Hacking For Dummies, 6th Edition

Chapter 13

Linux and macOS

IN THIS CHAPTER

Examining Linux and macOS testing tools

Port-scanning hosts

Gleaning information without logging in

Exploiting common vulnerabilities when logged in to Linux and macOS

Minimizing Linux and macOS security risks

Linux hasn’t made inroads onto the enterprise desktop the way that Windows has, but its offshoot, macOS, certainly has. Both Linux and Macs are prevalent in enterprises, so you need to make sure that they fall within the scope of your security testing. A common misconception is that Linux and macOS (and its predecessor, OS X) are more secure than Windows. More and more often, however, these operating systems (OSes) are shown to be susceptible to the same types of security vulnerabilities that afflict Windows, so you can’t let your guard down.

Criminal hackers are increasingly attacking Linux and macOS because of their popularity and growing use in today’s network environment. Because some versions of Linux are free (in the sense ...