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Penetration testing tools include port scanners, vulnerability scanners, packet sniffers, and intrusion detection systems. These tools are used to evaluate a network and launch simulated attacks. Password crackers and exploit tools can also be used to find weaknesses. These tools are available from software developers or can be customized by the tester.
There are many different types of penetration testing tools used in the network and information security industry. Some of the more common include port scanners which are used to find ports on a network and vulnerability scanners which can then look for weaknesses and vulnerabilities on those ports. Many penetration testers also use packet sniffers to analyze data transmitted to and from ports and intrusion detection systems to look for attacks or malicious activity within those packets. There are also a number of penetration testing tools used to launch a virtual attack on a network, including password cracking software and exploitation tools.
Penetration testing tools are used during penetration testing, where an ethical hacker evaluates a network by scanning and a simulated attack on it. One of the most commonly used tools in this process is a port scanner program, which can be used to scan a network for available ports. These ports can then be used with vulnerability scanners to further document where potential weaknesses could exist on a network. While these scanners don’t actually launch an attack, they are often used during initial penetration testing.
Packet sniffers are commonly used penetration testing tools that allow a tester to observe data packets being sent to and from a specific network. This can include packets sent by the tester, to gauge how they are received, as well as packets sent by other network users. Intrusion detection systems can then be used with the different network ports and sniffed packets to look for malicious attacks that may already be occurring. These penetration testing tools allow an ethical hacker to make sure that someone else isn’t already attacking a system for unethical reasons.
Once a penetration tester has found potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities in a system, they can use various penetration testing tools to launch an attack on it. Password crackers, for example, are often used to find passwords for easier access to the network in the future. Exploit tools allow someone to more quickly and easily automate the process of finding common exploits in a system. A single program may attempt to use hundreds, or even thousands, of known exploits during penetration testing.
All of these penetration testing tools are available from numerous software developers, many of them as open source or freeware programs. There are a number of commercially available programs, which can be used by both ethical and unethical hackers. Many penetration testers prefer to develop their own software, and a variety of plug-ins and add-ons to existing programs can be used to enhance or customize their performance.
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