| name | network-101 |
| description | ALWAYS use this when the request matches Network 101: Configure and test common network services (HTTP, HTTPS, SNMP, SMB) for penetration testing lab environments. |
Network 101
Selective Reading Rule
Start with:
references/senior-master-standard.mdreferences/usage-routing.mdreferences/quality-checklist.md
Then load only the inherited docs, scripts, assets, or examples that match the user's actual task.
Purpose
Configure and test common network services (HTTP, HTTPS, SNMP, SMB) for penetration testing lab environments. Enable hands-on practice with service enumeration, log analysis, and security testing against properly configured target systems.
Inputs/Prerequisites
- Windows Server or Linux system for hosting services
- Kali Linux or similar for testing
- Administrative access to target system
- Basic networking knowledge (IP addressing, ports)
- Firewall access for port configuration
Outputs/Deliverables
- Configured HTTP/HTTPS web server
- SNMP service with accessible communities
- SMB file shares with various permission levels
- Captured logs for analysis
- Documented enumeration results
Core Workflow
1. Configure HTTP Server (Port 80)
Set up a basic HTTP web server for testing:
Windows IIS Setup:
- Open IIS Manager (Internet Information Services)
- Right-click Sites → Add Website
- Configure site name and physical path
- Bind to IP address and port 80
Linux Apache Setup:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install apache2
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2
echo "<html><body><h1>Test Page</h1></body></html>" | sudo tee /var/www/html/index.html
curl http://localhost
Configure Firewall for HTTP:
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "HTTP" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 80 -Action Allow
2. Configure HTTPS Server (Port 443)
Set up secure HTTPS with SSL/TLS:
Generate Self-Signed Certificate:
sudo openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -newkey rsa:2048 \
-keyout /etc/ssl/private/apache-selfsigned.key \
-out /etc/ssl/certs/apache-selfsigned.crt
sudo a2enmod ssl
sudo systemctl restart apache2
Configure Apache for HTTPS:
sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/default-ssl.conf
sudo a2ensite default-ssl
sudo systemctl reload apache2
Verify HTTPS Setup:
nmap -p 443 192.168.1.1
openssl s_client -connect 192.168.1.1:443
curl -kv https://192.168.1.1
3. Configure SNMP Service (Port 161)
Set up SNMP for enumeration practice:
Linux SNMP Setup:
sudo apt install snmpd snmp
sudo nano /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf
sudo systemctl restart snmpd
Windows SNMP Setup:
- Open Server Manager → Add Features
- Select SNMP Service
- Configure community strings in Services → SNMP Service → Properties
SNMP Enumeration Commands:
snmpwalk -c public -v1 192.168.1.1
snmpwalk -c public -v1 192.168.1.1 1.3.6.1.2.1.1
snmpwalk -c public -v1 192.168.1.1 1.3.6.1.2.1.25.4.2.1.2
snmp-check 192.168.1.1 -c public
onesixtyone -c /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/SNMP/common-snmp-community-strings.txt 192.168.1.1
4. Configure SMB Service (Port 445)
Set up SMB file shares for enumeration:
Windows SMB Share:
- Create folder to share
- Right-click → Properties → Sharing → Advanced Sharing
- Enable sharing and set permissions
- Configure NTFS permissions
Linux Samba Setup:
sudo apt install samba
sudo mkdir -p /srv/samba/share
sudo chmod 777 /srv/samba/share
sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf
sudo systemctl restart smbd
SMB Enumeration Commands:
smbclient -L //192.168.1.1 -N
smbclient //192.168.1.1/share -N
smbmap -H 192.168.1.1
enum4linux -a 192.168.1.1
nmap --script smb-vuln* 192.168.1.1
5. Analyze Service Logs
Review logs for security analysis:
HTTP/HTTPS Logs:
sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/access.log
sudo tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log
Parse Log for Credentials:
grep "POST" /var/log/apache2/access.log
awk '{print $12}' /var/log/apache2/access.log | sort | uniq -c
Quick Reference
Essential Ports
| Service | Port | Protocol |
|---|
| HTTP | 80 | TCP |
| HTTPS | 443 | TCP |
| SNMP | 161 | UDP |
| SMB | 445 | TCP |
| NetBIOS | 137-139 | TCP/UDP |
Service Verification Commands
curl -I http://target
curl -kI https://target
snmpwalk -c public -v1 target
smbclient -L //target -N
Common Enumeration Tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|
| nmap | Port scanning and scripts |
| nikto | Web vulnerability scanning |
| snmpwalk | SNMP enumeration |
| enum4linux | SMB/NetBIOS enumeration |
| smbclient | SMB connection |
| gobuster | Directory brute forcing |
Constraints
- Self-signed certificates trigger browser warnings
- SNMP v1/v2c communities transmit in cleartext
- Anonymous SMB access is often disabled by default
- Firewall rules must allow inbound connections
- Lab environments should be isolated from production
Examples
Example 1: Complete HTTP Lab Setup
sudo apt install apache2
sudo systemctl start apache2
cat << 'EOF' | sudo tee /var/www/html/login.html
<html>
<body>
<form method="POST" action="login.php">
Username: <input type="text" name="user"><br>
Password: <input type="password" name="pass"><br>
<input type="submit" value="Login">
</form>
</body>
</html>
EOF
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
Example 2: SNMP Testing Setup
sudo apt install snmpd
echo "rocommunity public" | sudo tee -a /etc/snmp/snmpd.conf
sudo systemctl restart snmpd
snmpwalk -c public -v1 localhost
Example 3: SMB Anonymous Access
sudo apt install samba
sudo mkdir /srv/samba/anonymous
sudo chmod 777 /srv/samba/anonymous
smbclient //localhost/anonymous -N
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|
| Port not accessible | Check firewall rules (ufw, iptables, Windows Firewall) |
| Service not starting | Check logs with journalctl -u service-name |
| SNMP timeout | Verify UDP 161 is open, check community string |
| SMB access denied | Verify share permissions and user credentials |
| HTTPS certificate error | Accept self-signed cert or add to trusted store |
| Cannot connect remotely | Bind service to 0.0.0.0 instead of localhost |
When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
