all your applications from Google Apps to SAP and Oracle has never been easier.
Okta also tracks all of this from any device. It has unique features such as privilege positioning from a single dashboard, implementing policies across devices and single sign-on options.
4. Proofpoint: Identifying the Weakest Link in the Chain
Proofpoint is the best security tool for detecting attack vectors or holes in the security system where cybercriminals can get in. It focuses on email with cloud-only services for all companies, regardless of their size. This security tool also protects outgoing data and stores data to prevent its loss. It does not use keys to decrypt any of the data.
5. Zscalar: Direct to Cloud Network
The Direct to Cloud network developed by Zscaler is very easy to deploy and a far simpler solution than traditional appliance system security. This checkpoint in the cloud monitors traffic coming and going from the network. Specific local networks can also be monitored. This security tool is perfect for Android as well as iOS devices.
6. CipherCloud: Decoding Your Security needs
CipherCloud protects company data, communications and much more. This includes anti-virus scans, encryption, and traffic monitoring apart from providing mobile security support on the go. This is the perfect security solution for products such as Chatter, Box, Office 365 and Salesforce.
7. DocTrackr: Turning the Clock Back Right on Time
This amazing security tool allows you to pull back documents, unsharing them and further tracks everyone who opens the files. Built on the premise that once a document goes out of your system, it is out of your control, this awesome security tool gives you 100% control over all documents.
8. Centrify: 100% Protection Anywhere, Anytime
Centrify also aims for identity management across numerous devices and apps. Users and customers alike are placed in one central area for being monitored and controlled through company policies and (of course) Centrify.
9. Vaultive: Transparency Network Proxy
The no man’s land between the network and the Internet is protected by Vaultive which acts as a transparency network proxy This cloud-based security tool encrypts data leaving the network heading to apps. If you want to encrypt the information before it leaves you and continue to use it in the cloud, Vaultive is the perfect solution. It will also extend into CRM software, filesharing apps, and communication services to name just a few areas.
10. SilverSky: Tapping the Big Data Store
Cloudy skies or clear, SilverSky is the perfect security tool in the virtual world. This cloud-based security tool offers email monitoring as well as protection, network protection and helping systems to become HIPAA and PCI compliant. Big data store of threat information is also tapped into so that SilverSky clears the air and prevents malware from attacking your system.
6 Essential Security Tools
Forming the golden standard of security network tools, these open source security tools are effective, well supported and easy to work with. The 6 must-have cyber security tools list are as follows:
1. NMap: Number One Port Scanning Tool
This is used for mapping networks and ports with a scanning tool and it features powerful NSE scripts that are perfect for detecting misconfigurations and collecting information pertaining to network security.
2. Security Onion: Layered Security
This network security monitoring distribution is perfect for those who want a security tool that is easy to set up and configures. Minimum effort and maximum rewards- that is the USP of the Security Onion. It peels away everything from destructive APTs to brute force scanning.
3. Metasploit Framework: Testing All Security Aspects
This is a tool that protects against intrusions by monitoring exploits plus scanning and auditing.
4. OpenSSH: Providing Easy Access
An SSH tunnel served to secure traffic between two points including easy access to copy files securely. Considered a common man’s VPN, SSH tunnels enable you to access internal network services through only one point of access.
5. Wireshark: Following Networks, Finding Problems
Wiretraffic views as much detail as required and it follows network streams for finding problems. Wireshark runs on Linux, Free BSD, Windows, Linux, and OS X.
6. Nikto: All-Encompassing Security Solution
This web server testing tool has been around for more than a decade for good reasons. This security tool enables the firing at the webserver to ascertain scripts that are vulnerable, configuration mistakes and associated security problems.
Top 6 Free Network Security Assessment Tools
There are various cyber security tools for maintenance, we will look at the most recommended network security assessment tools
1. NStealth: Hidden Benefits
Starting the countdown is N-Stealth. It assesses vulnerabilities by determining which hosts are alive and the services they are running as well as specific services which are vulnerable. N-Stealth Security Scanner by N-Stalker is the more comprehensive avatar, but if you choose to follow the free trial version instead, it won’t lead you down the garden path if you are looking for basic assessment. Free version provides more than 16,000 specific vulnerability checks while the fee version has close to 30,000 of these.
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2. Walking the Talk: SNMP Superhit
SNMPWalk is one of the most widely used networks that use simple SNMP queries to check if SNMP devices are giving away keys to the kingdom. This device lets you query network devices running SNMP for important information.
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An additional advantage is that this is an open-source tool. It was born out of the Net-SNMP project at Carnegie Mellon in the 1990s. This security tool can be used for open source and Windows platforms both.
3. Complex Network Security Test Fpipe
This is one of the most complex network security tests to detect hacker threat and it tests if there are ways to bypass your defense system. Fpipe from Foundstone, a McAfee unit, is a great free tool for checking the security levels in router ACLs, firewall rules or other security mechanisms through assessment and port forwarding or redirection. Others such as Secure Shell or Netcat are not so well documented or easy to try out.
4. Reconnaissance Expert SQLRECON
SQL server vulnerabilities in products such as Oracle App Server and Oracle Database have become commonplace. If you want to assess SQL servers for viruses and vulnerabilities, SQLRECON should be the weapon of choice. It combines several methods of MSDE/SQL Server enumeration into a one-stop-shop for determining potential flaws.
5. Enum: Command Line Console Based Utility
This is perfect for Windows users because it enumerates different types of information about Windows systems including retrieving user lists, machine and share lists, group plus member lists and password and LSA information.
6. PsTools: Process Listing Command Line Tool
PsTools suite is named after the UNIX ps command line tool and it bridges the gap between standard Window OS for both remote and local system assessment and exploitation. This tool kit helps to remotely control the system and ensures privilege escalation. These tools include PsList which lets you list individual processes running on the remote system and PsKill which lets you destroy them. This suite is also suitable for performing administrative functions.
Conclusion
Free or paid, commercial or open-source, these cyber security tools are the very foundation of a stable IT environment. It pays to invest in these security testing tools and the costs of not doing so are very high. Of course, it pays even more if free cyber security tools work well on your system. But even if the paid counterparts are more suited to your needs, it is well worth the investment. After all, you can’t put a price on security…it remains one of the most important aspects of running any business. A secure business is a successful business. These open-source and commercial cyber security tools are the key to brighter business prospects that secure success.
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This is a guide to Cyber Security Tools. Here we have covered essential security tools and top 6 free network security assessment tools used in the industry. You can also refer to our other related articles to learn more –
