Beginner’s guide: OSSIM Part 2

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Hope all of you are keeping well. Thank you all for the overwhelming support you people are giving me. So today we’ll deal with everything from basic OSSIM configuration to integrating different types of assets. Before we jump in to all of that I hope all of you are ready with installation. If not please visit my previous post, which is actually the first part. Beginner’s guide: OSSIM (Open Source Security Information Management) part 1 Make sure you have an active internet connection for your OSSIM. As you all know the Alienvault platform has five modules in it, which are the Asset discovery, vulnerability assessment, threat detection, behavioural monitoring and security intelligence. In simple words we add assets first, and then we’ll configure all those assets under each and every module of Alienvault respectively. If you're ready with everything mentioned in part 1, we can now move forward with the configurations. Here we’re just considering only OSSIM not USM....

Scanning and Enumeration



Scanning Assets

After the initial reconnaissance, a pentester identifies the target system, as discussed before the pentester concentrates on getting a mode of entry into the target system. The scanning phase can not be limited to intrusion alone. It can be extended form of reconnaissance where the pentester learns more about target, like what operating system is being used, what services  are being run on the systems, and any configuration lapses if any of it can be identified. The pentester can then strategize his/her attack, factoring in these aspects.

Footprinting is the first phase of pentesting, in which the pentester gains information about the target, passively or actively. Footprinting alone is not enough for pentesting because it will only give the pentester an overview or primary information about the target. The pentester can use this primary information in the next phase to gather even more in-depth details about the target. This process of gathering in-depth details, about the target using a highly sophisticated, complex and aggressive method of reconnaissance techniques is called scanning. The idea is to discover any types of exploitable vectors, to list out as many systems as possible for pentesting. In the scanning phase, pentester find various ways of intruding into the target system. Pentester will have information, such as what all operating system is running, what all services are enabled, and if there is any configuration lapses in the target system

Types of Scanning

  • Port scanning - Open ports and services
  • Network scanning - IP addresses
  • Vulnerability scanning - Presence of known weaknesses

Larger the amount of information  we have about a target organization, better chances for finding  the weakness and loopholes of that particular organization, and eventually gaining unauthorized access to their network. The pentester observes, analyzes and records the target’s network or systems from a different perspective, by performing different types of reconnaissance tests. How to perform scanning and what type of information to be achieved during the scanning process entirely depends on the pentester’s views and decision, which will be with respect to scope or sometimes client’s requirements. The main objectives for performing scanning phase is:
  • Discovering live hosts, IP address, and open ports of live hosts running on the network.
  • Discovering operating systems and system architecture of the targeted system
  • Identifying the vulnerabilities and threats
  • Detecting the associated network service of each port

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