Top 10 Cyber Security Tools You Must Know

With cyber-attacks becoming more sophisticated; it’s crucial to stay one step ahead. According to a survey by the World Economic Forum, 81% of leaders feel more exposed or similarly exposed to cybercrime compared to last year. Are you equipped with the right Cyber Security Tools to protect your organisation from these ever-evolving threats?

Cyber Security Tools are vital for identifying vulnerabilities, preventing breaches, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. In this blog, we will explore the top tools that every organisation must know. These tools provide advanced threat detection, robust encryption, and comprehensive security solutions to safeguard your digital assets. Let’s delve into these tools and enhance our defence against cyber threats.

Table of Contents

1) What are Cyber Security Tools?

2) Types of Cyber Security Tools

3) Top 10 Cyber Security Tools

4) Benefits of Cyber Security Tools

5) Conclusion

What are Cyber Security Tools?

Cyber Security Tools help businesses identify, assess, and mitigate IT Security risks. The main objective of such tools is to secure the data, network, and systems. Organisations use these tools to maintain their privacy on the internet and safeguard their systems and data. These warn the users of potential risks within a system or network. In essence, IT Security tools defend the firm's network, intellectual property, and systems from cyberattacks. They also provide protection against cybercrime like identity theft and password trafficking.

Features of Cybersecurity Tools

The role of Cyber Security Tools in modern internet-based business operations is critical. There are several types of IT Security tools that companies can use. In the following points, we present some of the features of these tools. 

1) They enable regular scanning of systems and network

2) Two-Factor Authentication provides an additional layer of security

3) They manage both internal and external threats

4) These tools help in complying with the regulatory requirements

5) Provides detailed security analytics
 

Types of Cyber Security Tools

Tools in Cyber Security are essential for safeguarding digital assets and guaranteeing the integrity of network systems. These tools help organisations detect, prevent, and respond to various cyber threats. They range from antivirus software to advanced penetration testing frameworks, each serving a unique purpose in the Cyber Security landscape. Let’s explore some key types of Cyber Security Tools:

1) Network Security Monitoring Tools

Network monitoring software enables administrators to ensure optimal network performance and proactively identify potential issues. It offers a comprehensive view of all connected devices.

They enable System Administrators to track data flow and swiftly address any issues that could compromise network performance or cause outages.

2) Web Vulnerability Scanning Tools

Vulnerability scanners are essential tools that help organisations identify potential Cyber Security threats by detecting vulnerabilities within their IT infrastructure. Organisations frequently employ multiple vulnerability scanners to obtain a comprehensive threat assessment.

3) Network Defence Wireless Tools

Wireless network defence tools can greatly enhance security by safeguarding data while preserving the network’s usability and integrity. Network access is managed through a combination of hardware and software technologies.

4) Encryption Tools

Encryption secures data by converting text into an unreadable format for unauthorised users. Examples of encryption tools include Tor, KeePass, VeraCrypt, NordLocker, AxCrypt, and TrueCrypt.

5) Firewalls 

Being network security systems, Firewalls monitor and control the flow of incoming and outgoing data. 

They assess data traffic at their boundaries and use predefined rules to determine which data is allowed to pass through.

6) Packet Sniffers

A packet sniffer, also known as a packet analyser, protocol analyser, or network analyser, is used to intercept, log, and analyse network traffic and data. Examples of such tools include Wireshark, Tcpdump, and Windump.

7) Antivirus Software

Antivirus software utilises known attack profiles to scan your system for malicious programs. It identifies and removes unwanted elements, helping you protect against many of the most dangerous cyber threats.

8) Managed Detection and Response Services

Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services are third-party solutions that help organisations monitor, address, and eliminate threats. They provide continuous security monitoring and incident response to ensure robust protection against cyber threats.

9) Penetration Testing

Penetration testing, also known as a pen test or ethical hacking, is a Cyber Security method that simulates a cyberattack on a system. This technique aims to uncover vulnerabilities within the system and assess the probability of a breach. 

Additionally, it helps Cyber Security professionals identify the most robust parts of the system that do not need immediate improvement.

10) Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Services

PKI services facilitate the distribution and identification of public encryption keys, allowing secure communication over the web while verifying the sender’s identity. They also enable the encryption of sensitive data, making sure that the authorised parties can only access it.

Join our Cyber Security Risk Management Course to learn skills in detecting and investigating a Cybercrime.

Top 10 Cyber Security Tools

Cyber Security Tools help to identify vulnerabilities, prevent attacks, and ensure compliance with security standards. Below are the top 10 such tools that every organisation should consider implementing:

1) Kali Linux

Kali Linux stands out as one of the most popular and user-friendly Cyber Security Tools available. It provides over 300 tools that organisations utilise to monitor their network systems for vulnerabilities. A key advantage is its adaptability, catering to experts with varying levels of expertise. Notable features include compatibility across multiple devices and environments, open-source integration, exceptional utility in security auditing with a focus on penetration testing, and continuous enhancements from a vast community of users.

2) TrueCrypt 

It is one of the most popular encryption tools, even though it has not been updated in several years. TrueCrypt was designed and developed for 'on-the-fly' encryption. It possesses the power and capability to encrypt an entire storage device. Further, this tool also allows security professionals to encrypt layered content using two different access control types. Due to this reason, TrueCrypt is still a popular tool for encryption despite no update in years. It is installed in the computer's administrator account; then, any registered user can use this tool.

3) Cain and Abel 

It is a password recovery tool and one of the best in this field. Although it was designed and developed to run on a Microsoft Windows system, but can support methods of password recovery on other systems. It can sniff the local network for passwords shared with other devices using POP3, HTTP/HTTPS, SMTP, and other protocols to recover the passwords. In addition, it can also use different methods, like network packet sniffing and brute force, etc., for password recovery. Further, Cain and Abel  can record VoIP communications and analyse routing protocols to determine the chances of the routed data packets getting compromised. This tool can also recover cached passwords. It uses brute force to crack the encrypted passwords.

4) Malwarebytes 

One of the best Cyber Security Tools for protecting against Ransomware, Malware, Malicious websites, and other online threats are Malwarebytes. It can identify and block the threats that antivirus software cannot. Further, it is a multi-purpose tool that can troubleshoot and repair to resolve problems quickly. It can protect the systems on multiple levels and is a robust and effective solution for managing Cyber Security.

5) Forcepoint 

It is a Cyber Security Tool aimed mainly at cloud users. Forcepoint defines network security as preventing users from accessing unauthorised content and detecting and preventing hacking attempts. The main benefit of utilising this tool is that it combines different technologies into a single platform. This tool allows the IT security team to explore, categorise, supervise, and secure data with minimum user friction. It is the only Cyber Security Tool that can be customised. These customisations help block attempted cyberattacks. This tool warns cloud users about potential Cyber Risks and thus helps to secure their data. Forcepoint provides an extra level of security to sensitive and critical information.

6) Wireshark 

Formerly known as Ethereal, it is a free and open-source Cyber Security Tool. It analyses network traffic in real-time by capturing data packets from a network connection. It is one of the most effective tools for analysing network protocols and is used mainly for identifying and diagnosing network security. Network administrators can use this tool to troubleshoot any problems within the network. Wireshark analyses the network in real-time and evaluates any vulnerabilities. It helps in the easy identification of vulnerabilities in the network's security.

7) Tor 

One of the most impactful network security tools is Tor. It is an open-source privacy network and allows users to browse the web anonymously. It hides the user's IP address and browsing activity by routing the traffic through a network of routers known as nodes. The key users of Tor are those who want to protect their online privacy. Using the Tor browser makes it hard for authorities and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to track user activity and trace their online presence.

8) John the Ripper 

It is considered a vital IT security tool mainly used to test password strength. This tool identifies weak passwords that could become a threat to the security of the network. This tool searches for encrypted login attempts, complex cyphers, and hash-type passwords. It is an effective Cyber Security Tool because it is updated regularly by the community as it is an open-source tool.  

9) Splunk 

Splunk is a real-time analytics-driven tool that collects, evaluates, and corresponds to large amounts of network and machine data. It can function as the main log analysis engine, meaning it performs a thorough analysis of the logs to detect vulnerabilities. With this tool, the Cyber Security Engineers can correspond to the security event and therefore identify the source of the breach. Splunk is a horizontal technology. IT teams use it in managing system information, compliance, security, and business and web analytics.

10) Metasploit Framework

Metasploit is a well-known and widely adopted Cyber Security Tool frequently used by Ethical Hackers to investigate security issues on servers and networks. Cybercriminals can wrongly use the capabilities of this too to detect potential security flaws in a target system. This tool also consists of several scanners for identifying vulnerabilities and threats that can be customised with most operating systems because of its open-source nature. Cyber Security experts and professionals use it to fulfil different security objectives.

Protect your organisation from advanced threats with our Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect SC100 Certification – join us today!

Benefits of Cyber Security Tools

In recent years Cyber Security has become of great importance for companies. It creates robust IT systems for organisations and helps secure the data, preventing cybercrime against them. Cyber Security is imperative for companies now, as it saves significant resources and helps strengthen their position in the market. In light of the fact hackers and cybercriminals are upgrading their methods to execute cyberattacks, a robust Cyber Security system is crucial for companies. Following are some of the benefits of Cyber Security Tools.   

1) IT Security Tools encrypt data, adding another protection layer against cyber-attacks, and preventing significant damage from data leaks to the public or competitors.

2) These tools provide an added level of security, making it difficult for hackers and cybercriminals to breach systems and access data.

3) IT Security Tools help companies comply with laws and regulations like GDPR, avoiding severe penalties and maintaining a positive company image.

4) These tools enhance overall Cyber Security, offering comprehensive digital protection, quick response to threats, and tracking activities to prepare for cyber-attacks.

5) By preventing cyber-attacks and minimising downtime, IT Security Tools help maintain workflows and operations, leading to better performance and goal achievement.

Conclusion

Build a resilient defence against cyber-attacks with our Cyber Security Awareness Training – secure your place now!

In an era of constant digital threats, equipping your organisation with the right Cyber Security Tools is essential. Using these top 10 tools, you can strengthen your defences, safeguard sensitive data, and stay ahead of cybercriminals. Enhance your Cyber Security strategy and ensure that your digital assets remain secure.

Elevate your expertise with the Certified Cyber Security Professional (CCS-PRO) Course – join now and become a Cyber Security Leader!