One of the key aspects of establishing any network is to ensure that it is extremely secure.
This is because delicate information and data are shared across such networks, and any kind of security breach would have dire consequences.
Different areas are covered under the broad umbrella of network security. This includes access control, malware control, cloud protection, VPN, web security, and mobile device security.
Almost every other day, you may hear about security threats and hacks in the networking systems of established organizations. Hence, you can refer to some of the security services mentioned here to protect your networks from such mishaps.
OpenVAS
A fully-featured vulnerability scanner, OpenVAS is a free and reliable tool for network scanning. Unauthenticated testing, authenticated testing, high-level and low-level internet, and industrial protocols are some of its key capabilities.
It offers three distinct scanning alternatives that you can choose from.
The first of them is a full network scan, which performs a complete security scan. The second option scans only your web server and web applications, while the third is specifically for detecting any vulnerabilities or server issues in WordPress.
Nikto
Nikto is an open-source web server scanner which is known for its fast testing processes. This tool is especially useful to detect any signs of suspicious activity across your network.
Furthermore, it also scrutinizes other network programs that may exploit network traffic. One of the key features of Nikto is its ability to automatically refresh its scanning qualities.
Apart from this, the tool fully supports the HTTP substitute. Additionally, it reports in HTML, XML, and CSV formats as per your individual requirement.
Qualys Freescan
If you are looking for an open-source and free network scanning tool that can effectively scan your local servers, Qualys Freescan is the tool you need.
It performs security scans for Internet Protocols and URLs, while simultaneously identifying any traces of security ambiguities.
Qualys Freescan focuses on three specific areas for security scanning. These include vulnerability tests for SSL related issues and malware, test network configuration against Security Contents, and differentiating network issues and security patches.
However, this tool allows only up to 10 free security scans, after which a certain amount has to be paid. Hence, this restricts its usage capabilities.
Retina Network Scanner
Retina Network Scanner is an unconnected network vulnerability tool that is used to assess evidence of security threats across Windows Operating systems and applications.
It is available for free and offers a provision of security fixes free up to 256 IPs. This tool provides a security patch for a variety of applications including Adobe, Firefox, and other Microsoft applications.
Additionally, it also performs customized scanning, simultaneously enabling the user to derive the report as per their selection.
Metasploit Framework
Metasploit Framework is a network security scanning tool that looks out for signs of exploitation across the network. Even though it is more of a commercial tool, an open-source, free version of it is available as the Community Edition.
However, if you are seeking a networking scanning tool that can protect networks at an organizational level, you can look to upgrade to the fully-featured Pro Edition.
Moreover, it is easy to access across networks as the Graphic User Interface is Java-based, which is an added advantage.
Acunetix Online
A fully automated scanning tool, Acunetix Online functions across myriad areas, effectively detecting and identifying a variety of security threats and mis-configurations.
This tool carries out an in-depth analysis and comprehensively audits your network security for signs of possible compromises. Furthermore, it critically assesses the security of routers, firewalls, switches, and load balances.
Additionally, it also keeps an eye out for DNS zone relocation, weak passwords, weak SNMP community strings, TLS/SSL ciphers, and poorly configured servers.
The bottom line
Even though the world may be witnessing some of the greatest technological advancements, the risks associated with it cannot be overlooked.
As most of our personal as well as professional data and information is being circulated online, it is paramount to ensure complete security in the networks of distribution.
The above mentioned network security scanning services are designed to provide absolute protection against any risks of unauthorized access, security mishandlings, and hacker attacks.