Hack the Stack: Using Snort and Ethereal to Master the 8 Layers of an Insecure Network - Softcover

Gregg, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1597491098 ISBN 13: 9781597491099

Publisher: Syngress, 2006

Synopsis

This book looks at network security in a new and refreshing way. It guides readers step-by-step through the "stack" - the seven layers of a network. Each chapter focuses on one layer of the stack along with the attacks, vulnerabilities, and exploits that can be found at that layer. The book even includes a chapter on the mythical eighth layer: The people layer. This book is designed to offer readers a deeper understanding of many common vulnerabilities and the ways in which attacker's exploit, manipulate, misuse, and abuse protocols and applications. The authors guide the readers through this process by using tools such as Ethereal (sniffer) and Snort (IDS). The sniffer is used to help readers understand how the protocols should work and what the various attacks are doing to break them. IDS is used to demonstrate the format of specific signatures and provide the reader with the skills needed to recognize and detect attacks when they occur. What makes this book unique is that it presents the material in a layer by layer approach which offers the readers a way to learn about exploits in a manner similar to which they most likely originally learned networking. This methodology makes this book a useful tool to not only security professionals but also for networking professionals, application programmers, and others. All of the primary protocols such as IP, ICMP, TCP are discussed but each from a security perspective. The authors convey the mindset of the attacker by examining how seemingly small flaws are often the catalyst of potential threats. The book considers the general kinds of things that may be monitored that would have alerted users of an attack.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Gregg is the President of Superior Solutions, Inc. and has more than 20 years' experience in the IT field. He holds two associate's degrees, a bachelor's degree, and a master's degree and is certified as CISSP, MCSE, MCT, CTT+, A+, N+, Security+, CNA, CCNA, CIW Security Analyst, CCE, CEH, CHFI, CEI, DCNP, ES Dragon IDS, ES Advanced Dragon IDS, and TICSA. Michael's primary duty is to serve as project lead for security assessments, helping businesses and state agencies secure their IT resources and assets. Michael has authored four books, including Inside Network Security Assessment, CISSP Prep Questions, CISSP Exam Cram2, and Certified Ethical Hacker Exam Prep2. He has developed four high-level security classes, including Global Knowledge's Advanced Security Boot Camp, Intense School's Professional Hacking Lab Guide, ASPE's Network Security Essentials, and Assessing Network Vulnerabilities. He has written over 50 articles featured in magazines and Web sites, including Certification Magazine, GoCertify, The El Paso Times, and SearchSecurity. Michael is also a faculty member of Villanova University and creator of Villanova's college-level security classes, including Essentials of IS Security, Mastering IS Security, and Advanced Security Management. He also serves as a site expert for four TechTarget sites, including SearchNetworking, SearchSecurity, SearchMobileNetworking, and SearchSmallBiz. He is a member of the TechTarget Editorial Board.

Edition details

• Publisher: Syngress
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1597491098
• ISBN 13: 9781597491099
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 480