Scenario 1 – learn Samba and other dance forms

Server Message Block (SMB) or Samba is the file-sharing utility of Linux and older Windows systems. The clubs are the big wooden kind. It works by exposing folders to the network for authenticated (or not, as the case may be) users. There are a number of good practices here that are frequently ignored, which makes it a prime target for testers.

Among the plethora of terrible Samba mistakes are:

• Weak passwords

• Enabled guest accounts

• Exposing sensitive folders

• Running out-of-date versions of Samba

• Allowing writeable directories

And if you find all five of these in one setup, you should check to see if the owner of the installation is still breathing, because really?

Setup

Most Linux installations will come with a version of Samba or at least the directory structure installed. However, to be sure, do the dance:

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade

The preceding commands update your repositories with new signatures and then upgrade your software to match those...