Network vulnerability analysis

The increasing volume of attacks on the Internet has increased the demand for sophisticated tools for vulnerability analysis, intrusion detection, forensic investigations, and possible responses. Current hacker tools and technologies warrant reengineering to address cyber crime and homeland security. The creation of network scanners is necessary to secure the information infrastructure by gathering network topology, intelligence, internal/external vulnerability analysis, and penetration testing. Scanners must be able to function on a variety of networks: Internet (IP), SS7, wireless, and converged networks. Scanners should be extendable and upgradable to facilitate use by a broad spectrum of users and platforms; such flexibility allows users to keep up with current hacker technology. This paper describes one such scanner, referred to as NetGlean.