Your cybersecurity toolkit contains various types of tools designed for different purposes. These can be broadly categorized as follows:
- Host security tools—These tools are used to secure individual computer systems. For example, software for for detecting and removing malicious software those tools for monitoring processes running on a desktop system.
- Monitoring and analysis tools—These tools help in observing and understanding system and network behavior. Examples include SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems used for collecting and analyzing logs and security and also network monitoring tool.
- Scanning and testing tools—This category encompasses tools used to identify vulnerabilities and assess security posture. Examples include network scanning and host discovery, web application scanners, and general vulnerability scanners.
- Network security tools—These tools are focused on securing network infrastructure and traffic; examples include intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and web application firewall (WAF) systems.
- Web application security tools—While some overlap with scanning and network security, these tools are specifically designed for web application security testing and analysis. Examples include web application scanners and interception proxies which allow for the inspection and manipulation of web traffic.
- Forensics tools—These tools are used for investigating security incidents and analyzing digital evidence. Examples include forensic suites, hashing tools, password cracking tools,, and imaging utilities.
Additionally, your toolkit includes general-purpose command-line/IP utilities such as netstat, ping, traceroute/tracert, ipconfig/ifconfig, and nslookup/dig for network diagnostics and information gathering, as well as tools like for cryptographic operations.