Free Tools to Scan Your Network For Vulnerabilities

Every data center security manager has nightmares about his or her network being attacked. But some have more peace of mind because they feel confident in their data center infrastructure and because they have every inch of their network covered with the right degree of protection in place.

Part of covering that network requires scanning tools which tell you about vulnerabilities in the data center. Here are a couple of free network scanning tools that could be valuable in your data center.

• OpenVas: One of the more sophisticated network scanning tools, this scanner can scan for as many as 33,000 NVT (Network Vulnerability Tests). It runs on Linux systems and also has a client for Windows-based systems. Although it is not the most simplest of tools to use, it is one of the most comprehensive and offers great value in terms of its test coverage, providing simultaneous scans and also scheduled scans.
• Retina CS Community: The Retina tools cover mobile devices, private clouds, servers and applications, hosted on primarily Windows environments. They also cover third-party software such as Firefox and Adobe applications and can scan up to 256 IPS for free. This set of tools offers both scanning (Retina Network Community) and patching (Retina CS Community). The only limitation that some users may come across is that these tools need to be installed on Windows Server.
• Qualys FreeScan: This is a simple tool that can be used by administrators of small setups to scan for a maximum of 10 URLs or IP addresses, either local or Internet facing. It can identify network-related vulnerabilities, hidden malware and SSL issues. It also checks for compliance of your computer settings as per the Security Content Automation Protocol formulated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyser (MBSA): This one is a simple Windows only tool and can scan for missing patches, weak passwords, SQL administration vulnerabilities and security misconfigurations. It provides a detailed report post scan on the vulnerabilities that were discovered and potential fixes for each of them. This is an easy to use tool that looks at general security risks, but it does not cover complex areas such as Windows settings, network issues and non-Microsoft software.

Taking care of and addressing network vulnerabilities is an important aspect of a healthy data center. It is meticulous and requires a great deal of effort, but the rewards are worth the hard work. Recognizing these facts, Lifeline Data Centers offers the best of network security solutions in our collocation data centers. If you are looking for a secure and optimized data center for your business needs,  get in touch for a free consultation.

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.