Description:
The Hack Counter-Hack Training Course revolves around the premise that nothing promotes deep understanding of technical subjects more than going hands-on and actually making systems work. The course consists of a pair of CD-ROMs, each of which contains three lectures in the form of RealOne Player videos (each lecture spans several video files, making it easier to set your own pace). The first lecture teaches you how to build the laboratory in which you'll do everything else (it's a simple switched network comprising a Red Hat Linux machine and a Windows XP or 2000 computer). Subsequent lectures show you how to use one of the test-bed computers to detect, examine, and surreptitiously break into the other. Most of what is taught has to do with using hackers' software tools, many of which ship with this product. You can't expect to get free munchies from the Pentagon's snack machines based on what you learn here, but you'll certainly come away with a better understanding of how the bad guys do what they do, and how you can better protect your systems against them.A typical lecture combines talking-head narration, slides that highlight points, and full-motion captures of onscreen sequences. It's pretty easy to understand the lecturer's point, and you'll likely spend most of your time on your lab systems, doing the recommended exercises and expanding upon them to satisfy your curiosity. That's the proof that this is a good product, particularly when combined with Counter Hack, this book's paper companion. One problem: users of the Opera browser are out of luck, at least under Windows. In order to get this product to work at all, you have to make Microsoft Internet Explorer your default Web browser. It's a hassle, but one you can easily reverse. This product is fantastic for the security novice who likes to learn by watching lectures and doing lab work. --David Wall Topics covered: How to gain access to computers across a network. This audio-visual presentation shows you how to find machines (using Sam Spade and social strategies), scan them for vulnerabilities (using THC-Scan and Cheops-ng), steal passwords (using Sniffit and Netcat), and secretly deploy a set of software (a "rootkit") to exploit newfound access without blowing your cover. Coverage includes Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Red Hat Linux 7.
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