If you want to secure your own network it is important for you to learn about network hacking. That way, you will know what hackers usually do when they launch network attack. So, you will be able to protect your own network using the knowledge that you gain from it.
What is Network Hacking?
Network hacking is activities that compromise network and digital devices using unauthorized access to a computer system or an account. The goal of this attack is usually to destroy, alter or even steal sensitive data stored within the system or device.
Usually, the hackers will attack the network perimeters first to then get access into the internal system. There are two main types of network hacking that they usually done. The first is passive hacking where the hackers try to get unauthorized access into a network to steal and monitor sensitive data but they do not alter anything.
Meanwhile the second type is the active hacking where the hackers will try to damage, encrypt or modify the network once they gain unauthorized access inside. Once they manage to enter the network then they will even try to use other hacking method such as endpoint attack, malware attack and many other.
Common Types of Network Hacking Attacks Performed by Hackers
More and more companies are now using internet to communicate and exchange confidential data using a network that connected to the internet. However, the remove accessibility of the network also means that it can be used by hackers to target vulnerable points in the network and intercept the data.
There are various types of network attacks that the hackers can use. That is why, you need to know them so you can protect your own network using the right cybersecurity standards.
- Unauthorized access hacking
This type of attack refers to when hackers gain access into the network’s assets without having permission. This hacking can be done by making use of unencrypted network, weak password, insider hackers who abuse their privileges, or using inactive role that have administrator permission. - DDoS hacking
This type of hacking is done by using large number of compromised devices that linked to internet. That way, the network will be overwhelmed by the high volumes of traffics and flood it so normal traffic cannot go through. - SQL injection hacking
This type of hacking making use of data input by users that are unmoderated to perform the attack. Usually, hackers will manipulate a form and input malicious codes instead of the correct data value. Then they will be able to compromise the whole network to access sensitive data. - MITM network hacking
This type of hacking is done by intercepting the traffic between a network and data sources that located within the network itself or outside the network. The hackers usually make used of vulnerability in security protocols that are weak enough so they can take over. Then the hackers will put themselves as proxy account or relay then they will manipulate data on the real time transactions for their own benefits.
Read More What Is Pentest (Penetration Testing)?
Tools Used to Hack the Network
To hack the network, hackers will use various software and tools so they can get access into the network and take sensitive data. Actually, these tools are used not only by real hackers but also ethical hackers when they perform penetration test. That way, they can simulate the attack and find vulnerabilities before real hackers find them. Here are some of the best tools used to hack the network:
Acunetix
This network hacking, acunetix, tool is already fully automatic and able to detect then send report on more than 4500 web app vulnerabilities which include different types of XSS and SQL injection.Â
The crawler already supports JavaScript, single page app, HTML5 and you can also audit authenticated and complex application.
Aircrack-Ng
A free tool that can be used to evaluate the security on Wi-Fi network. It focusses more on the attacking, testing, cracking and monitoring the Wi-Fi for security. It can support various platform including OpenBSD, Windows, Linux, Free BSD, OS X, NetBSD, eComStation 2, and Solaris.
Invicti
This tool able to mimic the moves done by real hackers when they try identifying vulnerabilities on the network. This tool will do scripting cross-site inside web API’s and web apps and even SQL injection automatically.
Furthermore, it can also help to verifies the vulnerabilities that identified so you can make sure that the vulnerabilities are real. That way, you would not waste anymore time in verifying the vulnerabilities manually anymore after the scan is complete.
Wireshark
With this cross-platform tools you will be able to perform inspection using various protocols. It has coloring rules features so you can apply different colors to the packet list for quicker and easier analysis in the future. You can then export the result into various file formats such as plaintext, CSV, PostScript, and XML.
Intruder
An automatic tool scanning that can help to find weakness inside network and even help to explain all of the risk and suggests appropriate remedy to mitigate the risk. It has more than 9000 security check such as cross-site scripting, misconfigurations, SQL injection, missing patches, as well as other common web issues.
OpenVAS
This tool able to perform authenticated and unauthenticated test as well as performance tuning on large-scale scan. It is completed by various low level and high level industrial and internet protocols as well as internal language that so you can do powerful programming. It also able to detect various vulnerabilities with their large database that gets update every day.
Nmap
A free scanner that can help to do port scan and security scan and explore the network. It supports cross-platform and you can do various task using this tool such as schedule service update, perform network inventory, monitor service and host uptime and many other. It can also be used on single host or large size network.
SQLMap
It can be used to perform automatic exploit and detection vulnerabilities using SQL injection and take care of the database server. As open source-based tool, it is equipped with powerful engine that able to detect various exploits.
Furthermore, it supports PostgreSQL, Oracle, MySQL and other database. This tool supports various SQL injection techniques, stacked queries, time-based blind, error-based, out-of-band, UNION query-based, and Boolean-based blind,
Metasploit
This framework can be used to perform penetration test to your network. Furthermore, this framework can also be used to execute and even develop your own code on remote machine. It can be used for cross-platform test.
NetStumbler
It can be used to do network hacking on wireless network and support windows OS to detect Wireless LANs. Using this tool, you can find location that has poor coverage in the WLAN, verifying network configuration, detecting unauthorized access point, detecting wireless interference cause and many other.
How to Protect Your Network from Hackers
As you can see, it is very important for you to protect your own network from hackers. Especially for network that continuously connected to the internet since this means that hackers can also connect to your network. Here are some of the things that you can use to protect your network from hackers:
- Always update the system
It is important for you to always updating the system to make sure that the security installed in the system are the latest. A lot of updates include patches that can secure vulnerabilities in older version. So, you need to make sure that your system is updated to eliminate those vulnerabilities. - Use firewall and antivirus
With this software you will be able to keep any threats from entering your system. Furthermore, it can also help to identify and then quarantine any threats that already exist inside the system so it would not harm your system anymore. Do not forget to always update the database on your antivirus and firewall as well as the engine itself so it can detect newly found threats that try to attack your network. - Review network logÂ
You need to perform review on the network log regularly so you can detect suspicious activities and unauthorized access by third parties or even from insiders that abusing their privilege. - Force the use of 2FA and MFA
Since there are many accounts that connected into the network, then you need to make sure that those accounts are secured. One method that you can do is by forcing the use of 2FA and MFA to access the account. That way, even if the account information is leaked, hackers cannot use it to enter your network. - Keep being informed
Each day there are new and more advanced technique used by real hackers to hack a network. That is why, you need to always be informed about the latest trend so you can prevent it from happening in your network. You should also continue to update yourself of the newest tools used by the hackers so you can secure your network better.
Conclusion
As you can see, network hacking is very real thing that threaten all network that connected to the internet including your own. That is why, you need to secure your network by learning about the tools used by real hackers. You can also use those tools to perform penetration test to your own network to help identify vulnerabilities and risk before they are found by real hackers.
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