Free Security Tools For Sys Admins

 Sys admins have a crucial work at hand, that of maintaining the security of the systems they have been entrusted with. As such they need to be extra careful while selecting the tools for managing the security scenario of their systems.

1.PuTTY

Free and open-source terminal emulator, serial console and network file transfer application. It supports several network protocols, including SCP, SSH, Telnet, rlogin, and raw socket connection.

2.Nmap

Security scanner used to discover hosts and services on a computer network, thus creating a "map" of the network. To accomplish its goal, Nmap sends specially crafted packets to the target host and then analyzes the responses.

3.Retina Network Community

For up to 256 IPs free, Retina Community identifies network vulnerabilities (including zero-day), configuration issues, and missing patches across operating systems, applications, devices, and virtual environments.

4.OpenStego

Tool implemented in Java for generic steganography, with support for password-based encryption of the data. It supports plugins for various steganographic algorithms.

5.Freeraser

Destroy files and eliminate any possibility of their restoration with Portable Freeraser. This free files shredder destroys the data you choose before the deletion by filling the actual content of the file according to the predefined method.

6.OpenVAS

OpenVAS is a framework of several services and tools offering a comprehensive and powerful vulnerability scanning and vulnerability management solution.

7.Security Onion

Security Onion is a Linux distro for intrusion detection, network security monitoring, and log management. It's based on Ubuntu and contains Snort, Suricata, Bro, OSSEC, Sguil, Squert, Snorby, ELSA, Xplico, NetworkMiner, and many other security tools.

8.Eraser

Eraser is an advanced security tool for Windows which allows you to completely remove sensitive data from your hard drive by overwriting it several times with carefully selected patterns.

Penetration & Hacking Focused Distros

On first thought, it would seem that ethical hackers have everything figured out, their lives are too easy. Why, you ask? Well, they have so many tools out there to make their lives easy. Ok, we are kidding, they have a tough going and lead frustrating lives. It's not easy being a hacker. However, it's true that they do have so many resources at hand to help them out every now and then.

1.Bugtraq

Bugtraq system offers the most comprehensive distribution, optimal, and stable with automated services manager in real time. This distribution based on the 3.2 and 3.4 kernel Generic available in 32 Bits & 64 Bits has a huge range of penetration, forensic and laboratory tools. The systems are available in 11 different languages.

2.Blackbuntu

Blackbuntu is distribution for penetration testing which was specially designed for security training students and practitioners of information security. Blackbuntu is penetration testing distribution with GNOME Desktop Environment.

3.DEFT

DEFT Linux is a GNU/Linux live for free software based on Ubuntu , designed for purposes related to computer forensics and computer security.

4.Samurai Web Testing Framework

The Samurai Web Testing Framework is a live linux environment that has been pre-configured to function as a web pen-testing environment. The CD contains the best of the open source and free tools that focus on testing and attacking websites.

5.Back Box Linux

BackBox is an Ubuntu-based Linux distribution penetration test and security assessment oriented providing a network and informatic systems analysis toolkit. BackBox desktop environment includes a minimal yet complete set of tools required for ethical hacking and security testing.

6.Gnacktrack

GnackTrack is a Live (and installable) Linux distibution designed for Penetration Testing and is based on Ubuntu. It's based on GNOME. 

Author : Shivam Kotwalia, CodeKill

TCP/IP Utilities For Networking Engineeres

TCP/IP essentially provides end-to-end connectivity specifying how data should be formatted, addressed, transmitted, routed and received at the destination. The following tools will help networking pros to check the status of their network and troubleshoot and test connectivity to remote hosts.

1.Ping

Utility used to test the reachability of a host on an Internet Protocol (IP) network and to measure the round-trip time for messages sent from the originating host to a destination computer. operates by sending Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request packets to the target host and waiting for an ICMP response. In the process it measures the time from transmission to reception (round-trip time)[1] and records any packet loss.

2.traceroute

Computer network diagnostic tool for displaying the route (path) and measuring transit delays of packets across an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The history of the route is recorded as the round-trip times of the packets received from each successive host (remote node) in the route (path); the sum of the mean times in each hop indicates the total time spent to establish the connection.

3.ARP

Telecommunication protocol used for resolution of network layer addresses into link layer addresses. ARP is used to convert an IP address to a physical address such as an Ethernet address (also known as a MAC address).

4.Netstat

Command-line tool that displays network connections (both incoming and outgoing), routing tables, and a number of network interface and network protocol statistics.

5.Nbtstat

Diagnostic tool for NetBIOS over TCP/IP. It is included in several versions of Microsoft Windows. Its primary design is to help troubleshoot NetBIOS name resolution problems.

6.NSLookup

Network administration command-line tool available for many computer operating systems for querying the Domain Name System (DNS) to obtain domain name or IP address mapping or for any other specific DNS record.

Linux Marvels: Free Encryption Softwares

Encryption is essentially a process of encoding messages or information so that only you or someone you trust can view. The world of open source and the Linux platform in particular boasts of some really amazing file encryption software that will ensure you complete privacy and security in all your online transactions.

1.PeaZip

PeaZip is a good compression tool that supports several archive formats and encryption standards. Supports safe deletion of data, duplicates searching, file comparing among others.

2.Bitmessage

Bitmessage is a P2P communications protocol used to send encrypted messages to another person or to many subscribers. It uses strong authentication which means that the sender of a message cannot be spoofed, and it aims to hide "non-content" data, like the sender and receiver of messages, from passive eavesdroppers like those running warrantless wiretapping programs.

3.jrnl

jrnl is a simple journal application for your command line. Journals are stored as human readable plain text files - you can put them into a Dropbox folder for instant syncing and you can be assured that your journal will still be readable in 2050, when all your fancy iPad journal applications will long be forgotten.

4.CryptoTE

CryptoTE is a text editor with integrated strong cryptography. It is based on the popular Scintilla widget and automatically stores text data in secure encrypted container files.

5.encfs

EncFS integrates file system encryption into the Unix(TM) file system. Encrypted data is stored within the native file system, thus no fixed-size loopback image is required.

6.gnupg

GnuPG is GNU's tool for secure communication and data storage. It can be used to encrypt data and to create digital signatures. It includes an advanced key management facility and is compliant with the proposed OpenPGP Internet standard as described in RFC 4880.

7.GnuTLS

GnuTLS is a secure communications library implementing the SSL, TLS and DTLS protocols and technologies around them. It provides a simple C language application programming interface (API) to access the secure communications protocols.

8.steghide

Steghide is steganography program which hides bits of a data file in some of the least significant bits of another file in such a way that the existence of the data file is not visible and cannot be proven.

Super Useful Mind Mapping Tools

Note taking used to be a simple set of scribbles at one time. With changing technology though, it has gone through a transformation. Enter Mind Mapping. This innovative new method of note taking is more than useful and already has over a million users. Why don't you give it a shot with these 10 super useful tools.

1. Coggle

This mind mapping program supports collborative work and claims that it works less like a computer and more like people and thoughts. Moreover, it is an online tool that is available for free and lets you export your mind maps in PNG or PDF formats.

2. MindMeister

This one allows you to share your mind maps with others using email, history view etc. In addition, you can also export your mind maps ina lot of different formats and while changes made by other users are colour coded, changes are also stored on the company's servers always.

3. MindNode

MindNode makes mind mapping easy and allows you to brainstorm & organize your thoughts in an intuitive way, so you can focus on the idea behind it. Its user base ranges from students to project managers to artists.

4. Stormboard

Brainstorm can be used in order to organise, prioritise and act on the best ideas, in the same room or around the world, on a realtime sticky note whiteboard.

5. XMind 2013

There are millions of users who are using XMind to clarify thinking, manage complex information, run brainstorming and get work organised. It is available in Free, Plus and Pro versions. The Plus and Pro versions are priced at $79 and $99 respectively.

6. Mapul

This is a very colourful mind mapping tool that gives you a very organic handwritten feel to it. While it is currently available as a web application only, mobile and desktop versions of the application will soon be available. It is also pretty cheap at $2.50 per month.

7.Gliffy

This tool allows you to create professional-quality flowcharts, Org charts, UML diagrams, network diagrams, wireframes, technical drawings and more. Gliffy works directly in your browser.

8.Comapping

This online mind mapping software allows the user to manage and share information. Use it to take notes, plan and organise. It's a way to have one set of notes and one set of files for everyone.

9.Cacoo

Cacoo is a user friendly online drawing tool that allows you to create a variety of diagrams such as site map, flowchart, mind map, wire frame, UML diagram and network diagram. Cacoo can be used free of charge.

10. Wridea

Wridea is a web service first to avoid ideas being forgotten, then to organize and improve those ideas by giving you the opportunity to share your ideas with friends and necessary tools to improve your ideas by yourself and individually.