Pluf Simple Hostname Scanner

While reading the second edition of Hacking Linux Exposed, I learned of a simple yet useful tool called Pluf Simple Hostname Scanner, or plushs. I downloaded version 1.2 and installed it without problems on FreeBSD 5.0 REL. You can use plushs to rapidly find PTR records for specified IP ranges. This example returns all PTR records from IPs in the 195.5.3.0/24 block.

hawke# plushs 195.5.3.0-255



[a] 195-0

 [b] 5-0

  [c] 3-0

      195.5.3.1    ==> dns1.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.5    ==> dev.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.7    ==> kep.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.9    ==> cit.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.10   ==> oplot.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.13   ==> mailer.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.65   ==> router.ylt.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.66   ==> ns.ylt.sf.ukrtel.net

      195.5.3.67   ==> name67.ylt.sf.ukrtel.net

   ...edited for brevity...

      195.5.3.187  ==> westcrimea.net

      195.5.3.190  ==> evpatoria.com.ua

      195.5.3.201  ==> kmk.oaokmk.com



========| Network Statistics |====================



Ip range to scan      195.5.3.0-255



  Successfull:   [ 34.0%]

Unsuccessfull:   [ 66.0%]

     Timeouts:   [  0.0%]



=-----------------------------------------------=



  Total ips to check:     256

  Successfull checks:      87

Unsuccessfull checks:     169

            Timeouts:       0

       Aliases found:       0

 Successfull searchs:       0



=-----------------------------------------------=



     String format:

    Timeout set to:  9 seconds

Wait second set to:  0 seconds

I was also introduced to dnstrace and dnstracesort, part of the djbdns package.