Sweet Moses Nessus!

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November 23rd, 2003, 10:16 AM
Lansing_Banda

Sweet Moses Nessus!

If you use any *nix OS and you want to secure your system, use nessus. The program more or less hacks the F*** out of your computer with whatever you want it to (it has just about every method of hacking available to test with). Just log on to a virtual server that it creates on your system, choose what you want to throw at yourself, and start the scan. Depending on what all you select it might take a while. Then it gives you this very nice output with plenty of info on everything and you can save it all in a log file of your format choosing (html, txt, etc...). It is like nmap on crack! Get it now:

http://www.nessus.org/nessus_2_0.html
November 23rd, 2003, 04:30 PM
Maverick811

Re: Sweet Moses Nessus!

Quote:

Originally posted here by Lansing_Banda
If you use any *nix OS and you want to secure your system, use nessus. The program more or less hacks the F*** out of your computer with whatever you want it to (it has just about every method of hacking available to test with). Just log on to a virtual server that it creates on your system, choose what you want to throw at yourself, and start the scan. Depending on what all you select it might take a while. Then it gives you this very nice output with plenty of info on everything and you can save it all in a log file of your format choosing (html, txt, etc...). It is like nmap on crack! Get it now:

Very true indeed....

And even if you don't have a Linux system up and running available for you to use, you are not out of luck... Go and download the Knoppix Security Tools Distribution available at http://www.knoppix-std.org... Burn the downloaed ISO to CD, then you'll have a CD-bootable Linux distro that you can plug into any machine and boot to a working Linux distro - complete with Nessus setup and ready to go for you, along with a slew of other security tools...
November 23rd, 2003, 05:14 PM
wassup

the problem is if you are using it to attempt to hack a system it basically says "we are attacking the **** out of you"
November 23rd, 2003, 07:04 PM
Maverick811

Quote:

Originally posted here by wassup
the problem is if you are using it to attempt to hack a system it basically says "we are attacking the **** out of you"

Well, crackers shouldn't be using Nessus at crack, hack, or attack systems in the first place. Network administrators with the authority and permission should be the users (in a corporate environment) of Nessus for vulnerability testing. That way, results such as a DoS that might happen to the servers that are being tested can be expected and the red flag won't be raised at the onset of the testing.
November 23rd, 2003, 07:33 PM
sysmin770

I would suggest turning the exploits off if you are using it as an administration tool. You don't want to start taking down your servers with it, but that is just my opinion.
November 24th, 2003, 05:10 AM
Maverick811

Quote:

Originally posted here by sysmin770
I would suggest turning the exploits off if you are using it as an administration tool. You don't want to start taking down your servers with it, but that is just my opinion.

If I don't test my servers to the fullest possible extent, who will - crackers, hackers? I'd rather expolit it on the front end, take care of any holes, etc. that are exposed, then get back to business... At some point vuln. testing is part of the process - at least if I crash a system, I'm testing full well knowing that I can crash it - better me in my environment than a cracker while the server is in full production...
November 24th, 2003, 06:59 AM
fl34bit3

Very true indeed. The only true way to defend is to know what you are defending against. If it takes taking down your system to do it. So be it.

PeacE
-BoB
November 24th, 2003, 02:15 PM
Maverick811

Quote:

Originally posted here by fl34bit3
Very true indeed. The only true way to defend is to know what you are defending against. If it takes taking down your system to do it. So be it.

PeacE
-BoB

Exactly - it's the same principle of when corporations hire crackers or legit firms that will attempt in every way possible to break-in... The risks are there, but at some point it has to be done..
November 24th, 2003, 03:29 PM
cytex

maverick811 im downloading Knoppix Security Tools Distribution now and was wondering if it was possible for this distro to read the nessus updates of a floppy somehow or is the only way to update nessus attacks by downloading knoppix again with the updates Just currious
November 24th, 2003, 04:10 PM
phishphreek

Quote:

was wondering if it was possible for this distro to read the nessus updates of a floppy somehow or is the only way to update nessus attacks by downloading knoppix again with the updates Just currious

all you have to update is the scripts.

After you get knoppix booted, config your netcard (if you don't have DHCP enabled) and goto the nessus site and DL the file that contains all the plugins/scripts. extract to the proper location.

You don't have to download knoppix-std everytime. I think they have been using that version for some time now anyway.
November 24th, 2003, 04:21 PM
cytex

Thanxs phisphreek80
November 24th, 2003, 10:27 PM
Talith

Sweet! I remember this program in Knoppix, my first Linux distro, but didn't know what it was back then, thanks a lot for the reminder! ^^;
November 26th, 2003, 06:49 PM
mushin

You also have to watch out for false positives. Most of what is reported by Nessus on our servers when run from outside the firewall are false positives resulting from the way the firewall functions.
November 26th, 2003, 07:19 PM
thehorse13

Pssssssst!!!

http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=247255

;)
December 2nd, 2003, 03:19 PM
Aftiel

I installed this last night -- impressive. It really does an excellent job on the reporting as well.

I also liked the fact that it seems to have a good idea when it has a false positive. Was a snap to compile and run as well.

.: Aftiel
December 2nd, 2003, 03:31 PM
PM8228

Shouldnt it be sweet Jesus? :) I'm not big in the religious scene. Anyway, the related topic, Nessus is awsome. I suppose it should be treated as a security detection tool on your own network. Using it on other networks for the puprose of "hacking (blackhat)" is skiddie-ish.

-Cheers-
December 2nd, 2003, 05:04 PM
hypronix

Well PM8228, the Son of God doesn't exist in Judaism. Moses, on the other hand, does.
December 3rd, 2003, 01:55 AM
[WebCarnage]

hypronix: the Son of God may not exist, but Jews still acknowledge Jesus's existance (i think).

Another live CD distro to watch out for in the future is PHLAK. Its _really_ new and hasn't matured yet, but it seems promising. The URL is:

http://www.phlak.org
December 3rd, 2003, 04:35 AM
hypronix

Yeah I think they do.. but not as the Son of God :D!
December 3rd, 2003, 05:39 PM
PM8228

I'll ask my dad :) As for PHLAK, I have tried it and love it a lot. It even has the necessary drivers to support NVIDIA cards, which are a pain in the ass. It is a boot from CD like Knoppix.

-Cheers-