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Hacking for Dummies.

O'Reilly Online Learning: Academic/Public Library Edition Available online

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Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Beaver, Kevin.
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Computer security.
Computer networks--Security measures.
Computer networks.
Hackers.
Physical Description:
1 online resource (418 pages)
Edition:
8th ed.
Place of Publication:
Newark : John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2025.
Summary:
Think like a hacker to protect your sensitive information To safeguard your private data from prying eyes, it helps to understand how hackers do what they do.Hacking For Dummies gives you the tools you need to step into a hacker's shoes and discover the best strategies to secure your data.
Contents:
Intro
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Building the Foundation for Security Testing
Chapter 1 Introduction to Vulnerability and Penetration Testing
Straightening Out the Terminology
Hacker
Malicious user
Recognizing How Malicious Attackers Beget Ethical Hackers
Vulnerability and penetration testing versus auditing
Policy considerations
Compliance and regulatory concerns
Understanding the Need to Hack Your Own Systems
Understanding the Dangers Your Systems Face
Nontechnical attacks
Network infrastructure attacks
Operating system attacks
Application and other specialized attacks
Integrating AI into the testing mix
Following the Security Assessment Principles
Working ethically
Respecting privacy
Not crashing your systems
Using the Vulnerability and Penetration Testing Process
Formulating your plan
Selecting tools
Executing the plan
Evaluating results
Moving on
Chapter 2 Cracking the Hacker Mindset
What You're Up Against
Who Breaks into Computer Systems?
Hacker skill levels
Hacker motivations
Why They Do It
Planning and Performing Attacks
Maintaining Anonymity
Chapter 3 Developing Your Security Testing Plan
Establishing Your Goals
Determining Which Systems to Test
Creating Testing Standards
Timing your tests
Running specific tests
Conducting blind versus knowledge assessments
Picking your location
Responding to vulnerabilities you find
Making silly assumptions
Selecting Security Assessment Tools
Chapter 4 Hacking Methodology
Setting the Stage for Testing
Seeing What Others See
Scanning Systems
Hosts
Open ports.
Determining What's Running on Open Ports
Assessing Vulnerabilities
Penetrating the System
Part 2 Putting Security Testing in Motion
Chapter 5 Information Gathering
Gathering Public Information
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Web search
Dedicated OSINT tools
Social media
Web crawling
Websites
Mapping the Network
AI
WHOIS
Privacy policies
Chapter 6 Social Engineering
Introducing Social Engineering
Starting Your Social Engineering Tests
Knowing Why Attackers Use Social Engineering
Understanding the Implications
Building trust
Exploiting the relationship
Deceit through words and actions
Deceit through technology
Performing Social Engineering Attacks
Determining a goal
Seeking information
Using the internet and AI
Dumpster diving
Phone systems
Phishing emails
Social Engineering Countermeasures
Effective policies
User awareness and training
Chapter 7 Physical Security
Identifying Basic Physical Security Vulnerabilities
Pinpointing Physical Vulnerabilities in Your Office
Building infrastructure
Attack points
Countermeasures
Utilities
Office layout and use
Network components and computers
Chapter 8 Passwords
Understanding Password Vulnerabilities
Organizational password vulnerabilities
Technical password vulnerabilities
OSINT password exposures
Cracking Passwords
Cracking passwords the old-fashioned way
Social engineering
Shoulder surfing
Inference
Weak authentication
Cracking passwords with high-tech tools
Password-cracking software
Dictionary attacks
Brute-force attacks
Rainbow attacks
Cracking Windows passwords with pwdump3 and John the Ripper.
Cracking Unix/Linux passwords with John the Ripper
Cracking password-protected files
Cracking files
Understanding other ways to crack passwords
Keystroke logging
Weak password storage
Network analyzer
Weak BIOS passwords
Weak passwords in limbo
General Password Cracking Countermeasures
Storing passwords
Creating password policies
Taking other countermeasures
Securing Operating Systems
Windows
Linux and Unix
Part 3 Hacking Network Hosts
Chapter 9 Network Infrastructure Systems
Understanding Network Infrastructure Vulnerabilities
Choosing Tools
Scanners and analyzers
Vulnerability assessment
Scanning, Poking, and Prodding the Network
Scanning ports
Ping sweeping
Using port scanning tools
Countermeasures against ping sweeping and port scanning
Scanning SNMP
Vulnerabilities
Countermeasures against SNMP attacks
Grabbing banners
Telnet
Countermeasures against banner-grabbing attacks
Testing firewall rules
Testing
Countermeasures against firewall rulebase vulnerabilities
Analyzing network data
Network analyzer programs
Countermeasures against network protocol vulnerabilities
The MAC-daddy attack
ARP spoofing
Using Cain &amp
Abel for ARP poisoning
MAC address spoofing
Countermeasures against ARP poisoning and MAC address Spoofing attacks
Testing denial of service attacks
DoS attacks
Countermeasures against DoS attacks
Detecting Common Router, Switch, and Firewall Weaknesses
Finding unsecured interfaces
Uncovering issues with SSL and TLS
Putting Up General Network Defenses
Chapter 10 Wireless Networks
Understanding the Implications of Wireless Network Vulnerabilities
Choosing Your Tools
Discovering Wireless Networks
Checking for worldwide recognition.
Scanning your local airwaves
Discovering Wireless Network Attacks and Taking Countermeasures
Encrypted traffic
Countermeasures against encrypted traffic attacks
Wi-Fi Protected Setup
Countermeasures against the WPS PIN flaw
Rogue wireless devices
Countermeasures against rogue wireless devices
MAC spoofing
Countermeasures against MAC spoofing
Physical security problems
Countermeasures against physical security problems
Vulnerable wireless workstations
Countermeasures against vulnerable wireless workstations
Default configuration settings
Countermeasures against default configuration settings exploits
Understanding How AI Can Help with Wireless Network Security
Chapter 11 Mobile Devices
Sizing Up Mobile Vulnerabilities
Cracking Laptop Passwords
Choosing your tools
Applying countermeasures
Cracking Phones and Tablets
Cracking iOS passwords
Taking countermeasures against password cracking
Leaning on AI to help with mobile device security
Part 4 Hacking Operating Systems
Chapter 12 Windows
Introducing Windows Vulnerabilities
Free Microsoft tools
All-in-one assessment tools
Task-specific tools
Gathering Information About Your Windows Vulnerabilities
System scanning
Countermeasures against system scanning
NetBIOS
Hacks
Countermeasures against NetBIOS attacks
Detecting Null Sessions
Mapping
Gleaning information
net view
Countermeasures against null-session hacks
Checking Share Permissions
Windows defaults
Windows 2000 and other legacy versions
Modern versions
Exploiting Missing Patches
Using Metasploit
Countermeasures against missing patch vulnerability exploits
Running Authenticated Scans
Chapter 13 Linux and macOS
Understanding Linux Vulnerabilities.
Choosing Tools
Gathering Information About Your System Vulnerabilities
Finding Unneeded and Unsecured Services
Searches
Tools
Countermeasures against attacks on unneeded services
Disabling unneeded services
Access control
Securing the .rhosts and hosts.equiv Files
Hacks using the hosts.equiv and .rhosts files
hosts.equiv
.rhosts
Countermeasures against .rhosts and hosts.equiv file attacks
Disabling commands
Blocking access
Assessing the Security of NFS
NFS hacks
Countermeasures against NFS attacks
Checking File Permissions
File permission hacks
Countermeasures against file permission attacks
Manual testing
Automatic testing
Finding Buffer Overflow Vulnerabilities
Attacks
Countermeasures against buffer overflow attacks
Checking Physical Security
Physical security hacks
Countermeasures against physical security attacks
Performing General Security Tests
Patching
Distribution updates
Multiplatform patch managers
Part 5 Hacking Applications
Chapter 14 Email Systems
Introducing Email System Vulnerabilities
Recognizing and Countering Email Attacks
Email bombs
Attachments
Connections
Automated email security controls
Banners
Gathering information
Countermeasures against banner attacks
SMTP attacks
Account enumeration
Relay
Email header disclosures
Capturing traffic
Malware
General Best Practices for Minimizing Email Security Risks
Software solutions
Operating guidelines
Chapter 15 Web Applications and Mobile Apps
Choosing Your Web Security Testing Tools
Seeking Out Web Vulnerabilities
Directory traversal
Crawlers
Google
Countermeasures against directory traversals
Input-filtering attacks.
Buffer overflows.
Notes:
Description based upon print version of record.
Building infrastructure
Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.
ISBN:
1-394-34814-2
OCLC:
1535399235

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