Top 20 Ethical Hacking Tools and Software You Need to Be Aware of in 2023

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1. Nmap

Nmap is an open-source security and port scanner, as well as a network exploration tool. It works for single hosts and large networks alike. Cybersecurity experts can use Nmap for network inventory, monitoring host and service uptime, and managing service upgrade schedules.

Among its features:

  • Offer binary packages for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X
  • Contains a data transfer, redirection, and debugging tool
  • Results and GUI viewer

2. Burp Suite

This security-testing tool comes in three price tiers: Community edition (free), Professional edition (starting at $399 per user/per year), and Enterprise edition (starting at $3999/year). Burp Suite distinguishes itself as a web vulnerability scanner.

Its features include:

  • Scan scheduling and repeating
  • Uses out-of-band techniques
  • Offers CI integration

3. Cain & Abel

Cain & Abel is an Operating System password recovery tool provided by Microsoft. 

  • It is used to recover the MS Access passwords
  • It can be used in Sniffing networks
  • The password field can be uncovered. 
  • It Cracks encrypted passwords with the help of dictionary attacks, brute-force, and cryptanalysis attacks.

4. Nmap (Network Mapper)

Used in port scanning, one of the phases in ethical hacking, is the finest hacking software ever. Primarily a command-line tool, it was then developed for operating systems based on Linux or Unix, and the windows version of Nmap is now available.
 
Nmap is basically a network security mapper capable of discovering services and hosts on a network, thereby creating a network map. This software offers several features that help in probing computer networks, host discovery as well as detection of operating systems. Being script extensible it provides advanced vulnerability detection and can also adapt to network conditions such as congestion and latency while scanning.

5. Nessus

The next ethical hacking tool on the list is Nessus. Nessus is the world’s most well-known vulnerability scanner, which was designed by tenable network security. It is free and is chiefly recommended for non-enterprise usage. This network-vulnerability scanner efficiently finds critical bugs on any given system.
 
Nessus can detect the following vulnerabilities:

  • Unpatched services and misconfiguration
  • Weak passwords – default and common
  • Various system vulnerabilities

6. Nikto

Nikto is a web scanner that scans and tests several web servers for identifying software that is outdated, dangerous CGIs or files, and other problems. It is capable of performing server-specific as well as generic checks and prints by capturing the received cookies. It is a free, open-source tool, which checks version-specific problems across 270 servers and identifies default programs and files.
 
Here are some of the chief features of Nikto hacking software:

  • Open-source tool
  • Checks web servers and identifies over 6400 CGIs or files that are potentially dangerous
  • Checks servers for outdated versions as well as version-specific problems
  • Checks plug-inns and misconfigured files
  • Identifies insecure programs and files

7. Kismet

This is the best ethical hacking tool used for testing wireless networks and hacking of wireless LAN or wardriving. It passively identifies networks and collects packets and detects non-beaconing and hidden networks with the help of data traffic.
 
Kismet is basically a sniffer and wireless-network detector that works with other wireless cards and supports raw-monitoring mode.
 
Basic features of Kismet hacking software include the following:

  • Runs on Linux OS, which may be Ubuntu, backtrack, or more
  • Applicable to windows at times

8. NetStumbler

This is also an ethical hacking tool that is used to prevent wardriving, which works on operating systems based on windows. It is capable of detecting IEEE 902.11g, 802, and 802.11b networks. A newer version of this called MiniStumbler is now available.
 
The NetStumbler ethical hacking software has the following uses:

  • Identifying AP (Access Point) network configuration
  • Finding causes of interference
  • Accessing the strength of signals received
  • Detecting unauthorized access points 

9. Acunetix

This ethical hacking tool is fully automated, detecting and reporting on more than 4500 web vulnerabilities, including every variant of XSS and SQL Injection. Acunetix fully supports JavaScript, HTML5, and single-page applications so you can audit complex authenticated applications.

Basic features include:

  • Consolidated view
  • Integration of scanner results into other platforms and tools
  • Prioritizing risks based on data

10. Netsparker

If you want a tool that mimics how hackers work, you want Netsparker. This tool identifies vulnerabilities in web APIs and web applications such as cross-site scripting and SQL Injection.

Features include:

  • Available as an on-line service or Windows software
  • Uniquely verifies identified vulnerabilities, showing that they are genuine, not false positives
  • Saves time by eliminating the need for manual verification

11. Intruder

This tool is a completely automated scanner that searches for cybersecurity weaknesses, explains the risks found, and helps address them. Intruder takes on much of the heavy lifting in vulnerability management and offers over 9000 security checks.

Features included:

  • Identifies missing patches, misconfigurations, and common web app issues like cross-site scripting and SQL Injection
  • Integrates with Slack, Jira, and major cloud providers
  • Prioritizes results based on context
  • Proactively scans systems for the latest vulnerabilities

12.  John the Ripper

This free tool is ideal for password cracking. It was created to detect weak UNIX passwords, and can be used on DOS, Windows, and Open VMS.

Features:

  • Offers a customizable cracker and several different password crackers in one bundle
  • Performs dictionary attacks
  • Tests different encrypted passwords

13. Metasploit

The Metasploit Framework is open-source, and Metasploit Pro is a commercial offering, with a 14-day free trial. Metasploit is geared towards penetration testing, and ethical hackers can develop and execute exploit codes against remote targets.

The features include:

  • Cross-platform support
  • Ideal for finding security vulnerabilities
  • Great for creating evasion and anti-forensic tools

14. Aircrack-Ng

Wireless network use is rising, so it’s becoming more important to keep Wi-Fi secure. Aircrack-Ng offers ethical hackers an array of command-line tools that check and evaluate Wi-Fi network security. Aircrack-Ng is dedicated to activities such as attacking, monitoring, testing, and cracking. The tool supports Windows, OS X, Linux, eComStation, 2Free BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and Solaris.

Among its features:

  • Supports exporting data to text files
  • It can crack WEP keys and WPA2-PSK, and check Wi-Fi cards
  • Supports multiple platforms

15. Wireshark

Wireshark is a great hacking software for analyzing data packets and can also perform deep inspections of a large number of established protocols. You can export analysis results to many different file formats like CSV, PostScript, Plaintext, and XML.

Features:

  • Performs live captures and offline analysis
  • Cross-platform support
  • Allows coloring rules to packet lists to facilitate analysis
  • It’s free

16. OpenVAS

The Open Vulnerability Assessment Scanner is a fully featured tool performs authenticated and unauthenticated testing and performance tuning. It is geared towards large-scale scans.

OpenVAS has the capabilities of various high and low-level Internet and industrial protocols, backed up by a robust internal programming language.

17. SQLMap

SQLMap is an open-source hacking software that automates detecting and exploiting SQL Injection flaws and taking control of database servers. You can use it to connect directly with specific databases. SQLMap completely supports a half-dozen SQL injection techniques (Boolean-based blind, error-based, stacked queries, time-based blind, UNION query-based, and out-of-band).

SQLMap’s features include:

  • Powerful detection engine
  • Supports executing arbitrary commands
  • Supports MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and more.

18. Ettercap

Ettercap is a free tool that is best suited for creating custom plug-ins.

Among its features:

  • Content filtering
  • Live connections sniffer
  • Network and host analysis
  • Active and passive dissection of a lot of protocols

19. Maltego

Maltego is a tool dedicated to link analysis and data mining. It comes in four forms: The free Community version, Maltego CE; Maltego Classic, ; Maltego XL, , and the server products like Comms, CTAS, and ITDS, . Maltego is best suited to working with very large graphs.

Its features include:

  • Support for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS
  • Performs real-time information gathering and data mining
  • Displays results in easy-to-read graphics

20.Fortify WebInspect

Fortify WebInspect is a hacking tool with comprehensive dynamic analysis security in automated mode for complex web applications and services. 

  • It is used to identify security vulnerabilities by allowing it to test the dynamic behavior of running web applications. 
  • It can keep the scanning in control by getting relevant information and statistics. 
  • It provides Centralized Program Management, vulnerability trending, compliance management, and risk oversight with the help of simultaneous crawl professional-level testing to novice security testers. 


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