In the shadowy corners of the digital world, cybercriminals are constantly sharpening their arsenals. They are not just relying on luck; they are using sophisticated software designed to break encryption, steal credentials, and cripple infrastructure. Understanding these hacking tools is not just for tech geeks—it’s a survival necessity for businesses of all sizes. By peeling back the curtain on the specific instruments hackers use, organizations can better anticipate threats and fortify their defenses before a breach occurs.
Key Takeaways
- Modern hacking tools have lowered the barrier to entry for cybercriminals, allowing even unskilled attackers to launch sophisticated campaigns.
- Network reconnaissance tools like Nmap and Shodan act as digital maps, helping hackers identify unpatched software and open ports before an attack.
- Password cracking and login tools emphasize the critical need for multi-factor authentication (MFA) and slow, salted hashing algorithms.
- Exploitation frameworks such as Metasploit and Cobalt Strike enable attackers to gain remote control and move laterally through a network once inside.
- A proactive defense strategy must include rigorous patch management, encrypted communications, and ongoing security awareness training for employees.
Table of contents
The Evolving Threat Landscape
The sophistication of modern hacking tools has lowered the barrier to entry for cybercriminals, resulting in a surge in incidents across all sectors. From retail giants to critical infrastructure, no target is off-limits. To secure your organization, you first need to understand the scope of the problem. If you’re looking to understand the current threat-landscape in the UK, this blog post from QuoStar on cyber attacks by common types is worth a read. It highlights how major entities such as Marks & Spencer and the NHS have recently faced these exact threats.
By analyzing common cyberattacks, security professionals can reverse-engineer attackers’ methodologies. Whether it is a ransomware gang like Black Basta or a social engineering group like Scattered Spider, they all rely on specific utilities to execute their campaigns. Below, we explore 12 of the most common tools and categories of software used in these attacks, along with strategies to defend against them.
Network Scanning and Reconnaissance Tools
Before launching an attack, hackers need a map of the territory. These tools help them find open doors and weak points.
1. Nmap (Network Mapper)
Nmap is the gold standard for network discovery and security auditing. While system administrators use it to monitor network inventory, hackers use it to discover hosts and services on a computer network. It sends specially crafted packets to the target and analyzes the response.
- The Threat: It reveals open ports and the software versions running on them, giving hackers a blueprint of where to attack.
- The Defense: Regularly audit your own ports. If a port is not needed, close it. Implement Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) to detect Nmap scanning patterns.
2. Wireshark
Wireshark is the world’s most widely used network protocol analyzer. It lets users see what’s happening on their network at a microscopic level.
- The Threat: If a hacker gains access to your network, they can use Wireshark to “sniff” traffic. If that traffic is not encrypted, they can read passwords, emails, and sensitive data in plain text.
- The Defense: Encrypt everything. Use HTTPS, VPNs, and secure protocols (SSH instead of Telnet). If the data is encrypted, Wireshark will only show scrambled nonsense to the attacker.
3. Shodan
Often called “Google for hackers, “Shodan is a search engine that lets users find specific types of internet-connected devices (webcams, routers, servers).
- The Threat: Attackers use Shodan to find devices with default passwords or known vulnerabilities without ever scanning the target directly.
- The Defense: Ensure no critical infrastructure is directly exposed to the public internet without a firewall or VPN. Change all default passwords on IoT devices immediately.
Password Cracking Tools
Once they know where the doors are, hackers need the keys. These hacking tools are designed to brute-force or reverse-engineer passwords.
4. John the Ripper
This fast password cracker is available for many operating systems. Its primary purpose is to detect weak Unix passwords.
- The Threat: If an attacker steals a database of hashed (encrypted) passwords, John the Ripper can test millions of potential passwords per second against the hashes to reveal the real credentials.
- The Defense: Enforce complex password policies. Salt and hash passwords using modern, slow algorithms (like bcrypt or Argon2), which make cracking exponentially harder.
5. THC Hydra
Hydra is a parallelized login cracker that supports numerous attack protocols. It is swift and flexible, and new modules are easy to add.
- The Threat: Unlike John the Ripper, which usually works on offline files, Hydra attacks live login pages (SSH, FTP, HTTPS, etc.) by guessing passwords rapidly.
- The Defense: Implement account lockouts after a certain number of failed attempts. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) everywhere—Hydra cannot bypass a code sent to your phone.
Exploitation and Access Hacking Tools
These are the heavy hitters—the frameworks used to launch cyberattacks, including standard methods such as malware injection and remote control.
6. Metasploit Framework
Metasploit is a massive database of “exploits” (code that takes advantage of software flaws). It is the most popular penetration testing framework in the world.
- The Threat: It allows a hacker to select a target, choose a vulnerability (like an unpatched Windows server), and deploy a “payload” that gives them control over the system.
- The Defense: Patch management is key. Metasploit relies on known vulnerabilities. If your software is up to date, most Metasploit modules will fail.
7. Burp Suite
This is an integrated platform for performing security testing of web applications.
- The Threat: Hackers use Burp Suite to intercept traffic between a web browser and a server. They can modify data on the fly to trick the application into performing actions it should not, such as granting admin access or dumping the database.
- The Defense: Developers must practice secure coding. Input validation is crucial to prevent attacks such as SQL Injection and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), which hacking tools like Burp Suite facilitate.
Social Engineering and Phishing Tools
Sometimes, the easiest way in is just to ask. These hacking tools automate the process of tricking humans.
8. Social-Engineer Toolkit (SET)
SET is an open-source, Python-driven tool for penetration testing related to social engineering.
- The Threat: It can clone a legitimate website (like a Gmail login page) in seconds and send emails to victims that link to the fake site. When the victim logs in, SET captures the credentials.
- The Defense: Security awareness training is vital. Employees need to know how to spot fake URLs and suspicious email requests. Technical controls like DMARC and SPF help block spoofed emails.
9. Maltego
Maltego is used for open-source intelligence (OSINT) and forensics. It visually demonstrates the interconnectedness of people, groups, webpages, domains, networks, and social media.
- The Threat: Attackers use this to build a profile of your organization’s employees. They can see who knows whom, making spear-phishing attacks much more convincing.
- The Defense: Limit the amount of personal corporate data available publicly. educate staff on privacy settings on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook.
Post-Exploitation and Maintenance
Once inside, hackers use these hacking tools to stay hidden and move laterally across the network.
10. Cobalt Strike
Originally designed as a legitimate adversary simulation tool, Cobalt Strike is now a favorite among ransomware gangs.
- The Threat: It creates “beacons” on infected computers that call back to the attacker’s server. It allows attackers to quietly control the network, steal data, and prepare to deploy ransomware.
- The Defense: Use advanced Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions. Cobalt Strike is stealthy, but it leaves memory signatures that sophisticated security software can detect.
11. Mimikatz
This tool is widely used to extract plain-text passwords, hashes, PINs, and Kerberos tickets from memory.
- The Threat: If a hacker gets admin access to one computer, they run Mimikatz to scrape memory for other passwords—potentially finding the credentials for the Domain Controller, which gives them the keys to the entire kingdom.
- The Defense: Restrict admin privileges. Update Windows to prevent the use of older authentication protocols. Use “Credential Guard” in Windows 10/11 and Server 2016+ to protect memory processes.
12. Empire (PowerShell Empire)
Empire is a pure PowerShell post-exploitation agent.
- The Threat: It allows attackers to run malicious commands using PowerShell, which is a legitimate Windows tool. Because it runs in memory and uses trusted system tools, it often bypasses traditional antivirus software.
- The Defense: Enable script block logging and constrained language mode in PowerShell. Monitor for unusual PowerShell activity, such as encoded commands or scripts running from temporary folders.
Defending Against the Modern Arsenal of Hacking Tools
The variety of tools available to cybercriminals reinforces why cyber attacks by common types—from ransomware to data breaches—are so prevalent and damaging. The barrier to entry for cybercrime has lowered; “Script Kiddies” can download these tools and cause havoc without writing a single line of code.
However, defense is not futile. The common thread in defending against all these tools is a layered security approach:
- Vulnerability Management: Keep the doors closed (patching).
- Access Control: Lock the doors you need (MFA and strong passwords).
- Monitoring: Watch the cameras (IDS/IPS and EDR).
- Education: Train the guards (security awareness for staff).
By understanding the hacking tools of the trade, your organization moves from a reactive panic posture to a proactive defense. You cannot ban the tools, but you can build an environment where they are rendered useless.
