Learn to harness the power and versatility of Netcat, and understand why it remains an integral part of IT and Security Toolkits to this day Overview Learn something new in an Instant! A short, fast, focused guide delivering immediate results. Downloading, compiling, and installing Netcat on Windows and Linux platforms. Establish a raw network connection so you can understand how Netcat processes information using a simplistic chat interface. Establish and maintain a remote shell / back door on various operating systems. In Detail As a featured networking utility, Netcat uses TCP/IP protocols to read and write data across network connections. Netcat is a feature rich backend network debugging and exploration tool with the ability to create almost any type of connection you would need. 'Instant Netcat Starter Guide' is a practical, hands-on guide that provides you with a simple and straightforward roadmap to proceed from newbie to seasoned professional with the Netcat utility. By progressing from simple to more complex uses, this book will inform and explain many of the primary use cases that are only limited by your imagination. This book explores the classic Netcat utility, and breaks down the common ways in which it can be utilized in the field. Beginning with compilation and installation, this book quickly has you utilizing the core features of the utility to perform file transfers regardless of commonly blocked firewall ports, perform real-world interrogation of services and listening ports to discover the true intention of an application or service, and tunnelling remotely into systems to produce remote command shells. What you will learn from this book Locate the various distributions of Netcat, including the original 'Hobbit' version, GNU Netcat, and Ncat. Install the utility on Windows and Linux distributions. Understand the differences between the listening mode and the client mode and when you should use one over the other. Establish a simplistic chat interface between two computers. Use Netcat to establish a remote shell on Windows systems. How to Portscan with Netcat. Learn about file transfers within Netcat. Perform banner grabbing of services. Approach Get to grips with a new technology, understand what it is and what it can do for you, and then get to work with the most important features and tasks. Who this book is written for This book is for IT professionals who have no previous experience with Netcat but need to understand it quickly and easily.