There are lots of handy security tools available as ready-to-run virtual machines over at VMware's Web site. If you go to their virtual appliances directory you'll find 37 security-related appliances listed as of June 15, including Network Security Toolkit (NST) 1.4.1 Virtual Machine. The new version of NST was released June 5 and according to the NST Web site, this release includes:
- A enterprise class patch management system for NST WUI updates and system file patches and updates.
- A new nstvmware script to facilitate the use of NST within a VMware virtual machine.
- The inclusion of the VMware Tools and modules to optimize the NST performance within a VMware virtual machine.
- Some nice 'look-and-feel' enhancements to the X and NST WUI interface.
- Many new enhancements to the NST WUI database management pages for both the MySQL and PostgreSQL database servers.
- Replaced the NST WUI network protocol anaylzer capture engine: "tethereal" with the new light-weight "dumpcap" application which is part of the new "ethereal" v0.99.0 protocol analyzer suite.
- Many networking and security applications have been updated to their latest version.
Since NST includes Ethereal I thought I'd also mention here that if you missed our news story about Ethereal this week, then read "Will Ethereal Be Devoured By Wireshark?"