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Fyodor's Top 100 Network Security Tools

TheViewFromTheGround writes "Fyodor of nmap fame has released a top 100 list of network security tools, based on a poll of the nmap-hackers list, each with a handy synopsis and useful information about source-code availablity and OS-compatibility. The last version of this survey was published in 2003."

20 of 45 comments (clear)

  1. Does He Still Hack Slashdot Users? by Real+World+Stuff · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yeah, I know bury it...how soon you forget.

    --
    If we don't fight for ourselves no one will.
    1. Re:Does He Still Hack Slashdot Users? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Ha, I was thinking that too. That was some fucking funny shit, back in the day.

      (Link for those who have no idea what we're talking about here)

  2. Great Names! by neonprimetime · · Score: 3, Informative
    Some of these tools have some great names!
    • #9 - Cain and Abel
    • #10 - John the Ripper
    • #43 - EtherApe
    • #49 - RainbowCrack
    • #51 - Angry IP Scanner
    • #76 - Burpsuite
    1. Re:Great Names! by 9mm+Censor · · Score: 5, Funny

      The original names were "Mary Kate and Ashley", "Johnny is Ripe Fruit Picker", "Cute Ether Monkey", "Rainbows are Pretty", "Super Happy IP Scanner of Love", and "Rude Noise Suite".

      However no one used products with names like that, except "Mary Kate and Ashley", but that only led to people disappointed by it not being porn.

  3. ...and coming in a #101.. by GonzoTech · · Score: 2, Funny
    ... is the windows uninstaller / reactOS installer tool.

    This seems like a promising tool.

    It's called, "Right to innovate!"

    --
    "Snatching defeat from the mouth of victory on a daily basis."
  4. Rootkit detectors... by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I clicked on the "rootkit detectors" link and was intrigued by the fact that it doesn't list IceSword - I recall reading an article that IceSword was the only one that detected the HackerDefender rootkit.

  5. What about social engineering? by Clockwurk · · Score: 5, Informative

    In 2002, Fyodor was the victim of an impersonation attack by a Slashdot user who was posing as a woman. Fyodor sent an email to the fake "woman" in an attempt to solicit further conversation and a possible meeting. When the hoax was revealed, the hoaxer insulted fyodor (I believe the word was "wanker").

    Fyodor responded by using information disclosure vulnerabilities in yahoo email to find the originating IP address of the Slashdot prankster (SumDeusExMachine) who was at the time a college student based on the Pacific coast. SDEM was using an open X server for windows, MI/X, with no security enabled. Fyodor quickly scanned SDEM's box, found the open X server, and attached to it, monitoring SDEM's life for nine hours. He took many screen shots of SDEM's machine and posted them to his web site, insecure.org.

    A lot of personal information was revealed in these screenshots, including the existence and ip address of a "secret troll irc server", which was running an irc bot capable of tracking and posting new stories. Jamie McCarthy used the information disclosed by Fyodor's attack to log onto this server, discover the new-story-bot, and modify Slashdot to break the troll's new-story-robot.

    So in short, Fyodor has an open record of malicious entry, and Slashdot's admins have used the information he has gleaned to combat Slashdot trolling.

    What you have to understand is that illegal and malicious hacking won't land you in jail. The FBI won't prosecute interstate computer hacking unless there are $5000 or more in damages. In this case, there were no damages, rending the "crime" unprosecuteable. Whether this makes the perpetrator a whitehat, greyhat, or blackhat is an exercise for the reader.

    1. Re:What about social engineering? by Tweekster · · Score: 2, Funny

      I really really want to care, I mean I really do want to care, but I dont.

      I think that will pretty much some up most of the readers feelings about this, outside of a few prudes.

      --
      The phrase "more better" is acceptable English. suck it grammar Nazis
    2. Re:What about social engineering? by deadhammer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Ah yes, but SumDeuxExMachine could have easily claimed well over five grand in damages by simply stating that his whole computer was considered "unsecure" and by listing the total cost of all software and hardware related to his computer (and all computers on his entire network and their software) at an only *slightly* inflated cost, thus driving the "damages" into the tens of thousands easily. Fyodoor was lucky that the individual responsible was doing rather shady business with his equipment (and likely had tons of illegal mp3s/warez/etc.) so that he couldn't report the intrusion. Try that against a corporation with enough money to hire a full legal team and watch what happens.

      --
      I'll be honest, we're throwing science against the wall to see what sticks. -Cave Johnson
  6. Script interpreters = security tools? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 3, Insightful
    #26 Perl / Python / Ruby : Portable, general-purpose scripting languages

    Script interpreters = security tools? For that matter, why isn't VBS high on the list then; all sorts of degenerate virus authors have shown that VBS can be quite powerful (and do all sorts of interesting network bits too).

    1. Re:Script interpreters = security tools? by HaloZero · · Score: 4, Funny

      Because Visual Basic, like cheap beer, and Americas Funniest Home videos is an enabling technology for stupid people.

      --
      Informatus Technologicus
  7. Are we supposed to feel sorry for SDEM? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Golly, the guy trolls a noted security expert and gets haxx0red for it, and we're supposed to feel sorry for him?

    Karma is a bitch, isn't it?

    Would you pick a fight with somebody bigger than you?

    If you do, and you get pounded into pulp, do you expect sympathy?

    He got what he deserved; reaped what he sowed.

    1. Re:Are we supposed to feel sorry for SDEM? by Clockwurk · · Score: 2, Interesting

      If a 5 year old came up to you and started talking shit, would you punch him?

    2. Re:Are we supposed to feel sorry for SDEM? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      No way. Five year olds are way too short to punch. I'd kick him.

  8. ethereal, tcpdump, nmap, kismet are my favorites by ThinkingInBinary · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Personally, I use nmap quite often to examine my own systems and make sure services are up or that firewalls are blocking the right ports. I also use tcpdump (and, for more complex tasks, ethereal) very often when debugging network problems. Kismet, of course, is a tool no geek should be without. On almost any long car trip, kismet+gpsd+gpsdrive are running, logging networks.

    It's freaking awesome that all these tools are available for free. Three cheers for their authors.

  9. False analogy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    SDEM wasn't 5 years old. Young, yes, but old enough to know better. And he was playing an adult game with an adult, and he reaped an adult-level response.

    If a 17 year old points a gun at me, I'm going to respond with deadly force.

    Nope, no sympathy AT ALL. None.

    1. Re:False analogy by Clockwurk · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Trolling someone and pretending to be a woman is hardly pointing a gun at someone. An adult level response to being trolled is to admit that you were trolled and move on with your life. Being petty and vindictive is a sign of immaturity.

  10. Re:ethereal, tcpdump, nmap, kismet are my favorite by lambent · · Score: 3, Informative

    Ethereal was renamed wireshark, and is #2 on the list.

  11. Re:ethereal, tcpdump, nmap, kismet are my favorite by trybywrench · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Personally, I use nmap quite often to examine my own systems
    I do the same thing. want to know what ip's your netowrk printers are set to without having to go to each run and print a config?
    >nmap -p 9100 *your network*

    --
    I came to the datacenter drunk with a fake ID, don't you want to be just like me?
  12. Trollaxor is so credible by ph0t0n · · Score: 2, Informative

    I believe every word of that story, just like I believe Trollaxor's other stories involving Gay sex between Eric Raymond and Richard Stallman and Alan Cox forking Linux kernel.