Contents
- 1 1. Kali Linux
- 2 2. Wireshark
- 3 3. Nmap
- 4 4. Burp Suite
- 5 5. Metasploit Framework
- 6 6. Hack The Box
- 7 7. Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)
- 8 8. SQLMap
- 9 9. CyberChef
- 10 10. OpenVAS
- 11 11. Snort
- 12 12. pfSense
- 13 13. Aircrack-ng
- 14 14. Ghidra
- 15 15. REMnux
- 16 16. OSSEC
- 17 17. Nikto
- 18 18. Gophish
- 19 19. Have I Been Pwned
- 20 20. DeHashed
1. Kali Linux
What it is: A Debian-based Linux distribution built for digital forensics and penetration testing.
Why it’s used: Packed with hundreds of security tools out-of-the-box, it’s the go-to OS for ethical hackers.
Where to get it: https://www.kali.org
How to install: Download the ISO and install it on bare metal, virtual machines (e.g., VirtualBox), or boot it live from USB.
2. Wireshark
What it is: A powerful packet analyser for network troubleshooting and analysis.
Why it’s used: Lets you capture and inspect data from your network in real-time, helping detect suspicious activity.
Where to get it: https://www.wireshark.org
How to install: Download the installer for Windows/macOS or use apt install wireshark on Linux.
3. Nmap
What it is: A network scanning tool for discovering hosts and services.
Why it’s used: Commonly used in reconnaissance to find open ports and identify services during a pentest.
Where to get it: https://nmap.org
How to install: Use a package manager (apt, brew, or download the executable).
4. Burp Suite
What it is: An integrated platform for testing web application security.
Why it’s used: Intercepts traffic, scans for vulnerabilities, and helps exploit common web flaws.
Where to get it: https://portswigger.net/burp
How to install: Free Community Edition available. Download and run the JAR or native installer.
5. Metasploit Framework
What it is: A framework for developing and executing exploit code against targets.
Why it’s used: Ideal for security testing and demonstrating known vulnerabilities.
Where to get it: https://www.metasploit.com
How to install: Use the official installer script or apt install metasploit-framework.
6. Hack The Box
What it is: A cybersecurity training platform offering realistic virtual machines.
Why it’s used: Great for practicing offensive security in a legal environment.
Where to get it: https://www.hackthebox.com
How to install: No install needed—just register and use via web interface.
7. Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)
What it is: An open-source web application security scanner maintained by OWASP.
Why it’s used: Automates the discovery of web application vulnerabilities.
Where to get it: https://www.zaproxy.org
How to install: Download the installer for your OS or use Docker.
8. SQLMap
What it is: A tool that automates the process of detecting and exploiting SQL injection flaws.
Why it’s used: Streamlines a complex task often found in web app penetration tests.
Where to get it: https://sqlmap.org
How to install: Clone from GitHub and run via Python.
9. CyberChef
What it is: A web app for data manipulation and encoding/decoding.
Why it’s used: Great for reversing encodings, hashing, and parsing binary data.
Where to get it: https://gchq.github.io/CyberChef
How to install: Use online or host the single HTML file locally.
10. OpenVAS
What it is: A full-featured vulnerability scanner.
Why it’s used: Detects known vulnerabilities in systems and applications.
Where to get it: https://www.greenbone.net
How to install: Available in Kali Linux; install via Docker or package managers.
11. Snort
What it is: An open-source intrusion detection/prevention system.
Why it’s used: Monitors network traffic and alerts or blocks based on signatures.
Where to get it: https://www.snort.org
How to install: Download from Snort site or use apt install snort.
12. pfSense
What it is: A firewall/router distribution based on FreeBSD.
Why it’s used: Enterprise-grade firewall with advanced routing, VPN, and IDS support.
Where to get it: https://www.pfsense.org
How to install: Download the ISO and install it on a physical machine or VM.
13. Aircrack-ng
What it is: A suite for auditing wireless networks.
Why it’s used: Captures packets and cracks WEP/WPA keys.
Where to get it: https://www.aircrack-ng.org
How to install: Use package manager or compile from source.
14. Ghidra
What it is: A reverse engineering suite developed by the NSA.
Why it’s used: Disassembles binaries for malware analysis and debugging.
Where to get it: https://ghidra-sre.org
How to install: Download the ZIP and run the launch script.
15. REMnux
What it is: A Linux distro for malware analysis.
Why it’s used: Pre-loaded with tools for reverse engineering, static/dynamic analysis.
Where to get it: https://remnux.org
How to install: Install as a standalone system or in a VM.
16. OSSEC
What it is: Host-based intrusion detection and prevention.
Why it’s used: Monitors logs, file integrity, and active responses.
Where to get it: https://www.ossec.net
How to install: Install via packages or from source.
17. Nikto
What it is: A web server vulnerability scanner.
Why it’s used: Checks for outdated software, config issues, and dangerous files.
Where to get it: https://cirt.net/Nikto2
How to install: Download the Perl script and run it.
18. Gophish
What it is: A phishing campaign framework.
Why it’s used: Simulates phishing attacks for security awareness training.
Where to get it: https://getgophish.com
How to install: Download release binary or compile from source.
19. Have I Been Pwned
What it is: A data breach search site.
Why it’s used: Checks if your email/password has appeared in breaches.
Where to get it: https://haveibeenpwned.com
How to install: No install needed—use the web service.
20. DeHashed
What it is: A breach search engine.
Why it’s used: Offers deeper breach info including usernames and IPs.
Where to get it: https://www.dehashed.com
How to install: Web-based service—register for an account to use.