Server Vulnerable To Attack? New Utility Will Help Let You Know

Are you worried about your server being susceptible to broadcast attacks? A new utility is available to allow administraters to test the security of their server, and help guard against future attacks. The utility, called GrouchySmurf, allows admins to simulate and attack to test for security holes. According to the programis creator, Freaks Macintosh Archieve:

INTRODUCING: GROUCHYSMURF 1.0b
This is the public first application to send spoofed broadcast packets. Since a few years ago the ICMP broadcast attack has grown in popularity. In order to sensibilise the admins of the vulnerable broadcast servers who make that attack possible, the smurf and, later, papasmurf codes were released for the unix platform. GrouchySmurf bring this ...... read on: http://freaky.staticusers.net/reviews/grouchysmurf.html

FIX:
GrouchySmurf allows you to test your own servers or servers you have the right to test against ICMP broadcast vulnerabilities. This vulnerability is very easy to fix, it fact it resides in telling your router not to broadcast packets coming from the exterior (the internet in this case), therefore only broadcasting local packets. You can import directly a list of your own servers which might be vulnerable or enter them manually (and save it to test them again, if you wish, when measures are taken.). The best way to know which servers responds would be to use an ICMP logger and attack your own machine. The built-in ping utility allows you to test lag on a remote machine and has various uses, such as making sure you do not blow off the net the machine you are using for monitoring purposes.

You can find more information at the Freaks Macintosh Archieve web site.