A Brief History of Security Tools
The tools described in this chapter are designed to search for vulnerabilities. They can be used by security administrators to find and fix problems or by hackers to exploit system and network weaknesses. Vulnerability assessment tools have been around for a while. Dan Farmer and Wietse Venema helped start this genre of software in 1995 when they created one of the first vulnerability assessment programs called Security Administrator Tool for Analyzing Networks (SATAN). This program set the standard for many tools to follow; it made it possible to scan for vulnerable computers through the Internet and provided a variety of functions in one package. Although SATAN was a great tool for security administrators, it was also useful to hackers.
Today, there is an untold number of tools that can be used to scan for vulnerabilities and probe for "open doors." Some of these are legitimate security tools and others have been written by hackers or those without the best of intentions. As a security professional, you will probably want a keep a variety of these tools handy. Just make sure you have written authorization before using them on a network.
Introduction to Assessing Network Vulnerabilities
- Introduction to Assessing Network Vulnerabilities
- What Security Is and Isnt
- Process for Assessing Risk
- Four Ways in Which You Can Respond to Risk
- Network Vulnerability Assessment
Foundations and Principles of Security
- Foundations and Principles of Security
- Basic Security Principles
- Security Requires Information Classification
- The Policy Framework
- The Role Authentication, Authorization, and Accountability Play in a Secure Organization
- Encryption
- Security and the Employee (Social Engineering)
Why Risk Assessment
- Why Risk Assessment
- Risk Terminology
- Laws, Mandates, and Regulations
- Risk Assessment Best Practices
- Understanding the IT Security Process
- The Goals and Objectives of a Risk Assessment
Risk-Assessment Methodologies
- Risk-Assessment Methodologies
- Risk-Assessment Terminology
- Quantitative and Qualitative Risk-Assessment Approaches
- Best Practices for Quantitative and Qualitative Risk Assessment
- Choosing the Best Risk-Assessment Approach
- Common Risk-Assessment Methodologies and Templates
Scoping the Project
- Scoping the Project
- Defining the Scope of the Assessment
- Reviewing Critical Systems and Information
- Compiling the Needed Documentation
- Making Sure You Are Ready to Begin
Understanding the Attacker
- Understanding the Attacker
- Who Are the Attackers?
- What Do Attackers Do?
- Reducing the Risk of an Attack
- How to Respond to an Attack
Performing the Assessment
- Performing the Assessment
- Introducing the Assessment Process
- Level I Assessments
- Level II Assessments
- Level III Assessments
Tools Used for Assessments and Evaluations
- Tools Used for Assessments and Evaluations
- A Brief History of Security Tools
- Putting Together a Toolkit
- Determining What Tools to Use
Preparing the Final Report
- Preparing the Final Report
- Preparing for Analysis
- Ranking Your Findings
- Building the Final Report
- Contents of a Good Report
- Determining the Next Step
- Audit and Compliance
Post-Assessment Activities
- Post-Assessment Activities
- IT Security Architecture and Framework
- Roles, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities
- Security Incident Response Team (SIRT)
- Vulnerability Management
- Training IT Staff and End Users
Appendix A. Security Assessment Resources
Appendix B. Security Assessment Forms
- Information Request Form
- Document Tracking Form
- Critical Systems and Information Forms
- Level II Assessment Forms
Appendix C. Security Assessment Sample Report
- Appendix C. Security Assessment Sample Report
- Notice
- Executive Summary
- Statement of Work
- Analysis
- Recommendations
- Conclusions
Appendix D. Dealing with Consultants and Outside Vendors
- Appendix D. Dealing with Consultants and Outside Vendors
- Procurement Terminology
- Typical RFP Procurement Steps
- Procurement Best Practices
Appendix E. SIRT Team Report Format Template
EAN: 2147483647
Pages: 138
