Network Security Assessment

How secure is your network? The best way to find out is to attack it, using the same tactics attackers employ to identify and exploit weaknesses. With the third edition of this practical book, you’ll learn how to perform network-based penetration testing in a structured manner. Security expert Chris McNab demonstrates common vulnerabilities, and the steps you can take to identify them in your environment.

System complexity and attack surfaces continue to grow. This book provides a process to help you mitigate risks posed to your network. Each chapter includes a checklist summarizing attacker techniques, along with effective countermeasures you can use immediately.

Learn how to effectively test system components, including:

• Common services such as SSH, FTP, Kerberos, SNMP, and LDAP
• Microsoft services, including NetBIOS, SMB, RPC, and RDP
• SMTP, POP3, and IMAP email services
• IPsec and PPTP services that provide secure network access
• TLS protocols and features providing transport security
• Web server software, including Microsoft IIS, Apache, and Nginx
• Frameworks including Rails, Django, Microsoft ASP.NET, and PHP
• Database servers, storage protocols, and distributed key-value stores

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Network Security Assessment

2. Assessment Workflow and Tools

3. Vulnerabilities and Adversaries

4. Internet Network Discovery

5. Local Network Discovery

6. IP Network Scanning

7. Assessing Common Network Services

8. Assessing Microsoft Services

9. Assessing Mail Services

10. Assessing VPN Services

11. Assessing TLS Services

12. Web Application Architecture

13. Assessing Web Servers

14. Assessing Web Application Frameworks

15. Assessing Data Stores

About the Author

Chris McNab is the author of “Network Security Assessment” and founder of AlphaSOC, a security analytics software company with offices in the United States and United Kingdom. Chris has presented at events including FIRST, OWASP, InfoSecurity Europe, InfoSec World, and the Cloud Security Alliance Congress, and works with client organizations around the world to understand and mitigate vulnerabilities within their environments.

During 2012 and 2013, Chris performed incident response and forensics work for organizations targeted by Alexsey Belan, who occupied the top spot on the FBI’s Cyber Most Wanted list and is currently on the run in Europe. In 2011, Chris worked closely with the Attorney General of Guatemala under a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) project to secure the computer systems that underpin the legal system within the country.