Security Tools That Cost Nothing but Save Everything
Some build walls.
We build fire.
You don’t need a corporate budget to defend your digital perimeter – just the will to deploy the right code.
Here’s the DeadSwitch-curated arsenal of open source security tools. No fees. No spyware. No compromise.
pfSense – The Gatekeeper (Firewall)
Block, filter, and shape your traffic at the edge. Enterprise-grade packet filtering with fine-tuned rules and traffic monitoring.
Deploy: Bare metal or virtual. Ideal for home labs and orgs alike.
KeePassXC – The Vault (Password Manager)
Local-first, encrypted, air-gapped if you choose. No cloud. No leaks.
Bonus: Integrates cleanly with browser extensions and YubiKeys.
Snort / Suricata – The Watchers (Intrusion Detection)
Signature-based and anomaly-based network intrusion detection. Real-time alerts, deep packet inspection, and forensic-grade logging.
Use Snort for classic setups. Use Suricata if you want multithreading and faster performance.
WireGuard / OpenVPN – The Tunnels (VPN)
WireGuard: lightweight, modern cryptography, fast.
OpenVPN: battle-tested, flexible, wide device support.
Either way, you encrypt your path through the storm.
ClamAV – The Scanner (Antivirus)
FOSS antivirus for mail servers, desktops, and command-line scanning. Works well as a layer in defense-in-depth, not a silver bullet.
Fail2Ban – The Bouncer (Brute-Force Defense)
Monitors logs, identifies brute-force attacks, and bans offenders automatically. Perfect for SSH, web apps, and anything with login surfaces.
Nmap – The Recon Tool (Network Mapper)
Scan your own network before someone else does. Map devices, open ports, and services.
Because knowing is half the defense.
Pi-hole – The Filter (DNS Sinkhole)
Network-wide ad and tracker blocking at the DNS level. Reduces attack surface, increases speed, and starves surveillance capitalism.
DeadSwitch Speaks:
You don’t just defend. You deploy. You don’t wait for peace. You forge it.
Open source is resistance. Use it or be used.
DeadSwitch | The Cyber Ghost
“In silence, we rise. In the switch, we fade.”
Tom's IT Cafe 