Netcat Starter Guide

Learn to harness the power and versatility of Netcat, and understand why it remains an integral part of IT and Security Toolkits to this day

Overview

• Learn something new in an Instant! A short, fast, focused guide delivering immediate results.
• Downloading, compiling, and installing Netcat on Windows and Linux platforms.
• Establish a raw network connection so you can understand how Netcat processes information using a simplistic chat interface.
• Establish and maintain a remote shell / back door on various operating systems.

In Detail

As a featured networking utility, Netcat uses TCP/IP protocols to read and write data across network connections. Netcat is a feature rich backend network debugging and exploration tool with the ability to create almost any type of connection you would need.

"Instant Netcat Starter Guide" is a practical, hands-on guide that provides you with a simple and straightforward roadmap to proceed from newbie to seasoned professional with the Netcat utility. By progressing from simple to more complex uses, this book will inform and explain many of the primary use cases that are only limited by your imagination.

This book explores the classic Netcat utility, and breaks down the common ways in which it can be utilized in the field. Beginning with compilation and installation, this book quickly has you utilizing the core features of the utility to perform file transfers regardless of commonly blocked firewall ports, perform real-world interrogation of services and listening ports to discover the true intention of an application or service, and tunnelling remotely into systems to produce remote command shells.

What you will learn from this book

• Locate the various distributions of Netcat, including the original "Hobbit" version, GNU Netcat, and Ncat.
• Install the utility on Windows and Linux distributions.
• Understand the differences between the listening mode and the client mode and when you should use one over the other.
• Establish a simplistic chat interface between two computers.
• Use Netcat to establish a remote shell on Windows systems.
• How to Portscan with Netcat.
• Learn about file transfers within Netcat.
• Perform banner grabbing of services.

Approach

Get to grips with a new technology, understand what it is and what it can do for you, and then get to work with the most important features and tasks.

Who this book is written for

This book is for IT professionals who have no previous experience with Netcat but need to understand it quickly and easily.

K. C. Yerrid

K.C. Yerrid has built his career through hard work, efficiency, and sheer determination. He can be described as an information security thought leader and a highly-adaptable resource that solidifies the structure of information security organizations. Brandishing an entrepreneurial spirit, he demonstrates a passionate energy for assisting customers and stakeholders in challenging environments. He is fiscally conscious and subscribes to optimizing existing investments before procuring "blinky-light solutions". He is also highly driven by organizational goals and utilizes both creativity and analytical skills to arrive at sustainable tactical and strategic solutions. He approaches each business challenge as a unique opportunity to leverage sound strategic decision-making, creative problem solving, and measured risk-taking to deliver the bottom-line results that drive shareholder returns on investment.

K.C. Yerrid holds a Bachelors degree in Computer Science, a Masters degree in Information Systems Management, as well as a Masters degree in Business Administration, and is pursuing a Doctoral degree in Organizational Management within Information Technology. He currently holds the CISSP, CISM, and CEH certifications. He has represented organizations in the manufacturing, finance and banking, retail, and technology consulting industries, and is a founding member of the Security Awareness Training Framework (http://www.satframework.org).