Cybersecurity has become a top priority for every organization lately. The major reason for this is enhanced technological adoption across domains. However, many companies risk their organizational data by not adopting appropriate cybersecurity tactics. The common cause they highlight is the high costs of data protection strategies.
Affordability has been a major barrier between organizations and appropriate cyber protection strategies for them. Data states that more than 50% of small and medium-sized companies do not have a budget to implement cybersecurity tactics. Meanwhile, 47% of regular cyberattacks occur against companies with fewer than 1000 employees.
Therefore, how to protect organization data from unwanted threats? We have brought the top five open-source or free cybersecurity tools that can assist marketers inevitably in strengthening their data protection measures.
Top Free Cybersecurity Tools:
1. Nmap
It is one of the best free cybersecurity tools currently available and is compatible with Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X devices. It offers top-notch network security facilities protecting systems from illegal access. Nmap is chiefly popular as a network scanner application that the American techie named Gordon Lyon initially launched in 1997. However, the tool observed its stable release nine months ago, in May 2023.
Features of Nmap include:
- Host discovery
- OS detection
- Port scanning
- Vulnerability identification
- Ping scanning
- Service identification
2. Aircrack-ng
It is an all-in-one open-source tool to protect Wi-Fi network security. It enables heavy scripting with command lines. Thomas d'Otreppe de Bouvette developed Aircrack-ng in 2006 mainly for Linux users. Nevertheless, the tool is currently compatible with devices with systems such as Windows, macOS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, and eComStation 2.
Aircrack-ng operates in various dimensions of Wi-Fi security, such as:
- Monitoring
- Attacking
- Testing
- Cracking
It offers a software suite including airbase-ng, airplay-ng, airodump-ng, airserv-ng, airtun-ng, besside-ng, easside-ng, and others. These tools provide various security features such as fragmentation attack support, WEP dictionary attack, improved documentation, capturing multiple cards, bug fixing, optimizations, and others.
3. Wireshark
The Wireshark Team launched an open-source security software named Ethereal in 1998 that became Wireshark in 2006. The tool is mostly popular as a network analyzer that can offer real-time network data.
It is one of the top free cybersecurity tools and can be beneficial for network troubleshooting, performance assessment, security analysis, protocol evaluation, etc.
Apart from corporate usage, many educational institutions and government organizations also leverage Wireshark. This software identifies network vulnerabilities and helps diagnose networks for better performance.
Features of Wireshark:
- Filtering abilities
- Packet capture
- Real-time analysis
- Intuitive user interface
4. Kali Linux
It is a superior cybersecurity software suite with nearly 600 tools to protect devices from probable threats. The US-based IT firm Offensive Security developed Kali Linux in March 2013 primarily for network penetration testing and digital forensics. Therefore, it is an operational tool for network weakness analysis. Kali Linux integrates other tools such as Wireshark, Nmap, and Aircrack-ng.
Features of Kali Linux:
- Multilingual abilities
- Compatible with various systems and devices
- High-security auditing
- Easy integration methods
- Enabled forensic mode for network exploration
5. Metasploit
It is a device vulnerability identification and fixing tool that assesses systems apart from networks. Rapid7, a security company associated with the network security expert H. D. Moore and launched Metasploit in 2003. It is one of the best free cybersecurity tools that offers evasion and anti-forensic tools for security purposes. This tool can help break into remote systems for which ethical hackers leverage it highly.
Features of Metasploit:
- Exploits and payloads
- Penetration testing
- Automation
- Exploit development
- Comprehensive testing
- Vulnerability validation
Summing Up on Top Free Cybersecurity Tools:
In the contemporary digital era, there are many free cybersecurity software that have the potential to safeguard organizational information from illegal access and threats. These tools can offer antivirus facilities, data encryption tactics, blocking unauthorized access attempts, network protection, and others. Consider the guide for free cybersecurity tools we have mentioned above while choosing the appropriate software. Check out our blogs to enhance your understanding of different types of cyber-attacks.
You may also like to read:
The Best Cybersecurity Checklist to Protect Your Data
Blockchain Technology: A Game Changer in Solidifying Cybersecurity
