🤖 AI Prompts Cheatsheet
Priya Nair — Prompt Engineering Expert
What is Kali Linux?
Kali Linux is a Debian-based Linux distribution that is specifically tailored for penetration testing, security research, computer forensics, and reverse engineering. It comes with numerous pre-installed tools designed for various security tasks.
Installation
Kali Linux can be installed on a physical machine, set up in a virtual environment, or run live from a USB drive. The installation process can be performed using a straightforward graphical installer or command-line options for advanced users.
Basic Syntax
Most tools in Kali Linux follow a command-line interface (CLI) syntax. The basic structure often looks like this:
TOOL_NAME [options] [target]
Discovery
Nmap
Nmap is a powerful network scanning tool used for discovering hosts and services on a network. Here are some useful commands:
nmap -sP 192.168.1.0/24
Use this command to perform a ping scan across the subnet to identify live hosts.
nmap -sV -p 1-65535 192.168.1.1
This command scans for open ports (1 to 65535) and attempts to detect service versions on the target.
Scanning
Netcat
Netcat (nc) is a versatile networking utility. Here’s how you can use it for scanning:
nc -zv 192.168.1.1 1-1000
This command attempts to connect to open ports from 1 to 1000 on the target.
Exploitation
Metasploit Framework
Metasploit is an advanced framework for developing and executing exploit code against a remote target:
msfconsole
Start Metasploit console, interactively managing exploits.
use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue
Load the EternalBlue exploit to attack vulnerable Microsoft machines.
Analysis
Wireshark
Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer used for capturing and examining packets:
wireshark &
Run Wireshark in the background.
Evasion
Tor
Tor can anonymize your internet traffic:
torsocks curl http://example.com
This allows you to access a site through the Tor network.
Reporting
Dradis
Dradis is a tool that helps manage and share information from your engagements:
dradis
Start Dradis for team collaboration and report generation.
Quick Reference Table
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| -sS | TCP SYN scan (stealth scan) |
| -A | Enable OS detection, version detection, script scanning, and traceroute |
Pro Tips
- Use Screen: Run long scans in a screen session to avoid interruptions.
- Output Formats: Redirect Nmap output to XML or grepable formats for easier parsing.
- Use Scripting: Leverage Nmap scripts (NSE) for detailed scans with the ‘-sC’ option.
Real-World Examples
Consider the following real-world task: identifying open ports and services on a target while avoiding detection. Using a combination of Nmap’s stealth scan (-sS) along with the use of Tor can significantly enhance your testing methodology. Save your scans and use Dradis to report these findings effectively.