Zenmap:GUI for NMAP@Kali Linux

1.     Most of us would have heard of the pretty famous Nmap ("Network Mapper") ,a free and open source (license) utility for network discovery and security auditing.It uses raw IP packets in novel ways to determine what hosts are available on the network, what services those hosts are offering, what operating systems they are running, what type of packet filters/firewalls are in use, and dozens of other characteristics. Designed to rapidly scan large networks Nmap runs on all major computer operating systems.Official binary packages are available for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. In addition to the classic command-line Nmap executable, the Nmap suite includes an advanced GUI and results viewer (Zenmap), a flexible data transfer, redirection, and debugging tool (Ncat), a utility for comparing scan results (Ndiff), and a packet generation and response analysis tool (Nping).In this post the focus will be to introduce Zenmap...a kind of GUI for running NMAP commands which is otherwise terminal based.

2.   To open Zenmap, go to the Backtrack menu. Navigate to Information Mapping - DNS Analysis, and click Zenmap.

3.   Notice that under the Profile menu that there are several options to determine what type of scan you would like to run, as shown in the following screenshot:

4.    The first step is creating a new profile. A profile in Zenmap allows a Penetration Tester to create what type of scan to execute and what different options to include.Navigate to the Profile menu and select New Profile as shown in the following screenshot:

5.   When you select New Profile, the profile editor will launch. You will need to give your profile a descriptive name. For example, you can call the profile testscan as I have named here.Optionally, you can give the profile a description. During your course of using Zenmap you will probably create many profiles and make multiple scans.

6.    Zenmap is the best way to get output from Nmap scans. Zenmap offers a rich graphical user interface that displays scans that can be exported into different formats, such as text or Microsoft Excel.

Security Design @ WebHosting

1.  At a time today when new websites are being hosted at quite a pace,proportional is the pace of hacking and defacing of these websites.Today you have a website maker in the market who may simply demand some Rs 500/ per page design and few more hundreds for hosting it...and we all are ready to do pay him....but at what price....is it simply the final handing over taking over of the password that closes the deal between you and the designer/hoster?....NO....I rate it equivalent to the toss....thereon the match begins.....just a matter of time depending on what all security parameters/variables/factors you took into consideration while designing it?

2.  Specially concerned with web sites who have E-Commerce and transactions or who deal with handling database of huge sizes which can be critical later on, if compromised any time.The following factors should be noted down and infact dealt with seriously to be kept on high priority while designing and final hosting :

- Password /Data Protection : You must have a sound password and methods to protect all the DATA in place.

- OS/Server hardening : You use a windows or a linux....rest assured you must always used a hardened OS/Server.

- OS Selection : Create and design on any OS...today you can launch it on web.A more vulnerable OS which has had a history of hacks and known exploits should be avoided.

- DDoS Protection : Shared hosting servers are vulnerable to attacks by hackers who carry out their work by uploading malware or otherwise malicious sites or code onto a server. These malware programs be introduced to a server through security vulnerabilities in a legitimate client’s site, and the malware is used for anything from stealing credit card data to launching a DDoS, or Distributed Denial of Service attack.So think before you fire up your site.

- Spam filters : No explanations

- Firewalls : Must...so many types in market : Decide like what you r going to select a HARDWARE FIREWALL or a SOFTWARE FIREWALL.The selection is of crucial significance in deciding the overall security rating!!!

- BACKUP : You must have a way to keep backing up all your data.Some ploicy should be designed of what happens if owing to some kind of reason you loose all ur data....mirror or offline backup!!!!anything...but keep in mind.

- SSL enabled server : MUST

- SFTP: Though FTP is not that bad....but when SFTP is there....y bank on a relatively lower secured protocol......

WiFi at home : Take precautions

1. Accessing WiFi at home is no more limited to tech geeks as the simple configuration has made it accessible to even a layman who hardly has any know how of how it works and what are the dangers floating around if he goes with the default settings.The two year back case of a hacker emailing from an open WiFi account in Mumbai reflects the deep dangers associated with such mishaps.Following are a set of desirable config changes any WiFi account holder at home and office whould take care of while configuring.....

Step 1: Change the default password

Step: 2: Change the default IP address

Step 3: Disable the DHCP service

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) enables remote computers connected to the router to obtain an IP address and join the network without needing to know the IP and router address information. This is a simple and effective way of keeping intruders away. As far as possible, set up the computers on your network with static IP addresses. If you still want to use DHCP to make your own configuration easier, restrict the number of DHCP IP users to the number of computers on your network. For example, if you have five laptops running on the network, limit the DHCP IP addresses to 5 from the default 50.

Step 4: Restrict the network mode

Step 5: Change the default SSID

Step 6: Opt for WPA2 or PSK security over WEP

Step 7: Enable the MAC Filter

Step 8: Use the router’s firewall

Step 9: Use Internet Access Policies

Step 10: Disable remote administration

Step 11: Switch off the router when not in use

Step 12: Disconnect the Internet when not needed

Step 13: Position your router carefully

Step 14: Update the router firmware

Step 15: Scan for signal leaks from time to time

2. Also check out here.Thanks http://www.freealldown.com

Green Dam Youth Escort : What's that?

1. The title suggests that it has got something to do with college unions doing thier bit contribution in saving some water or fighting over some water dam issue.But its nothing like that.It is the name of a firewall which is a first of its kind official government imposed content-control software developed in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under a directive from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) , it is mandatory to have either the software, or its setup files accompanied on a compact disc or pre-installed on all new personal computers sold in mainland China, including those imported from abroad. 

2. The firewall software is to be made a mandatory pre-requisite for new computers sold in the country, as a meaure to help stamp out pornography and other vile elements on the Web. The move thus has been widely criticised by industry groups and officials as rash, politically intrusive, technically ineffective and commercially unfair.Few of the features of the software are enumerated below :

• Designed to work with Microsoft Windows operating systems,the software is specifically aimed at restricting online pornography but could be used for other purposes.
• Green Dam Youth Escort automatically downloads the latest updates of a list of prohibited sites from an online database, and also collects private user data. 
• Green Dam recognizes pornographic images by analyzing skin-coloured regions, complemented by human face recognition. The software is incapable of recognizing pictures of nudity featuring black- or red-skinned characters but sensitive enough to images with large patches of yellow that it censors promotional images of the film Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties. 
• The software's misrecognition of "inappropriate contents" in applications including Microsoft Word can lead it to forcefully close those applications without notifying the user, and so cause data losses.
• The software runs only on Microsoft Windows x86, so Microsoft Windows x86-64, Mac and Linux users are ignored. Even on Microsoft Windows, the software is known to interfere with Internet Explorer and Google Chrome, and is incompatible with Mozilla Firefox.
• Some computers sold in China already come with parental-control software, but it isn't government-mandated.
  

3. The latest good news for the chinese people is that for the time being the compulory shipping and installation by the user has been put on hold.

4. Thanks http://www.circleid.com and off course wiki like always!!!!