TABLE OF CONTENTS Some of the more advanced functions that Nessus' include files provide allow a user to write more than just banner comparison or service detection tests; they also allow users to very easily utilize Windows' internal functions to determine whether a certain Windows service pack or hotfix has been installed on a remote machine, or even whether a certain UNIX patch has been installed.
This chapter covers Nessus' include files implementation of the SMB (Server Message Block) protocol, followed by Nessus' include files implementation of Windows-related hotfix and service pack verification. This chapter also addresses how a similar kind of hotfix and service pack verification can be done for different UNIX flavors by utilizing the relevant include files.
Nessus can connect to a remote Windows machine by utilizing Microsoft's SMB protocol. Once SMB connectivity has been established, many types of functionality can be implemented, including the ability to query the remote host's service list, connect to file shares and open files that reside under it, access the remote host's registry, and determine user and group lists.
SMB (Server Message Block), aka CIFS (Common Internet File System), is an intricate protocol used for sharing files, printers, and general-purpose communications via pipes. Contrary to popular belief, Microsoft did not create SMB; rather, in 1985 IBM published the earliest paper describing the SMB protocol. Back then, the SMB protocol was referred to as the IBM PC Network...
