Firewalls and Internet Security: Repelling the Wily Hacker, Second Edition

Chapter 6. The Hacker’s Workbench, and Other Munitions

	It’s a poor atom blaster that doesn’t point both ways. Salvor Hardin in Foundation
	--ISAAC ASIMOV

Introduction

This chapter describes some hacking tools and techniques in some detail. Some argue that these techniques are best kept secret, to avoid training a new generation of hackers. We assert that many hackers already know these techniques, and many more (see Sidebar).

System administrators need to know the techniques and tools used in attacks to help them detect and deal with attacks. More importantly, the network designer needs to know which security efforts are most likely to frustrate an attacker. Much time and money is wasted tightening up some area that is not involved in most attacks, ...