An overview of key tools like Wireshark, Nmap, and Metasploit.
Cybersecurity professionals rely on a wide array of tools to perform their duties, from network analysis to vulnerability scanning and exploitation. This topic introduces three of the most foundational tools. Wireshark is the world's foremost and widely-used network protocol analyzer. It lets you see what's happening on your network at a microscopic level. It captures network packets in real-time and displays them in a human-readable format. Security analysts use Wireshark to troubleshoot network problems, analyze suspicious network traffic to identify malware activity, and conduct forensic investigations after a security incident. Nmap (Network Mapper) is a free and open-source utility for network discovery and security auditing. System administrators use it for tasks such as network inventory, managing service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime. Security professionals use Nmap to scan networks to identify which hosts are available, what services (application name and version) those hosts are offering, what operating systems they are running, what type of packet filters/firewalls are in use, and dozens of other characteristics. It's an essential tool for the reconnaissance phase of a penetration test. Metasploit Framework is a powerful penetration testing tool. It's a massive database of known exploits for various vulnerabilities. Security professionals and ethical hackers use Metasploit to test the security of systems and networks. It can be used to simulate real-world attacks, helping organizations identify and patch vulnerabilities before malicious hackers can exploit them. It automates many of the tedious tasks involved in penetration testing, allowing testers to focus on the most critical systems.