Book Image

Kali Linux 2018: Assuring Security by Penetration Testing - Fourth Edition

By : Shiva V. N. Parasram, Alex Samm, Damian Boodoo, Gerard Johansen, Lee Allen, Tedi Heriyanto, Shakeel Ali
Book Image

Kali Linux 2018: Assuring Security by Penetration Testing - Fourth Edition

By: Shiva V. N. Parasram, Alex Samm, Damian Boodoo, Gerard Johansen, Lee Allen, Tedi Heriyanto, Shakeel Ali

Overview of this book

Kali Linux is a comprehensive penetration testing platform with advanced tools to identify, detect, and exploit the vulnerabilities uncovered in the target network environment. With Kali Linux, you can apply the appropriate testing methodology with defined business objectives and a scheduled test plan, resulting in successful penetration testing project engagement. This fourth edition of Kali Linux 2018: Assuring Security by Penetration Testing starts with the installation of Kali Linux. You will be able to create a full test environment to safely practice scanning, vulnerability assessment, and exploitation. You’ll explore the essentials of penetration testing by collecting relevant data on the target network with the use of several footprinting and discovery tools. As you make your way through the chapters, you’ll focus on specific hosts and services via scanning and run vulnerability scans to discover various risks and threats within the target, which can then be exploited. In the concluding chapters, you’ll apply techniques to exploit target systems in order to gain access and find a way to maintain that access. You’ll also discover techniques and tools for assessing and attacking devices that are not physically connected to the network, including wireless networks. By the end of this book, you will be able to use NetHunter, the mobile version of Kali Linux, and write a detailed report based on your findings.
Table of Contents (17 chapters)

Introducing port scanning

The simplest definition of port scanning is that it is a method used to determine the state of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports on the target machines. An open port may mean that there is a network service listening on the port and the service is accessible, whereas a closed port means that there is no network service listening on that port.

After getting the port's state, an attacker will then check the version of the software used by the network service and find out the vulnerabilities of that version of software. For example, suppose that server A has web-server software version 1.0. A few days ago, there was a security advisory released. The advisory gave information about the vulnerability in web-server software Version 1.0. If an attacker finds out about server A's web server and is able to...