Open source tools for network security. You may think that because your business is small, you are not an attractive target for hackers. But he is wrong.
According to studies, 82% of small business owners believe they are not the target of cyberattacks, But 43% of these cyber attacks in 2019 targeted small and medium-sized businesses. A single attack can cost SMEs up to € 200.000.000, so we are talking about something very serious.
Cyber attacks of all kinds are on the rise, with data breaches increasing by 15% compared to 2018. And the ransomware, attacks that freeze organizations' systems until they pay a ransom have become particularly frequent.
Fortunately, there are many Steps Small and Medium Businesses Can Take to Protect themselves, and these steps don't have to be expensive or complicated. We explain them below.
Open source tools for network security: Firewall
Below we explain in detail the firewall and tools available, both free and paid, that you have at your disposal to prevent cyberattacks and malicious viruses.
Endian Firewall
Endian offers paid security products and a free open source version called Endian Firewall Community.
The company recommends that businesses use its paid products as it contains more items and better security, but the free version may be enough for small businesses. It has been downloaded more than 1,7 million times and can be installed on almost any x86 PC.
In other words, if you have an old computer in your office, you can install Endian and use it as a unified threat management application (UTM).
Endian includes:
- Firewall.
- Email and web filtering.
- Anti-virus.
- A VPN solution for remote access.
- Live network monitoring and reporting.
- Alerts
- Intrusion Prevention System (IPS).
- Quality of service (QoS) characteristics.
- Multi-WAN resources.
If you need a compatible network security solution, Endian's paid products are based on the community edition open source technology, but they add more robust features and access to helpdesk.
The company also offers paying customers the option to purchase a preconfigured device so you don't have to supply the hardware.
Untangle NG Firewall
This next generation firewall it is designed to function as an app store. Users can install only the functionality they need or they can choose to get the full package with all features and whistles.
Some of the apps are available for free, while others require a fee. Free and open source applications include:
- Firewall.
- Intrusion prevention.
- Phishing blocker.
- Lite version of the virus blocker.
- Ad blocker.
- Lite version of application control.
- Lite version of the spam blocker.
- Lite version of the web filter.
- Captive portal.
- A VPN and reports.
The paid version contains:
- The full version of the lite tools.
- An SSL inspector.
- Bandwidth control.
- WAN Balancer.
- WAN failover.
- Web cache.
- IPsec VPN.
- Directory connector.
- Policy and support manager.
As with many other tools presented here, users can install Untangle NG on any computer connected to their network. If this is too difficult for you, you can also buy a prefabricated device connect to your network.
Can function as a router on your network or can install it as a bridge behind your existing routers. Regardless of which option you choose, implementation is fairly easy if you have a moderate amount of technical knowledge, and the company's website includes a wealth of educational and training material to help with the process.
clearOS
If your SMB needs server resources beyond security, ClearOS may be a good option for you. It's a full server operating system which includes functions such as:
- Intrusion detection.
- Content filtering.
- Firewall.
- Bandwidth management.
- Domain controller.
- E-mail server.
- File and Print Server and more.
Has a modular architecture, which means you can install only the features you need without slowing down your system with bloated software.
ClearOS comes in several different versions, where you will find la community edition that is free and open source. To run it, you will need to install the software on an existing PC. The company also offers paid versions for home and business, as well as prefabricated hardware called ClearBOX at a very affordable price.
For all this, ClearOS is ideal for small businesses that do not have a large IT staff.
Koozali SME Server
Like ClearOS, Koozali SME Server combines security functions with other server functions that small businesses often need.
All the characteristics from the server are:
- Exchange of files and impressions.
- Email, firewall.
- Remote access.
- Directory services.
- Web hosting
- Redundant storage and backup.
- Easy to use web interface.
- Add features from your large plugin library.
One of Koozali SME Server's biggest claims of fame is the ease of configuration. The company prides itself that most small and medium-sized businesses can get it up and running in less than twenty minutes.
In addition, it is based on the popular Red Hat and CentOS Linux distributions, both very reliable operating systems. And although the server itself is Linux-based, you can use it to connect networked with desktops and laptops Windows and MacOS, plus Linux-based devices.
This software is completely free and there is no paid version. If your organization wants professional technical assistance, you will need to contact one of the third-party companies listed on the manufacturer's website.
Security Onions (Open source tools for network security)
The best network security tools have multiple layers of protection, and that's exactly what you'll find in Security Onion. This option is less comprehensive than the other application features in this article, but it is a very good tool if you just need network monitoring.
It combines many of the tools of open source security, and these are:
- Intrusion detection.
- Network security monitoring.
- Records management.
This is an easy-to-use and easy-to-configure package for small businesses, although you will need some basic knowledge and security principles to get the most out of it.
For example, it offers two options for a intrusion detection in the RED Rules Driven (NIDS):
- Snort or Meerkat.
Both tools have databases of known malicious traffic and search their networks for matches.
But since not all the malicious traffic, Security Onion has:
- Analysis-based NIDS called Bro.
This tool monitors all activity on your network for anything that looks suspicious.
Also, Security Onion includes:
- Intrusion Detection System Broast in host (HIDS) called OSSEC.
- Call packet capture netsniff-ng.
- Analysis tools, including Squil, Squert and ELSA.
All of these tools together can give administrators a good idea of what is happening on their networks. Training and other professional services are available through the Security Onion Solutions website.
We hope we have helped you find open source tools for network security. If you need the help of a team of information security experts, count on us and the rest of our articles.