Hacking tools are software programmes that are used to detect and exploit flaws in computer systems, web applications, servers, and networks. When compared to times when hacking tools were not available, hacking tools have made the job of hackers much easier.
However, just because a hacker has good hacking tools does not guarantee that his job will go easily. All components of hacking are still required of the hacker in equal measure. Only a few security experts practised ethical hacking and penetration testing in previous decades.
Almost anyone can now report a security breach. Ethical hacking and online security need a significant amount of effort. To test and keep the programme secure, many hacking tools are utilised. Hackers can use the same hacking tools for exploitation as well.
Top 15 Best Hacking Tools For Ethical Hackers
1. Nmap
Network Mapper is the abbreviation for Network Mapper. This open-source hacking tool is frequently used for network discovery and security auditing. Nmap was created to scan big networks, but it may also be used to scan single hosts. It’s also useful for network inventory, controlling service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime, according to network managers.
Features:
- what hosts are available on the network,
- what services those hosts are offering,
- what operating systems they are running on,
- what type of firewalls are in use and other such characteristics.
- Nmap runs on all major computer operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
2. Netsparker
Netsparker Hacking Tool is a simple online application security scanner that can detect SQL Injection, XSS, and other vulnerabilities in your web applications and web services automatically. On-premises and SAAS versions of the Hacking Tool are both available.
Features:
- Dead accurate vulnerability detection with the unique Proof-Based Scanning Technology.
- The minimal configuration required. The scanner automatically detects URL rewrite rules, custom 404 error pages.
- REST API for seamless integration with the SDLC, bug tracking systems.
- Fully scalable solution. Scan 1,000 web applications in just 24 hours.
3. Metasploit
One of the most powerful hacking tools is Metasploit. The Metasploit Hacking Tool is an open-source cyber-security project that enables information security professionals to employ a variety of penetration testing techniques to find remote software vulnerabilities. It is available in two versions: commercial and free. Metasploit Hacking Tool can be run from a command prompt or through a web interface.
Features:
- Conduct basic penetration tests on small networks
- Run spot checks on the exploitability of vulnerabilities
- Discover the network or import scan data
- Browse exploit modules and run individual exploits on hosts
4. Aircrack-Ng
Aircrack-ng offers a variety of hacking tools for assessing the security of Wi-Fi networks. All of these are command-line utilities. For the sake of Wi-Fi security.
Monitoring, attacking, testing, and cracking are all aspects of the Hacking Tool.
Linux, Windows, OS X, Free BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, and eComStation 2 are all supported.
Features:
- Aircrack-ng can focus on Replay attacks, de-authentication, fake access points, and others.
- It supports exporting data to text files.
- It can check Wi-Fi cards and driver capabilities.
- It can crack WEP keys and for that, it makes use of FMS attack, PTW attack, and dictionary attacks.
- It can crack WPA2-PSK and for that, it makes use of dictionary attacks.
5. Cain & Abel Hacking Tools
Cain & Abel is a Microsoft Operating System password recovery hacking tool. This hacking programme can recover numerous types of passwords using tactics such as brute-forcing password hashes, dictionary assaults, cryptanalysis attacks, and network packet sniffing. Cain & Abel is a valuable hacking tool for security consultants, penetration testers, and anyone else who intends to use it ethically.
Features:
- sniffing the network,
- racking encrypted passwords using Dictionary, Brute-Force and Cryptanalysis attacks,
- recording VoIP conversations,
- decoding scrambled passwords,
- recovering wireless network keys,
- revealing password boxes,
- uncovering cached passwords and analyzing routing protocols.
6. Nikto
Nikto is a well-known hacking tool that comes with the Kali Linux distribution. Nikto is already available in the software repositories of other popular Linux distributions, such as Fedora. This security tool is used to scan web servers and run various tests against a specified remote host. The Hacking Tool is a clean and straightforward command-line interface that makes vulnerability testing against your target a breeze.
Features:
- Detects default installation files on any OS
- Detects outdated software applications.
- Runs XSS vulnerability tests
- Launches dictionary-based brute force attacks
- Exports results in plain text, CSV or HTML files
- Intrusion detection system evasion with LibWhisker
- Integration with Metasploit Framework
7. Ettercap
Ettercap is a hacking tool that works on a variety of platforms. Custom plugins can be created using Ettercap’s API. This hacking software can sniff HTTP SSL encrypted data even through a proxy connection. Ettercap Hacking Tool is a network security hacking tool for LAN man-in-the-middle attacks that is free and open-source.
This hacking tool is used for analysing computer network protocols and doing security audits. It operates on Linux, Mac OS X, BSD, Solaris, and Microsoft Windows, as well as other Unix-like operating systems.
Features:
- Sniffing of live connections.
- Content filtering.
- Active and passive dissection of many protocols.
- Network and host analysis.
8. SuperScan
SuperScan Hacking Tool is a network administrator’s tool for scanning TCP ports and resolving hostnames. SuperScan is a free connect-based port scanning programme that can discover open TCP and UDP ports on a target machine, determine which services are running on those ports, and do queries like whois, ping, ICMP traceroute, and hostname lookups. Use any IP range to do ping and port scans.
Features:
- Perform ping scans and port scans using any IP range.
- can any port range from a built-in list or any given range.
- View responses from connected hosts.
- Modify the port list and port descriptions using the built-in editor.
- Merge port lists to build new ones.
- Connect to any discovered open port.
- Assign a custom helper application to any port.
9. Maltego
Maltego is a hacking tool for link analysis and data mining. This hacking tool is an open-source forensic and intelligence software that can be used to gather data in all phases of security work. This Hacking Tool saves you time and money by completing tasks on schedule and in a more efficient manner.
This hacking tool includes a library of transforms for discovering data from open sources and viewing it in a graphical way. The Hacking Tool mines data and gathers information in real time. This hacking tool is capable of working with extremely huge graphs. Windows, Linux, and Mac OS are all supported by the Hacking Tool.
Features:
- Represents the data on node-based graph patterns.
- Maltego XL can work with large graphs.
- It will provide you the graphical picture, thereby telling you about the weak points and abnormalities of the network.
10. Wireshark
Wireshark Hacking Tool is a packet analyzer that is both free and open-source. This hacking tool is used for network troubleshooting, analysis, the development of software and communications protocols, and education. This hacking tool allows you to observe what’s going on in your network at a microscopic level, and it’s the de facto (and frequently de jure) standard used by many commercial and non-profit organisations, government agencies, and educational institutions.
Features:
- Deep inspection of hundreds of protocols, with more being added all the time
- Live capture and offline analysis
- Standard three-pane packet browser
- Multi-platform: Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD, and many others
- Captured network data can be browsed via a GUI, or via the TTY-mode TShark utility
- The most powerful display filters in the industry
- Rich VoIP analysis
- Capture files compressed with gzip can be decompressed on the fly
- Live data can be read from Ethernet, IEEE 802.11, PPP/HDLC, ATM, Bluetooth, USB, Token Ring, Frame Relay, FDDI, and others (depending on your platform)
- Decryption support for many protocols, including IPsec, ISAKMP, Kerberos, SNMPv3, SSL/TLS, WEP, and WPA/WPA2
- Coloring rules can be applied to the packet list for quick, intuitive analysis
- Output can be exported to XML, PostScript®, CSV, or plain text