NetworkTigers discusses ten network security tools you should think about for your business.
Network security is crucial to creating trustworthy networks as it prevents unauthorized access to data. It involves a set of processes, configurations, and security measures that use several software and hardware tools. Network security tools protect the reliability and safety of your data and network.
The tools enable you to prevent data leakage, and perform advanced access control and real-time network monitoring. Additionally, network security tools are critical to securing your business as they prevent data breaches that could damage your network and servers.
What is network security?
Network security refers to the different techniques and policies that limit the misuse of your company’s network plus its resources and unauthorized access to the network. It monitors network delays or changes and guards against unauthorized changes to network systems and hacking
Network security includes software and hardware technologies designed to protect against potential threats to your business network.
What are the advantages of network security?
Network security tools protect your organization’s confidential information as well as its credibility and efficiency. Other benefits of network security include:
- Cyber threats prevention – Cybercriminals are good at hacking new internet malware and threats. So if your network security is weak, the flow of network data online may be interfered with. Network security tools can help secure your networks and systems.
- Data security – Network security prevents unauthorized access to your network. Sensitive information such as clients’ personal data is stored on a network and can be stolen or changed if attackers hack your network. To safeguard such sensitive data, implement network security.
- Centrally controlled – Unlike desktop security software that’s susceptible to viral threats, network security software is built on an internet-free system and managed by a network administrator (a centralized user) who can prevent attackers from infiltrating the network.
Ten network security tools for your business
Selecting the right network security tools can be challenging. Below is a list of powerful tools to help you monitor harmful activities from hackers and protect your network from threats.
Wireshark
Wireshark is used to analyze network protocol and supports OS platforms such as macOS, Linux, and Windows. The open-source tool has a friendly user interface and will help you capture packets using pcap, store and evaluate all the packets. Its main features include real-time data that you can analyze from different protocols and color coding feature that highlights the packets when it matches certain rules. Keep in mind that Wireshark only captures packets from the pcap-supported networks.
Hashcat
Hashcat is used for cracking passwords and supports more than 250 hashing algorithms including SHA-family, MD-family, and LM. The open-source and versatile tool supports macOS, Linux, and Windows platforms. You can use Hashcat to perform different cyberattacks like Toggle-Case attacks, brute-force attacks, permutation attacks, fingerprints attacks, rule-base attacks, and combinator attacks.
Nessus Professional
Nessus Professional is a paid tool used to assess vulnerability. The tool can help you find misconfigurations of networks, servers, and system devices, security flaws, data about outdated patches, and security vulnerabilities. All the tool’s features are automated and you can use it for auditing and compliance purposes. Some of the vulnerability scans you can perform with the Nessus Professional tool include WannaCry ransomware, Intel AMT Security Bypass, and bash shellshock. Some options available for compliance include Offline Config Audit and Audit Cloud Infrastructure.
Snort
Snort is an open-source tool that can be deployed for both official and personal purposes. The tool uses specific rules to help identify harmful activity and create security alerts for the users. You can install Snort in the first layer of your network to prevent malicious sources and configure Sniffer in three modes; Network Intrusion Detection System mode, Packet logger mode, and Sniffer mode.
Kali Linux
Kali Linux is an advanced and open-source penetration testing tool that acts as ethical hackers and cyber attackers. It includes a pack of 600+ tools such as Hashcat, Nessus, Aircrac-ng, Wireshark, and Burp Suite that you can use for certain cybersecurity purposes. The tool is developed and maintained by Offensive Security.
Burp Suite
Burp Suite is a platform that combines multiple tools like Decoder, Scanner, Sequencer, Extender, and Intruder used for various security testing processes Burp Suite is a favorite for bug bounty hunters and pen testers and is used in the penetration testing field. You can also use the tool at user-level and project-level.
Metasploit
Metasploit is an open-source penetration testing tool used by cyber defenders and cyber attackers. The tool has numerous inbuilt modules used for auxiliary functions, exploiting, encoding, Nops, listening, payload executions, and executing shell codes. You can use this tool to analyze security and enhance your company’s security network.
Intruder
Intruder is a vulnerability scanner tool used to assess cybersecurity and threats across your organization’s network. The commercial tool can check for cross-site scripting, apps configured with default passwords, web application attacks such as SQL injection, and security patches.
Aircrack-ng
Aircrack-ng includes security tools that analyze WiFi network security controls. The tool is available for FreeBSD, OpenBSD, macOS, Windows, Solaris as well as Linux and has packet and sniffing injection features. Aircrack-ng covers attacking, cracking WiFi security, testing, and monitoring and is used by cybercriminals to hack WiFi by cracking WAP2, WAP, and WEP encryption techniques.
NMAP (Network Mapper)
NMAP is an open-source tool with well-documented steps and is used to scan networks. The tool supports OS platforms like macOS, Linux, and Windows. You can use the tool to discover hosts, uptime of the host device, collect data about the network devices on which port or service is publicly open and identify security vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
Network security software is designed to help you put in place intelligent processes and policies to safeguard your systems, networks, and sensitive information. Ensuring your network is secure from hackers and staying current on global threats is essential to securing your network. Choose the cybersecurity tools that suit your organization’s needs to prevent unauthorized access to important resources.
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