$Id: README,v 1.10 2003/10/02 03:44:07 visigoth_6 Exp $

-------------=============< MetaCoretex >=============-------------

1. About
2. Contents
3. Using
4. Building
5. Greets

===================================================================
1. About

what:
MetaCoretex is an entirely JAVA vulnerability scanning framework which
puts special emphasis on databases.  Probe objects are written in JAVA
by means of an easy to extend AbstractProbe class.  Additionally, probe
generators make the process of writting simple probes almost automagic.

who:
visigoth - <visigoth@securitycentric.com>

features:

- JDBC - All JDBC type 4 drivers are accessable, making MetaCoretex a
very strong platform for creating database scanning probes.  Many
probes are capable of determining things like version without having
to be aware of the underlying database type.

- KB - Per target knowlege-base which probes can use to share information.
Most importantly, the KB can not only store string types, but is
fully capable of storing references to Objects.  For example, a 
MySQL database probe which forms a connection to a DB can then put
the successful connection object into the KB for other probes to use
the ACTUAL connection later!

- Probe Options - The API includes the ability for each probe to specify
the configuration options available to users.  This means that probes
which require user input do not require updates to the UI to support that
input.

- Threaded - Of course it is.

- XML Configs - All scan configuration options may be saved in XML scan
configuration files to be loaded again later.  This includes all options
specified and set by probes using the addOption() method.

- XML Reports - Reports are saved into XML formats which have simple to
use, publicly available schema for development of custom report tools.
Reports may, of course, be loaded back into the interface for reading.

- Platform Independance - Write once, debug everywhere...

- 0 Install - MetaCoretex requires no installation or other hastles other
than a modern JVM.  For that reason, it can be run from CD, or easily
loaded on any box with JAVA.

- Probe Generator - For many types of commonly developed probes, a
probe creation wizard is capable of generating custom JAVA source
which users can compile into loadable modules.  MetaCoretex uses
the sun javac classes if available to compile user generated probes.

- XML Updates - A fully automated system manages probes in the CVS
repository and publishes them via SSH to the XML update server
for your updating pleasure.  Any new probes checked into the CVS
tree will be compiled and distributed in a matter of hours.
Additionally, updates to the engine can be received by the same means.

- Probe Submission Wizard - If you craft a probe, and would like to
submit it, just use the wizard to post it via HTTPS for consideration!

why: 
Fundamentally it is a result of the combination of my frustration with 
current assessment tools and lack of balancing forces in my life ;).

===================================================================
2. Contents


conf/		Configuration files for probes (like default account lists)
docs/		Documentation dir (also contains templates)
contrib/	3rd Party software we depend on.
dist/		Dest dir for compiled JAR's etc.
probes/		Secondary (non-core?) probes dir.
schema/		Schema defs for scan configurations and reports
src/		Hmm... what do _you_ think?
build.xml	ANT build file (http://ant.apache.org/)
mctx.bat 	Startup Script for Windoze Boxen (please help!)
mctx.sh 	Startup Script for *NIX Boxen
README		This 
README.windows	Issues with running on Win32
TODO		Badly formatted intended goals


===================================================================
3. Usage

I have no idea if this will work on older JREs at all, so before 
wondering why it doesn't work, make sure you have a  recent 1.4 
series JRE.

*NIX folks _should_ be able to simply execute the mctx.sh script which
is just a wraper to set a bunch of environment variables before calling
the JRE.  Be sure to have the JDK_HOME environment variable set to
your JDK installation if you would like to use the probe compiler.

Windoze folks _should_ be able to execute the mctx.bat file which again
just sets some env vars and starts up the JRE.  This script is currently
_very_ kluge and I would appreciate help from any windoze coders who
would like it to run better ;)  Additionally, the windows network stack
has some strange behaviors which make the built-in port scanner kinda
ickey...

See the docs/ directory for more instruction on how to use the tool.

===================================================================
4. Building

First of all, if you are just planning on USING MetaCoretex, you
don't need to do this at all, skip to the docs directory for usage
instructions.

Start by installing a working copy of the following:

Java SDK 1.4.x - http://java.sun.com/j2se/downloads.html
Apache ANT - http://ant.apache.org/

Once those are all installed and working, to re-build any modified
probes from the probes/ dir you should be able to just:

visigoth$ ant probes

and they will be built and used the next time you fire it up.

To build without regenerating all the JAXB XML code (just keeping
what's there:

ant dist probes

To clean and build everything from scratch (not for the feignt of
heart) the following sequence of ant run targets will get you where
you need to go:

ant clean jaxb dist probes 

===================================================================
5. Greets

Siitaa - The love of my life
DrFed - Uber Ge3X0r
Phatix - Must.. Ping.. Pong.. 
Sovran Crew - recondo,grynja,disco-stu.. 
Digital Revelation - ALL YOUR BOX ARE BELONG TO US
el8 - love from the enemy

5.1 - Phux0rz

SCO - wtf are you thinking?!?!

===================================================================
eot
