Security analysts constantly need to move files around; be it logs, ISO’s or VM’s, in Windows this is pretty easy. But how about in Linux? There are many way’s do move files between Linux machines and today we will discuss one of the most popular. SCP offers speed and versatility when it comes to moving files and allows analysts to seamlessly transfer files to and from a remote machine. Let’s see if we can get it done in two minutes!
How to use Maxmind GeoLite2 to obtain GeoIP data from the command line
Today let’s talk about how to use Maxmind’s Geolite2 to get geoip data from the command line in Linux. This post is an update to the original “using GeoIP data from the command line” post from September. Maxmind GeoLite legacy databases were discontinued on January 2, 2019 and have moved to the new GeoLite2 format and makes the original article obsolete. The new format requires new tools and scripts so I will treat it as a new article from a technical perspective, however the practical use is still the same from a security analyst’s perspective. So let’s dive right in and get the new format setup and ready to use.
Vi, The Basics of Editing Text on the Command Line Without Pulling Your Hair Out.
Security Analyst’s spend a lot of time on the command line in Linux so it makes sense to have a utility for editing text available. Vi and it’s improved cousin VIM fit the bill nicely; however most folks are intimidated by all of the hot keys and modes. Text editing with Vi is really easy and quick once you learn the basics, and that is today’s topic.
Installing NSA’s Ghidra reverse engineering tool on CentOS 7 in 10 minutes.
Today’s topic is how to install NSA Ghidra reverse engineering tool on CentOS 7 in 10 minutes. Reverse engineering of malware normally requires software that is priced out of the reach of folks that are trying to get into forensics or incident response; not anymore! NSA released the Ghidra reverse engineering tool at no cost for the end user. This is great news for people wanting to join the ranks of security analysts.
Using Putty to login to a remote Linux host from Windows – Securely
Lets face it, most of us would prefer a Linux desktop but our boss says we must have Windows. No problem, we can still get to our beloved command line in Linux with Putty. This post will show you how to login via Putty and even configure it to use pki to automatically login.
Continue reading “Using Putty to login to a remote Linux host from Windows – Securely”How to login to a remote host securely without using passwords
Security analyst normally have many machines they need access too just as system administrators do, so why not set up automatic login over SSH with pki keys to speed up the process? This blog post will show you how easy it is to set up this secure method of authentication.
Continue reading “How to login to a remote host securely without using passwords”Verifying file integrity by hashing with md5 and sha1
Verifying file integrity by hashing with md5 and sha1 is todays topic. Downloading files poses risks, even when we know where they are being downloaded from. You can be sure they have not been tampered with or corrupted by verifying the hash provided by the author. This post and accompanying YouTube video will show you how to easily calculate the hash in Windows or Linux.
Using GeoIP data from the command line
Today’s topic is using GeoIP data from the command line. Security analysts often find they need to ascertain an IP addresses geographic location in order to make decisions. The most obvious use would be around geofencing, i.e. blocking IP’s from certain countries or regions. GeoIP information is simple to acquire from the Linux command line with the tool geoiplookup and the Maxmind dat files. Here is an updated post and video on how to use Maxmind’s GeoLite2 database. How to use GeoLite2 on the command line.
How to secure a fresh Linux virtual private server install
Introduction
A Linux virtual private server (VPS) is an essential tool for any cyber security analyst, but left unsecured it can quickly be taken over by those with more nefarious intentions. Lets make sure that does not happen. This blog and accompanying video covers a few basic “must do” tasks to configure a secure Linux virtual private server at first boot. Why do we need to secure a new system? Within seconds of it coming online it will be found and attacked. If you want to test this you can leave this system as installed for 24 hours and then check the logs, there will be brute force attempts on ssh at a minimum. You may want to re-deploy the VPS before going any further if you performed this test.