The 10 Best Penetration Testing Tools You should Use

Have you ever been looking for a penetration testing tool that would serve your safety testing requirements for internet networks and tools? Would you wish to compare and examine various penetration testing tools and choose which one(s) will be best suited to your business? Or are you curious to learn which tools are out there and what their characteristics are?

If so, then this site has you covered.

Whether the penetration testing tools are conducted for regulatory compliance, safety evaluation, or strengthening the IT environment’s defense against cybersecurity dangers, a mixture of the ideal tools is essential. In case the penetration tester does not have access to the ideal tools, odds are vulnerabilities, a few critical, might not be discovered and consequently, reported committing a false sense of safety.

Here are 11 penetration testing tools that are extremely apt at discovering vulnerabilities and correctly simulating cyberattacks. Let us take a look at their attributes and benefits, and platforms they’re compatible with.

Popular Penetration Testing Tools

1. Burp Suite Pro

Burp Suite Pro is among the very popular, strong, and innovative pen-testing tools which may help pen resumes correct and exploit vulnerabilities and spot their target more subtle blind areas. It’s a ‘package’ of varied advanced tools and, is ideal for penetration testing of web applications.

There are two variations — the community variant provides essential features like intercepting traffic, handling recon information, and out-of-band capacities necessary for guide pen testing, whereas the pro version provides several innovative features like scanning web applications for vulnerabilities.

Burp Suite Guru has many features which are incredibly helpful for pen testers, like the couple listed below.

• It’s a strong proxy component that performs man-in-the-middle strikes to intercept the transport of information and enables the user to change the HTTP(S) communicating passing through the browser.
• Burp Suite helps examine out-of-band (OOB) vulnerabilities (those who can’t be found in a conventional HTTP request-response) during manual testing.
• The tool finds concealed target functionalities via an automated detection purpose.
• The tool offers quicker brute-forcing and fuzzing capacities that enable pen testers to set up the customized arrangement of HTTP requests which include payload collections, which radically reduces the time spent on various tasks.
• Burpsuite Pro provides a feature to quickly assemble a cross-site request forgery (CSRF) Proof of Concept (POC) assault for any particular request.
• The tools also facilitate deeper manual testing because it can offer a view for mirrored or saved inputs.
• The App Store supplies access to countless community-generated plugins that are composed and analyzed by Burp users.

Usage – Finest for professionals and expert penetration testers who wish to leverage a highly effective automated and innovative manual testing instrument to discover critical tool-level defects.

Parent Company – PortSwigger.

Platforms – The supported platforms include macOS, Linux, and Windows.

2. SQLmap

SQLmap is an open supply but an extremely strong pen-testing tool that specialist pen testers use to spot and exploit SQL Injection vulnerabilities affecting distinct databases. It’s an unbelievable pen-testing tool that accompanies a strong detection engine that could retrieve precious data via a single control.

Below are a few of the most popular and beneficial features of SQLmap:

• Working with a dictionary-based assault, SQLmap assists with automatic comprehension of password hashtags and support for breaking them.
• It effectively searches for particular database titles, tables, or columns throughout the whole database, which is beneficial in identifying tables that contain program credentials containing sequences like pass and name.
• SQLmap supports setting an out-of-band TCP link between the database and the attacker system supplying the user with an interactive command prompt or a meterpreter session.
• The tool supports uploading and downloading any file from/to the databases it’s compatible with.

Usage – it’s ideal for discovering and exploiting SQL injection flaws and carrying over servers.

Parent Company – Open-source tool accessible GNU (General Public License).

Platforms – MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, SQLite, Firebird, SAP MaxDB.

3. Aircrack-ng

Aircrack-ng is a system safety pen-testing tool that accompanies a collection of utilities to evaluate Wi-Fi networks for potential vulnerabilities. It gives critical operations of observation, testing, assaulting, and breaking up.

This tool enables the tester to record information packets and then export the data into text files for additional processing by other third-party tools. It has the capacity to perform replay attacks, de-authentication strikes, and generates fake access points through packet injection. The tool also can help check Wi-Fi cards and driver capabilities and may be used to decode WEP and WPA WPA (1 and 2 ).

Other features include:

• The tool is famous for its capacity to crack WEP and WPA-PSK with no authenticated client, in which it uses a statistical way of cracking WEP and brute force attack to decode WPA-PSK.
• Aircrack-ng is a whole suite that comes with a sensor, packet sniffer, analytical tools, and WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK crackers.
• Aircrack-ng suite contains tools like airodump-ng, aireplay-ng, aircrack-ng, and airdecap-ng tools.
• airodump-ng is used to capture raw 802.11 packets.
• Airplay-ng is utilized to injects frames to wireless traffic that’s subsequently employed by Aircrack-ng to crack the WEP and WPA-PSK keys after enough information packets are captured.
• Airdecap-ng can be used to synchronize files that were captured and may also be used to strip wireless headers.

Usage – It is a great suite of tools for penetration testers for hacking WI-FI networks. It is a command-line tool that also allows customization.

Parent Company – Open-source tool accessible GNU (General Public License).

Platforms – Supported platforms include Linux, OS X Solaris, and Windows.

Also read: 10 Practical Tips To Secure Your Business Data

4. Wireshark

Wireshark is a must-have network protocol analyzer. It’s widely utilized to capture live network traffic for system troubleshooting such as latency problems, packet drops, and malicious action on the community. It allows the testers to intercept and examine information passed via the system and converts it to some human-readable format.

Some crucial features of Wireshark:

• Wireshark has strong features that provide a deep review of numerous protocols.
• It includes a conventional three-pane package browser and highly effective display filters.
• Wireshark permits the information to be browsed through GUI or through TTY-mode TShark utility.
• It is possible to read and compose different file formats like tcpdump (libpcap), Pcap NG, Catapult DCT2000,
• Cisco Secure IDS iplog, Microsoft Network Monitor, Network General Sniffer® (compressed and uncompressed), and much more.
• The tool features decryption service for different protocols such as IPsec, ISAKMP, Kerberos, SNMPv3, SSL/TLS, WEP, and WPA/WPA2.
• The tools also permit inspection of VOIP traffic.

Usage –Best suited to Administrators for system troubleshooting and pen testers for assessing sensitive network information.

Parent Company – Open-source tool accessible GNU (General Public License).

Platforms – macOS, Linux, Solaris, and Windows are a few supported platforms.

5. Nmap

Nmap is among the very best and pen tester’s treasured open-source testing tools which help identify open ports and vulnerabilities in a community. Additionally, it will help to identify which devices are operating in the community and finding hosts which are life.

The other features that the tool provides are:

• Enumerating open interfaces utilizing port-scanning capacities and variant detection engine used for ascertaining software name and model number on the services running on recognized ports.
• NMAP comprises over 2900 OS fingerprints that are beneficial in determining the operating methods of their inherent hosts.
• NMAP is essentially a command-line utility, but in addition, it supplies a GUI version named Zenmap GUI.
• The Nmap search engine includes over 170 NSE broadcasts and 20 libraries like firewall-bypass, super micro-ipmi-conf, oracle-brute-stealth, and SSL-heartbleed.
• It provides a better IPv6 service which makes way for broader network scanning in CIDR-style address ranges, Idle Scan, concurrent reverse-DNS, and much more NSE script reporting.
• NMAP provides some amazing, innovative scanning methods like bypassing firewall or WAF which may help pen testers to bypass safety apparatus applied on the network perimeter.

Usage – Considered as the ideal tool by pen testers to spot network-level vulnerabilities.
Parent Company – Open-source tool available in GNU (General Public License).
Platforms – The platforms that support the tool include Linux, Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, HP-UX, NetBSD, Sun OS, and Amiga.

6. Metasploit

The Metasploit Project includes two variations — the open-minded sub-project Metasploit Framework along with the accredited version Metasploit Professional.

Metasploit Framework’s greatest offering will be to exploit code and payloads which may be developed and implemented against a distant target server. It supplies a command-line port to operate on, but testers may also buy Metasploit Guru for innovative features and GUI-based operations.

Listed below are a few crucial features of Metasploit:

• Metasploit comprises over 1600 exploits that are coordinated over 25 platforms.
• The tool has about 500 payloads that include the following:

• Control shell payloads to run scripts from a Server.
• Dynamic payloads to create unique payloads to prevent antivirus program.
• Meterpreter payloads to take charge of apparatus monitors, upload, sessions, and download documents.
• Static payloads for port forwarding and empowering communication between the networks.

• Metasploit provides post-exploitation modules that may be used for deep penetration testing. These modules enable pen testers to gather more information regarding the exploited system like hash dumps or support enumerators.

Usage – Metasploit is best used where multiple systems or applications should be analyzed.

Parent Company – Rapid7.

Platforms – Metasploit is pre-installed in Kali Linux OS. It’s also supported on Windows and macOS.

7. Hashcat

Hashcat is a favorite open-source cracking tool used by both hacker and moral hacker communities. Hashcat supposes a password, hashes it, and then compares the resulting hash to the person it is trying to decode. If the hashes match, we all know the password.

The password representation is mostly connected with hash keys like WHIRLPOOL, RipeMD, NTMLv1, NTLMv2 MD5, SHA, and much more. It may turn readable info into perplexing code, making it almost impossible for other people to decrypt the information.

Other features of Hashcat:

• It’s quick, effective, and multifaceted.
• Hashcat allows the pentester to decode numerous hashes at precisely the exact same time and the number of threads may be configured and implemented based on the lowest measure.
• It supports automatic performance tuning together with keyspace ordering Markov chains.
• The tool includes an integrated benchmarking system and an incorporated thermal watchdog.
• It permits you to execute 300+ hashcats.
• Supports hex-charset and hex-salt.
• It supports distributed cracking networks and more than 200 distinct hash formats.

Usage – it’s most appropriate for system recovery specialists and pen testing to decode encrypted passwords.

Parent Company – Open-source tool accessible MIT License.

Platforms – Linux, OS X, and Windows are some of the networks that are supported.

8. WPScan

WPScan is an open-source WordPress safety scanner that will help scan famous vulnerabilities in WordPress plugins, and themes. It retains an up-to-date database of WordPress system vulnerabilities. WPScan is constructed using the Ruby program and also to scan the goal for vulnerabilities, an individual could implement a simple command like wpscan – URL http://example.com.

Here are some of the features of WPScan:

• WordPress enumeration scan describes the true version of WordPress heart, plugins, and topics. It may also enumerate users busy on the WordPress website.
• Assessing and discovering publicly accessible wp-config.php backup files and other database offenses.
• WPScan may also help discover and decode weak passwords, which can be accomplished by passing them via the WPScan password dictionary or even through brute-forcing.
• WPScan also enumerates model information of plugins and themes running on a WordPress site and gives advice on vulnerabilities related to the identified variation.
• Other features include vulnerable mistake logs, media file enumeration, vulnerable Timthumb documents, upload directory list, complete path disclosure, and a lot more.

Usage – The fastest way to conduct WPScan would be to set up its plugin in your WordPress site or by employing the Docker picture.

Parent Company – Open-source tool, on GitHub repository.

Platforms – WPScan is supported on ArchLinux, Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian.

9. Nessus

Nessus is a strong and broadly common network vulnerability scanner. It’s the very best tool for vulnerability scanning because of the large repository of vulnerability signatures. On conducting a Nessus scan onto a target server, providers running on this machine are recognized and related vulnerabilities are found, along with the tool also provides extra information for exploiting and remediating them.

Using Nessus scanner enhances the security position and ensures greater compliance in the cloud and virtual surroundings. When an organization needs speed and precision, Nessus is worth its permit. But, Nessus Essentials lets you scan your surroundings up to 16 IP addresses each scanner absolutely free of charge.

Here is a few of the interesting features of Nessus that can induce you to try it on your organization:

• Nessus is proven to support more technology compared to additional vulnerability assessment tools; this makes the situation for broader testing.
• It aids in high-speed strength discovery and empowers setup auditing together with target malware and adware detection.
• Vulnerability scanning – uncredentialed vulnerability detection and credentialed scanning for system hardening and missing spots.
• The tool also supports sensitive information discovery which aids in exposure investigation.
• Nessus includes the most significant library of vulnerabilities that’s constantly updated.
• The tool provides customizable and flexible reporting using targeted email alerts of scanning results, remediation, along recommendations.

Usage – Nessus may be used for various functions — to scan working apparatus, network devices, hypervisors, databases, pills, internet servers, telephones, and other crucial infrastructure.

Parent Company – Tenable

Platforms – Nessus may be conducted on Debian, MacOS, Ubuntu, FreeBSD, Windows, Oracle, and Linux.

10. MobSF

MobSF (Mobile Security Framework) is a detailed, all-purpose frame for pen testing, malware evaluation, and safety evaluation of mobile programs on various platforms. It may be used for static in addition to dynamic analysis. It supports mobile app binaries like APK, XAPK, IPA, and APPX and includes built-in APIs that allow for an integrated experience.

Below are some helpful features :

• MobSF is an open-source tool and permits easy integration with both CI/CD or DEVSECOPS pipelines.
• The tool provides an automatic static analysis of mobile applications meaning it assesses the source code or binary to discover critical vulnerabilities.
• The tool allows dynamic evaluation on an actual device or simulation. It scans by implementing the program and investigations for sensitive information accessibility, any hardcoded info, or insecure asks.
• It aids in identifying mobile application-related vulnerabilities like XXE, SSRF, Course Traversal, IDOR.

Usage – Best in category automated frame for scanning cellular programs.

Parent Company – Open-source tool, downloadable.

Platforms – The programs supported include Android, iOS, and Windows.

Conclusion – Penetration Testing Tools

Above have been a few frequent penetration testing tools for system, web, and mobile programs which produce the task simpler for pen resumes. They assist them to identify vulnerabilities and protect the infrastructure from potential dangers.