Great tools for penetration test

Doing penetration test (so-called ethic hack) could help network administrators to discover vulnerabilities in the systems. Here are some greate open-source hacking and vulnerability assessment tools:

1. Metasploit

A comprehensive set of penetration testing and vulnerability assessment tools

Systems requirment: Windows and Linux

Link: http://metasploit.org

2. Nmap

This is a network scanner.

Link: http://insecure.org/nmap

3. Cain and Abel

Password cracking

Link: http://www.oxid.it/cain.html

4. John the Ripper

Password cracking

Link: http://www.openwall.com/john/

5. Aircrack

WEP/WPA cracking tool. It is a best WEP cracking. I've tried it to crack a WEP access point and it took several minutes to get the WEP key.

Link: http://www.aircrack-ng.org/doku.php

6. AirSnort

802.11 WEP encrytion cracking

Link: http://airsnort.shmoo.com/

7. Nessus

Network scanner

Link: http://www.nessus.org

8. Rainbow

Passwork cracker

Link: http://www.antsight.com/zsl/rainbowcrack/

9. Sara

Vulnerability assessment tool

10. HPings

Packet crafter

11. Kismet

Wireless sniffer

12. Nikto

Web scanner

13. Paros Proxy

Web vulnerability assessment proxy

(Source: Santos, O. (2008). End-to-end security: Defense-in-Depth: Cisco Press)