12 Useful Pieces of Open-Source Cybersecurity Code We Found on GitHub

Small IT security teams face unique challenges when it comes to combating cybercrime. They often have limited resources, budgets, and staff knowledge compared to larger organizations.

These smaller cybersecurity teams can use open-source code to combat cybercrime, but they must take steps to protect themselves from supply chain attacks. By using trusted sources, monitoring for vulnerabilities, conducting code reviews, staying up-to-date, limiting access, implementing strong authentication and authorization controls, using sandboxing and containerization, and conducting regular penetration testing, it’s possible to mitigate the risk of supply chain attacks and improve their overall security posture.

However, despite the risk of supply chain attacks, open-source code can be a powerful tool for small IT security teams in their fight against cybercrime. Here are some reasons why:

• Cost-effective: One of the primary advantages of open-source code is that it is free to use and modify. Small IT security teams may not have the budget to purchase expensive commercial software solutions, but open-source code provides a cost-effective alternative.
• Community support: Open-source code is developed and maintained by a community of developers and users. Small IT security teams can tap into this community for support, advice, and assistance in troubleshooting issues.
• Flexibility: Open-source code is highly flexible and customizable. Small IT security teams can modify the code to suit their specific needs and requirements and can integrate it with other software and tools in their environment.
• Transparency: Open-source code is transparent, meaning that the code is open for anyone to view and audit. This provides an additional layer of security, as small IT security teams can ensure that the code is free from vulnerabilities or backdoors.
• Rapid development: Open-source code is developed collaboratively by a community of developers, which means that new features and updates are released quickly. This is particularly important in the fast-moving world of cybersecurity, where threats are constantly evolving.
• Access to cutting-edge technologies: Open-source code often incorporates cutting-edge technologies and techniques, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. Small IT security teams can leverage these technologies to enhance their security posture and stay ahead of the latest threats.
• Integration with other tools: Open-source code is designed to be interoperable with other tools and technologies.

Cybersecurity professionals have the tough job of keeping systems and networks secure from malicious attacks. One way they do this is by using open-source code that has been tested and proven to be effective. GitHub is an excellent source for these codes, and in this post, we will discuss the top 12 most useful open-source codes for cybersecurity professionals.

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA is a security technique that requires users to provide two or more forms of authentication before accessing a system or network. The Google Authenticator Libpam is an open-source code that provides an easy-to-use MFA solution for Linux systems. The code is easy to install, configure, and can be integrated with popular Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, and CentOS.
2. OSQuery: Another open-source code, this allows security professionals to query, monitor, and analyze their systems and networks in real-time. The code provides a SQL-like interface that allows users to gather and analyze data from multiple sources, including files, processes, network sockets, and system logs. OSQuery is cross-platform and can be used on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
3. The Metasploit Framework: The Metasploit Framework is an open-source code that is used to test the security of systems and networks. The code includes a range of tools, such as exploit modules, payloads, and auxiliary modules, that can be used to identify vulnerabilities and test the effectiveness of security controls. The Metasploit Framework is widely used by penetration testers and security professionals.
4. Nmap: This is a powerful open-source code used to scan and map networks. The code can be used to identify hosts, services, and operating systems on a network, and can also be used to detect open ports, vulnerabilities, and potential attack vectors. Nmap is widely used by security professionals to perform reconnaissance and vulnerability assessments.
5. Snort: Snort is an open-source intrusion detection system (IDS) that is used to monitor networks for suspicious activity. The code includes a range of rules and plugins that can be used to detect and alert on potential attacks, such as malware, network scans, and brute-force attacks. Snort is widely used in enterprise networks to detect and respond to security incidents.
6. OpenVAS: A well-respected vulnerability scanner that is used to identify and assess potential security risks in systems and networks. The code includes a range of plugins that can be used to scan for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and other security issues. OpenVAS is widely used in enterprise networks to identify and prioritize vulnerabilities for remediation.
7. ModSecurity: Looking for a web application firewall (WAF) to protect web applications from attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and file inclusion attacks? The code includes a range of rules and plugins that can be used to detect and prevent attacks on web applications. ModSecurity is widely used in enterprise environments to protect critical web applications.
8. Wireshark: Wireshark is an open-source packet analyzer that is used to capture and analyze network traffic. The code can be used to identify network problems, analyze network performance, and detect potential security issues. Wireshark is widely used by security professionals to analyze network traffic and investigate security incidents.
9. OpenVPN: OpenVPN is a virtual private network (VPN) solution that is used to secure communications between remote systems and networks. The open-source code provides a secure tunneling mechanism that can be used to encrypt traffic and protect against eavesdropping and other attacks. OpenVPN is heavily used by security professionals to secure remote access and inter-network communications.
10. Wazuh: I still don’t know how to pronounce this one… Wazuh is an open-source security monitoring platform that is used to detect and respond to security incidents in real-time. The code includes a range of agents and modules that can be used to monitor systems and networks for suspicious activity, and can also be used to perform log analysis, vulnerability scanning, and threat intelligence. Wazuh is widely used in enterprise environments to improve security visibility and incident response.
11. Suricata: An intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS), Suricata is used to monitor networks for suspicious activity. The code includes a range of rules and plugins that can be used to detect and alert on potential attacks, and can also be used to block malicious traffic. Suricata is widely used in enterprise environments to detect and respond to security incidents.
12. Yara: And lastly, yet another open-source security code that sounds like a background character from Star Wars, Yara is used to identify and classify malware based on patterns and rules. The code provides a flexible and extensible mechanism for detecting and analyzing malware and can be used to create custom rules and signatures for specific threats. Yara is used by security teams and researchers to analyze and classify malware.

These are just 12 open-source codes out there that are invaluable tools for cybersecurity professionals to monitor, analyze, and secure systems and networks. Whether it’s protecting web applications from attacks, monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity, or identifying and assessing potential vulnerabilities, these codes can help smaller security teams stay ahead of the ever-evolving threat landscape. By leveraging open-source codes such as these, security professionals can build more robust and effective security defenses, and ultimately better protect their organizations from cyber attacks, but please remember to consider the possibility of supply chain attacks and take action to mitigate them if you decide to take advantage of the open-source solutions out there.