7 Best Hacking Tools Everyone Must Know

Ever since you enter the field of Ethical Hacking, you always want to have your hands get on most of the Hacking Tools. More tools you know, more your hacking career is about to fly off. So let’s discuss the best 7 hacking tools.

1.) Nmap

It is a free and open-source tool that is used for network discovery and security auditing.

Nmap is a powerful tool as it can be used to scan huge networks having thousands of machines. It is a command-line tool. Nmap suite also includes an advanced GUI that is called “ZenMap”.

It supports a wide range of operating system which are:

• Linux
• Microsoft Windows
• FreeBSD
• OpenBSD
• Solaris
• IRIX
• Mac OS X

It uses raw IP packets to determine:

• Hosts that are available on a particular network
• Services that are offered by these hosts i.e. Application name along with its versions
• Operating system and its version that is running on the target system
• Type of firewall on the target system
• Scans for the open ports using both TCP and UDP protocols

Nmap download link:

https://nmap.org/download.html

2.) Metasploit

It is basically a Security Assessment and Penetration Testing tool. Metasploit can be used to launch an attack on other systems with it.

It uses a vulnerable system on which security testing can be conducted in order to exploit the flaws in the system.

Metasploit can be implemented as follows:

• Initially, TCP port scanning is done to obtain information about the target system.
• Host lists and services running on them can be viewed and analyzed in the project view.
• Now the vulnerability scan is run on the target system’s data which enlist the flaws within the system.
• This information can be used for planning the attack on the target system.

Metasploit download link:

https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/wiki/Nightly-Installers

3.) Angry IP Scanner

It is one of the fastest IP addresses and port scanner. By using this hacker can easily gather information about open ports in the target system.

It pings each Ip address in the target system to check whether it’s alive. Further, it resolves the hostnames, determines the MAC address.

Features:

• It also extracts the NetBIOS information which includes services related to the session layer in the OSI model which are workgroup names and current active users.
• Scanned results can be saved in CSV, TXT, XML or IP-Port list files.
• It can gather any information about scanned IP’s as it uses plugins.
• If anyone can write plugins, he can efficiently extend the functionality of Angry IP Scanner.

Angry IP Scanner download link:

https://angryip.org/download/#windows

4.) Nikto

It is a webserver assessment tool. Nikto is an open-source platform that performs tests against Web Servers to find various vulnerable files, misconfigurations, outdated servers and programs on that web server.

It relies on HTTP response to determine whether a page or script exists on the target.

Features:

• Provides HTTP proxy support.
• Checks for the outdated server components.
• It can scan multiple ports on the server.
• Guesses credentials for authorization with trying many different ID and Password combinations.
• Reports for the unusual headers.

Nikto download link:

https://github.com/sullo/nikto

5.) John the Ripper

JTR is free and open-source software that is widely used by hackers for password cracking. It uses the various cryptanalysis attacks such as “Dictionary Attack” and “Brute-Force Attack”.

It also comes with the commercial version as well i.e. “John the Ripper Pro.” It is a more user-friendly version providing more functionality in password cracking at the enterprise level.

John the Ripper working:

• Initially get the hashed password that has to be cracked.
• We need to have a wordlist of expected passwords in our system as it makes the password cracking job easier.
• Next, we enter the valid John the Ripper command that will be extracting the password from the hashed password given as an input.

The rate at which the password will be cracked depends completely on the strength of the password and the available wordlist. It keeps trying to crack the password continuously until the termination command is not given.

John the Ripper download link:

https://www.openwall.com/john/

6.) Wireshark:

It is an open-source tool that is used to capture traffic on the network. It is basically a network protocol analyzer tool.

Wireshark helps in:

• Sniffing for the passwords.
• Capturing all the packets over the network.
• Identifying the source and destination IP address of the traffic.
• Next, we enter the valid John the Ripper command that will be extracting the password from the hashed password given as an input.

It also captures HTTP packet transmission over the network. Click on “Follow TCP connection” in the HTTP packet. Now you can see the username and passwords that are captures over the network.

Wireshark download link:

https://www.wireshark.org/#download

7.) Burp Suite:

It is an integrated platform that is used for performing a test on web application security.

It provides a wide range of tools that are used from initial mapping to exploiting the vulnerabilities in the applications. Once the flaws are detected hackers can use it to break into the security of the system. Burp Suite comes in three editions:

1. Community Edition: Can be downloaded free of charge
2. Professional Edition: Best tool for Penetration Testers and Bug Bounty Hunters
3. Enterprise Edition: Used by an organization.

Burp Suite features:

• It can be used to launch attacks on Web Applications. It can test and detect Cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection.
• It operates as a web proxy server which helps in allowing interception, inspection, and modification of network traffic.

Burp Suite download link:

https://portswigger.net/burp