Build Your Own Security Lab: A Field Guide for Network Testing

Introduction

Welcome to Build Your Own Security Lab. With this book, you can increase your hands-on IT security skills. The techniques and tools discussed in this book can benefit IT security designers and implementers. IT security designers will benefit as they learn more about specific tools and their capabilities. Implementers will gain firsthand experience from installing and practicing using software tools needed to secure information assets.

Overview of the Book and Technology

This book is designed for individuals who need to better understand the functionality of security tools. Its objective is to help guide those individuals in learning when and how specific tools should be deployed and what any of the tools' specific limitations are. This book is for you if any of the following are true:

• You want to learn more about specific security tools.

• You lack hands-on experience in using security tools.

• You want to get the skills needed to advance at work or move into a new position.

• You love to tinker or expand your skills with computer software and hardware.

• You are studying for a certification and want to gain additional skills.

How This Book Is Organized

The contents of this book are structured as follows:

• Chapter 1, Hardware and Gear — Guides you through the process of building a hardware test platform.

• Chapter 2, Building a Software Test Platform — Looks at your options for setting up a software test platform. You should never be testing a tool for the first time on a production network. ...