NMAP the Book
By David Heath
Wednesday, 10 December 2008 10:22
From the book’s website, “Topics include subverting firewalls and intrusion detection systems, optimizing Nmap performance, and automating common networking tasks with the Nmap Scripting Engine. Hints and instructions are provided for common uses such as taking network inventory, penetration testing, detecting rogue wireless access points, and quashing network worm outbreaks. Nmap runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.”
Early reviews and comments have been startlingly positive. For instance, writing in her most recent newsletter, Laura Chappell, founder of Wireshark University and The Protocol Analysis Institute had this to say: “This 468-page book is a required reading for anyone securing a network. I was thankful that Fyodor sent me a pre-release copy of the book, which was a blessing since the content was more in-depth than I'd hoped for. Chapters define scan variations, OS fingerprinting techniques, tips and tricks and the newly-developed ZenMap, the graphic front end for Nmap. ‘Nmap Network Scanning’ should be front and center on your desk for months and years to come! Thanks, Fyodor!”
In addition to the specifics of using Nmap (a section which only occupies around 40 of the 468 pages) there is extensive information on understanding many of the fine details of TCP/IP headers, port-scanning techniques and algorithms and even techniques on detecting and subverting firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems – with this knowledge, network supervisors are armed with full knowledge of the best techniques their adversaries may try.
For those on a reduced budget, somewhere near half the book is available for free download from the Nmap website, but I strongly suggest you invest the $33.71 to have the real thing.
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