OpenVAs is open source pen testing software. It scans machines for vulnerabilities and offers suggestions for fixing problems. there are over 12,000 plugins that are included and many more available as updates. Virtually every type of attack can simulated with a little know how, but the default settings can help home users tune their firewalls and seal up common vulnerabilities in a snap.
When I ran this program against my Windows 7 machine with Comodo installed, the firewall lit up with notifications. I was able to block ports that otherwise would be left wide open. It was able to detect VNC service, the lack of SMB, and even an ssh server that I wasn't aware of. It made other suggestions about packet filtering to help shore up my network's security. When run against my Linux box, it was able to determine my kernel version, another ssh server I was unaware of, and determine there were no SMB clients running on my computer.
After doing some research and really getting to know OpenVAS this software will become a goto in my security arsenal. It's relatively easy to setup and use, but it's only for Linux users. Windows users may take advantage of the Backtrack live cd with includes many more pentesting programs. If you are serious about network security, this one's for you ;).
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