Listen to this Post
Penetration testing, or pentesting, is a critical practice in cybersecurity aimed at identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications. This article delves into the essential tools and techniques used in pentesting, providing a roadmap for both beginners and seasoned professionals.
You Should Know:
1. Nmap (Network Mapper)
Nmap is a powerful network scanning tool used to discover hosts and services on a computer network.
Command:
nmap -sP 192.168.1.0/24
This command performs a ping scan to identify live hosts on the network.
2. Metasploit Framework
Metasploit is a penetration testing platform that enables you to find, exploit, and validate vulnerabilities.
Command:
msfconsole use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue set RHOSTS 192.168.1.10 exploit
This command exploits the EternalBlue vulnerability on a target Windows machine.
3. Wireshark
Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer that lets you capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network.
Command:
wireshark
Launch Wireshark to start capturing and analyzing network traffic.
4. Burp Suite
Burp Suite is a popular tool for web application security testing. It includes a proxy server, scanner, and intruder tool for automated attacks.
Command:
java -jar burpsuite.jar
This command launches Burp Suite for web application testing.
5. John the Ripper
John the Ripper is a fast password cracker, currently available for many flavors of Unix, Windows, DOS, and OpenVMS.
Command:
john --wordlist=password.lst --rules hashfile.txt
This command uses a wordlist to crack passwords in the hashfile.txt.
6. Hydra
Hydra is a parallelized login cracker which supports numerous protocols to attack.
Command:
hydra -l admin -P pass.txt ssh://192.168.1.10
This command attempts to brute-force an SSH login.
7. SQLmap
SQLmap is an open-source penetration testing tool that automates the process of detecting and exploiting SQL injection flaws.
Command:
sqlmap -u "http://example.com/page?id=1" --dbs
This command lists available databases on the target website.
8. Aircrack-ng
Aircrack-ng is a suite of tools for assessing Wi-Fi network security.
Command:
aircrack-ng -w password.lst -b 00:11:22:33:44:55 capture.cap
This command attempts to crack a WEP/WPA key using a wordlist.
9. Nikto
Nikto is a web server scanner which performs comprehensive tests against web servers for multiple items.
Command:
nikto -h http://example.com
This command scans a web server for vulnerabilities.
10. OpenVAS
OpenVAS is a full-featured vulnerability scanner that includes a large number of network vulnerability tests.
Command:
openvas-start
This command starts the OpenVAS vulnerability scanner.
What Undercode Say:
Penetration testing is an indispensable part of securing any IT infrastructure. The tools and commands listed above are just the tip of the iceberg. Mastery of these tools, combined with a deep understanding of networking and system vulnerabilities, can significantly enhance your cybersecurity posture. Always remember to use these tools ethically and within the bounds of the law. Continuous learning and practice are key to staying ahead in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity.
For further reading and advanced techniques, consider exploring the following resources:
– OWASP Penetration Testing Guide
– Kali Linux Documentation
– Metasploit Unleashed
References:
Reported By: Priombiswas Ict – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
