Open Source Security Tools
Open source software is a rapidly growing industry because each user has access to the corresponding computer code, can audit what the code does, and can update the code to meet specific needs. The open source market as a whole is predicted to reach $21.6 billion in 2020, and then increase by more than 30% by 2020, reaching close to $33 billion yearly.
Open source software has a substantial market share for cyber security technologies. There are numerous free open source cyber security applications that meet enterprise-grade security software criteria.
Unfortunately, many free open source security tools lack the functionality of their paid counterparts. Many newbies to cyber security start with the free versions to learn and practise before investing in the full versions.
Many of the tools function as intended, and you or a third-party software developer can alter the programming code to meet your specific requirements.
To boost their cyber security, small and midsize organizations will usually use a combination of free and commercial open source solutions, customizing the solution to secure their digital assets and networks based on their individual business needs.
This review’s open source cyber security software tools are organized:
KeePass
KeePass is a password manager that stores passwords securely and is free and open source. Users can keep their unique passwords for websites, email accounts, webservers, and network access credentials in one location using this security solution.
KeePass keeps passwords safe in a database that can only be viewed with a single master key. AES-256, ChaCha20, and Twofish, which are used to encrypt databases, are the most secure encryption algorithms known. The entire database is encrypted, which means that user names, notes, and password fields are all encrypted.
Kali Linux
Kali Linux is an open source Linux distribution based on Debian that includes a variety of free software, cyber security utilities, and penetration testing tools.
It’s one of the few hacking-focused Linux distributions with reconnaissance and payload delivery tools, as well as a number of other penetration-testing tools.
WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is a Kali feature that allows users to run Linux executable files from within a Windows 10 environment.
Kali OS is an Android-based embedded operating system that supports Raspberry Pi, Beaglebone, Odroid, HP, and Samsung Chromebooks.
Nikto
Nikto is a free and open source web server scanner that examines web servers for a variety of vulnerabilities. Over 6,700 potentially dangerous files/programs have been analysed, and over 1,250 servers have had their versions checked for outdated versions. On over 270 servers, the web server scanner detects version-specific issues.
Checks for faults with server settings, such as multiple index files and HTTP server parameters, can also be done. This open source security application may also identify installed web servers and software.
Metasploit Framework
Metasploit Framework is an offensive vulnerability testing and exploitation tool that you can use to check for known and open vulnerabilities in your systems.
This open source security program helps divide the penetration testing cycle into digestible chunks and create bespoke workflows.
It’s also a network port scanning and auditing tool, with roughly 250 ports that are frequently exposed to external services being checked. An auto-exploitation method cross-references open services, vulnerability references, and fingerprints to find similar exploits.
Nmap
Nmap (Network Mapper) is a security auditing and penetration testing tool. It detects vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security concerns in network services using NSE scripts.
Before beginning a security audit, Nmap maps the network and ports, and then uses the scripts to find any recognizable security issues. Before defining a host type, operating system (OS), and all available hosts on the network, the software collects raw data.
Network managers can use Nmap to perform tasks like network inventory, service update schedules, and uptime monitoring.
The open source security software works with Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. It’s designed to scan large networks, but it may also be used to scan individual hosts.
OSSEC
OSSEC is an open source, scalable, and multi-platform Host-based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) that its creators want to make freely available indefinitely.
Use OSSEC as a log analysis tool to monitor and analyse firewalls, IDSs, web servers, and authentication logs on-premises and in the cloud.
OSSEC can withstand cyber-attacks and system changes in real time thanks to firewall policies, integration with third parties such as CDNs, and help portals. Application and system-level audits for compliance with a range of industry standards, including PCI-DSS and CIS, are provided, as well as self-healing capabilities.
OpenVAS
OpenVAS is a free, open source, full-featured vulnerability scanner. Unauthenticated and authenticated users can test a variety of high-level and low-level Internet and industrial protocols.
You may also fine-tune the performance of large-scale scans with this application. Users can run any form of vulnerability test using the internal programming language.
Security Onion
For threat detection, enterprise security monitoring, and log management, Security Onion is a Linux system based on Debian. Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana, Snort, Suricata, Zeek, OSSEC, Wazuh, Sguil, Squert, NetworkMiner, and other security technologies are used to safeguard a company from cyber threats.
It’s an open source security solution that provides users with a number of tools for identifying threats and monitoring their systems.
Wireshark
Wireshark is a free and open-source network protocol analysis programme. This cyber security tool allows security professionals to see network traffic at a microscopic level, dump single packets, check packet format, and detect network vulnerabilities in this manner.
It can analyse hundreds of protocols and runs on a variety of systems, including Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, and NetBSD. Wireshark can gather and analyse data both online and offline, as well as decrypt IPsec, ISAKMP, Kerberos, SNMPv3, SSL/TLS, WEP, and WPA/WPA2.
VeraCrypt
VeraCrypt is a security tool for disc encryption. It runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and creates an encrypted virtual disc within a file that can then be mounted as a genuine disc.
Before dumping data to the cloud or elsewhere, this program encrypts a whole partition (file storage disc) or storage device such as a USB flash drive or hard drive. Encrypting a partition or device on which the Windows operating system is installed can also be used for pre-boot authentication.
VeraCrypt works with hidden storage and operating systems to encrypt data in real time.
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