Chapter 19: TCP/IP Stack Tools

Overview

Testing the TCP/IP stack of your firewall, web server, or router isn’t part of a daily security review or even a weekly audit. However, these tools can help you verify access control lists and patch levels. They also provide a method for analyzing how your servers may respond to Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks or other extreme network conditions. Some of these tools can also be used to create arbitrary TCP, UDP, or even DNS packets. This functionality enables you to create specific, customized tests for scenarios that range from load testing to protocol compatibility testing. If you’ve ever had to program Unix sockets, you’ll find that these tools significantly reduce the time necessary to generate usable programs.