What are the common tools used by ethical hackers?

Ethical hackers use a variety of tools to perform their tasks effectively and efficiently. Some of the common tools used by ethical hackers include:

1. Nmap: Nmap is a powerful network scanning tool that helps ethical hackers identify open ports, services, and vulnerabilities on a target system or network.

2. Metasploit Framework: Metasploit is a widely used penetration testing tool that allows ethical hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in systems and gain unauthorized access for testing purposes.

3. Wireshark: Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer that enables ethical hackers to capture and analyze network traffic, helping them identify potential security issues and vulnerabilities.

4. Burp Suite: Burp Suite is a web application security testing tool that allows ethical hackers to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in web applications, including cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection.

5. John the Ripper: John the Ripper is a password cracking tool used by ethical hackers to test the strength of passwords and identify weak or easily guessable passwords.

6. Aircrack-ng: Aircrack-ng is a suite of wireless network security tools that enables ethical hackers to assess the security of wireless networks, including capturing and analyzing network packets, cracking WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK keys, and conducting various attacks.

7. Maltego: Maltego is a powerful open-source intelligence (OSINT) tool that helps ethical hackers gather information about individuals, organizations, and networks, enabling them to identify potential attack vectors and vulnerabilities.

8. Nessus: Nessus is a widely used vulnerability scanning tool that helps ethical hackers identify and assess vulnerabilities in systems and networks, providing detailed reports and recommendations for remediation.

9. Hydra: Hydra is a password cracking tool that allows ethical hackers to perform brute-force attacks on various protocols and services, such as SSH, FTP, and Telnet, to test the strength of passwords.

10. Social Engineering Toolkit (SET): SET is a framework that enables ethical hackers to simulate social engineering attacks, such as phishing and credential harvesting, to assess the security awareness and resilience of individuals and organizations.

It is important to note that ethical hackers should always obtain proper authorization and adhere to legal and ethical guidelines while using these tools.