5 AI Ethical Hacking Tools for Penetration Testing

April 22, 2022 (1y ago)

penetration testing
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Penetration testing involves trying to break into computer systems in order to see how secure they really are. Ethical hackers use various methods to try to gain access to computers, networks, and other devices.

So in this blog post, I'll talk about 5 AI ethical hacking tools for penetration testing


Metasploit Framework

Metasploit is a free and open-source collection of tools for security testing, vulnerability assessment, and exploitation. It is developed and maintained by the Metasploit Project, a community-driven effort to improve the security of networks and systems.

The Metasploit Framework includes a range of tools and resources for testing the security of systems and networks. It includes a database of known vulnerabilities and exploits, as well as tools for creating and testing custom exploits. It also includes tools for scanning and enumerating systems and networks, as well as for performing penetration testing and vulnerability assessment.

The Metasploit Framework is available for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, and MacOS, and it can be run from the command line or with a graphical user interface. It is a powerful tool that is widely used by security professionals and researchers to test the security of systems and networks, and to identify and fix vulnerabilities. It is an essential tool in the toolkit of any security professional or researcher, and is frequently used as part of a security testing or vulnerability assessment process.

Things I liked in Metasploit:

  • Metasploit FTP
  • Metasploit OSX
  • Metasploit SSH including Metasploit SSH exploits
  • Keymanager

NMAP

Nmap is a powerful open source network scanner that can scan networks at both the host and service level. It supports TCP/IP, UDP, ICMP, HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, POP3, IMAP4, DNS, TFTP, Finger, Telnet, SSH, SNMP, LDAP, Rlogin, VNC, Netbios, Kerberos, FTP, TELNET, SCTP, RTSP, SMB, XDMCP, Zephyr, and more. Nmap uses a variety of techniques to identify vulnerabilities in a computer system.

Why use NMAP?

There are multiple reasons why security professionals favour Nmap over other scanning programmes.

First, Nmap facilitates the rapid mapping of a network without the use of complex commands or configurations. It also allows simple commands (such as checking whether a host is online) and advanced scripting via the Nmap scripting engine. Other features are:

  • Capability to instantly identify all devices on a single or several networks, including servers, routers, switches, mobile devices, etc.
  • Identifies services operating on a system, such as web servers, DNS servers, and other typical applications. Nmap is also capable of detecting application versions with a reasonable degree of precision, which can aid in the detection of existing vulnerabilities.
  • Nmap can be used to attack systems using existing scripts from the Nmap Scripting Engine during security auditing and vulnerability detection.
  • Nmap can determine the operating system installed on a device. It can provide precise information such as operating system versions, making it easy to develop future penetration testing tactics.
  • Nmap has a graphical user interface called Zenmap. It helps you develop visual mappings of a network for better usability and reporting.

OWASP ZAP

Open Online Application Security Project ZAP (OWASP ZAP) is a free and open-source testing tool for web application security. It is aimed to assist developers and security professionals in identifying and fixing web application vulnerabilities.

OWASP ZAP offers a variety of testing options for online applications, such as automatic scanning, manual testing, and proxying. It can be used to identify typical online application flaws such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and cross-site request forgery (CSRF).

OWASP ZAP is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and MacOS, and it may be executed from the command line or a graphical user interface. It is a potent tool that is extensively employed by developers and security experts to find and resolve vulnerabilities in online applications.

OWASP ZAP is a component of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), a community-driven initiative to improve the security of web applications. The OWASP ZAP project is directed by a group of volunteers who build and maintain the tool, and it is supported by a broad community of users and developers who make contributions.


Burp Suite – A Web Application Security scanner

Burp Suite is a collection of tools for testing web application security. It is a commercial tool created by PortSwigger, a United Kingdom-based cybersecurity startup.

Burp Suite is a collection of tools that may be used independently or in tandem to assess the security of online applications. The primary Burp Suite tools include:

  • Burp Proxy: a tool for intercepting and modifying HTTP and HTTPS traffic between a web browser and a web server.
  • Burp Scanner: a tool for automated vulnerability scanning of web applications.
  • Burp Intruder: a tool for performing automated attacks on web applications.
  • Burp Repeater: a tool for manually testing and debugging web applications.
  • Burp Sequencer: a tool for testing the randomness of session tokens.

Kali linux

Kali Linux is a Linux operating system distribution intended primarily for digital forensics and penetration testing. It includes tools for network discovery, vulnerability evaluation, and exploitation, which can be used for ethical hacking and security testing.

While Kali Linux includes AILab and Cortex, which are developed expressly for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), these tools are more concerned with analyzing and processing vast volumes of data than with ethical hacking or security testing.

However, Kali Linux contains a number of other tools that can be used in conjunction with AI and ML approaches for ethical hacking and security testing. The Metasploit framework, which is included in Kali Linux, can be used to do penetration testing and exploit system and network vulnerabilities, for instance. Kali Linux also has a number of tools for analyzing and processing massive volumes of data, such as Wireshark and Elasticsearch, which may be used with AI and ML approaches to accomplish ethical hacking and security testing jobs.

While Kali Linux is not built primarily as an AI ethical hacking tool, it does feature a vast array of tools that can be used in conjunction with AI and ML methodologies to accomplish ethical hacking and security testing tasks.

Things I liked in Kali linux:

  • Nmap. Kali Linux Nmap
  • Metasploit Framework
  • Skipfish
  • Lynis. Lynis Kali Linux Tool
  • WPScan. WordPress is one of the best open source CMS and this would be the best free WordPress security auditing/penetesting tool
  • Aircrack-ng
  • Hydra
  • Wireshark
  • Auxiliary scanner ssh

PolyWorks

PolyWorks is a software suite designed for reverse engineering, inspection, and quality control applications by InnovMetric Software Inc. Various industries, such as automotive, aerospace, and consumer products, use it to study and quantify 3D geometry and surfaces.

PolyWorks is a complete software suite containing a variety of 3D scanning, measurement, and analysis tools. It is utilized for processing and analyzing point cloud data, as well as creating 3D models and surface meshes. It also contains instruments for comparing and aligning 3D models and surfaces, as well as for dimension analysis and inspection.

PolyWorks is utilized by engineers, designers, and quality control specialists, among others. It is compatible with a range of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and MacOS, and it can be used independently or integrated with other software systems. It is a potent instrument that is widely employed in numerous industries for 3D scanning, measuring, and analysis.