If you are in a small business or a larger enterprise you know you need to keep track of all those machines. Sure you could easily tag and record them as they go from the box to the desk, but that doesn. Having a tool that can quickly, and regularly, take snapshots of your network landscape is critical to keeping tabs on your PCs. Of course you can shell out some budget dollars for a proprietary tool, but why bother when you can fire up a Linux machine and use the trusty Nmap tool for the job. Nmap is a command line tool that rapidly scans a network gathering information about machines and ports. It is easy to use and flexible, making it perfect for the job of asset scanning. In this tutorial you will see how to set up a system that will regularly scan your network and create a report that can then be used to keep inventory of your networked machines. The link for this article located at gHacks is no longer available. . Having a reliable solution for promptly and consistently recording images of your system is crucial for overseeing your computers.. Nmap Security, Linux Network Audit, Asset Management, System Monitoring. . LinuxSecurity.com Team
Federal agencies have made only small improvements in securing government networks and IT systems from hackers and terrorists. A House panel on Tuesday issued a scorecard, giving the federal government an overall grade of D.. . .. Federal agencies have made only small improvements in securing government networks and IT systems from hackers and terrorists. A House panel on Tuesday issued a scorecard, giving the federal government an overall grade of D. Last year, the panel issued an overall grade of F. "It's nothing to be proud," said Rep. Adam Putnam, the Florida Republican who chairs a House subcommittee that oversees government IT, at a briefing announcing the scorecard. Putnam griped that 19 of 24 agencies reviewed failed to complete an inventory of their mission-critical systems. "An agency can't ensure its systems are secure if it can't account for all of its mission-critical systems," he said. "Everything starts with the inventory, and this aspect must improve--and improve quickly." Last year, 13 agencies received F's; this year eight agencies received the failing grade, including the Department of Homeland Security, which was ranked for the first time because it's a new agency. Putnam says that score is understandable since, as a new agency, it's been concentrating on getting the department up and running. Among the other departments receiving F's: Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, and State. Two agencies saw their grades fall: NASA to D- from D+ and Health and Human Services to F from D-. The link for this article located at SecurityPipeline.com is no longer available. . Government institutions face challenges in fortifying their digital infrastructures, earning a D rating due to insufficient advancements that remain necessary.. Federal Agencies Security, IT Improvement, Network Defense. . Anthony Pell
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