Network Security Toolkit

Network Security Toolkit

NST Logo
NST WUI: Multi-Tap Network Packet Capture NST WUI: Multi-Tap Network Packet Capture
Developer(s)	Ronald W. Henderson Paul Blankenbaker
Initial release	2003, 20–21 years ago
Stable release	22-7334 / October 29, 2015 (2015-10-29)
Development status	Active
Written in	HTML, JavaScript, AJAX, JSON, Bash, PHP, Java, Perl, Python, XML, XSL, SVG, C, C++, Expect, Unix Utilities
Operating system	Linux
License	Various
Website	NST Home Page

The Network Security Toolkit (NST) is a Linux-based Live CD that provides a set of open source computer security and networking tools to perform routine security and networking diagnostic and monitoring tasks. The distribution can be used as a network security analysis, validation and monitoring tool on servers hosting virtual machines. The majority of tools published in the article "Top 125 security tools" by Insecure.org are available in the toolkit. NST has package management capabilities similar to Fedora and maintains its own repository of additional packages.

Features

Many tasks that can be performed within NST are available through a web interface called NST WUI. Among the tools that can be used through this interface are nmap with the vizualization tool ZenMap, ntop, a Network Interface Bandwidth Monitor, a Network Segment ARP Scanner, a session manager for VNC, a minicom-based terminal server, serial port monitoring, and WPA PSK management.

Other features include visualization of ntopng, ntop, wireshark, traceroute, netflow and kismet data by geolocating the host addresses, IPv4 Address conversation, traceroute data and wireless access points and displaying them via Google Earth or a Mercator World Map bit image, a browser-based packet capture and protocol analysis system capable of monitoring up to four network interfaces using Wireshark, as well as a Snort-based intrusion detection system with a "collector" backend that stores incidents in a MySQL database. For web developers, there is also a JavaScript console with a built-in object library with functions that aid the development of dynamic web pages.

Host Geolocations

The following example ntop host geolocation images were generated by NST.

Network Monitors

The following image depicts the interactive dynamic SVG/AJAX enabled Network Interface Bandwidth Monitor which is integrated into the NST WUI. Also shown is a Ruler Measurement tool overlay to perform time and bandwidth rate analysis.

File:Nstbwmon.png

Network Interface Bandwidth Monitor - Interface: eth0

See also

• BackTrack
• Kali Linux
• Computer Security
• List of Live CDs

References

• Network Security Toolkit distribution aids network security administrators
• Screencast: Opening Up the Network Security Toolkit
• Security Matters: NST Goes Virtual Too}

External links

• Official website
• NST at SourceForge
• Network Security Geolocation Matrix