Cyber Weapons Lab
How To: Analyze Web Browser Extensions for Possible Malware & Other Malicious Activity
Browser extensions are extremely useful since they can expand web browsers like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox beyond their built-in features. However, we don't always know who's behind a browser add-on or what it's doing beyond what's advertised. That's where ExtAnalysis comes into play.
How To: Use Mitaka to Perform In-Browser OSINT to Identify Malware, Sketchy Sites, Shady Emails & More
Web browser extensions are one of the simplest ways to get starting using open-source intelligence tools because they're cross-platform. So anyone using Chrome on Linux, macOS, and Windows can use them all the same. The same goes for Firefox. One desktop browser add-on, in particular, makes OSINT as easy as right-clicking to search for hashes, email addresses, and URLs.
How To: Conduct Wireless Recon on Bluetooth, Wi-Fi & GPS with Sparrow-wifi
If you're ever in a situation where you need to take a peek at the wireless spectrum, whether it's for Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices, there's a fascinating Python 3-based tool called Sparrow-wifi you should check out. It's cross-platform, easy to use, and has an impressive GUI that shows you the signal strength of nearby devices.
How To: Intercept & Analyze LAN Traffic with a Packet Squirrel & Wireshark
If you've spotted an unintended Ethernet connection and wondered what you could do with all of the information coursing through those wires, there's an easy way to hack into it and find out.
How To: Bypass File Upload Restrictions on Web Apps to Get a Shell
One of the most promising avenues of attack in a web application is the file upload. With results ranging from XSS to full-blown code execution, file uploads are an attractive target for hackers. There are usually restrictions in place that can make it challenging to execute an attack, but there are various techniques a hacker could use to beat file upload restrictions to get a shell.
How To: Control Electronics from a Browser Using MicroPython in Jupyter Notebook
If you want to control electronic devices, such as a relay or motor, you can do so using MicroPython with an ESP8266 and web browser. Usually, you'd program an ESP8266 using Arduino, but C++, which Arduino uses, is not always the easiest programming language for beginners to learn.
How To: Crack Password-Protected ZIP Files, PDFs & More with Zydra
Everybody knows not to store sensitive information in unencrypted files, right? PDFs and ZIP files can often contain a treasure trove of information, such as network diagrams, IP addresses, and login credentials. Sometimes, even certain files that are encrypted aren't safe from attackers. That's where Zydra comes in — a tool for cracking RAR files, ZIP files, PDF files, and Linux shadow files.
How To: Conduct a Pentest Like a Pro in 6 Phases
Penetration testing, or pentesting, is the process of probing a network or system by simulating an attack, which is used to find vulnerabilities that could be exploited by a malicious actor. The main goal of a pentest is to identify security holes and weaknesses so that the organization being tested can fix any potential issues. In a professional penetration test, there are six phases you should know.
How To: Scan Websites for Potential Vulnerabilities Using the Vega Vulnerability Scanner in Kali Linux
Withstanding an attack from a motivated hacker is one of the most important responsibilities a system administrator must undertake. This is especially true for websites that may contain sensitive customer information and a high volume of users. So it's important for a sysadmin to take proactive measures to find and fix vulnerabilities in their websites.
How To: Extract Bitcoin Wallet Addresses & Balances from Websites with SpiderFoot CLI
While there are completely legitimate reasons to use Bitcoin, it's also used by terrorists, drug dealers, and other shady people that need to be investigated. That's where SpiderFoot comes in, which has a command-line interface to search for Bitcoin wallet addresses on a website and query the balances associated with them.
How To: Hack Computers Over Wi-Fi with the WiFi Duck Payload Deliverer
The USB Rubber Ducky is a well-known hacking device in the cybersecurity industry, but it needs to be preprogrammed before it can be used. That means it's not easy to issue commands to a target computer since you can't interact with it from afar after plugging it in. And if you don't know what the target computer is, you might come up empty. That's where the WiFi Duck comes in handy.
How To: Code a Dead Man's Switch in Python 3 to Encrypt & Delete Files Whenever You Don't Check In
A dead man's switch is a fairly simple concept. If you don't perform a specific task before a set amount of time, it'll perform a specific action you set. They can be handy not just for hackers but for everyone who wants to protect themselves, someone else, or something tangible or intangible from harm. While there are more nefarious uses for a dead man's switch, white hats can put one to good use.
How To: Use Banner Grabbing to Aid in Reconnaissance & See What Services Are Running on the System
As we've seen with other tools and utilities, administrators typically use certain things to do their job more efficiently, and those things are often abused by attackers for exploitation. After all, hacking is just the process of getting a computer to do things in unexpected ways. Today, we will be covering various methods to perform banner grabbing to learn more about the target system.
How To: The Null Byte Guide to 3D Printing for Hackers
3D printers allow hackers and makers alike to create something from nothing. They're an incredible technology that lets you build protective cases and covers for gear such as a wardriving phone and Raspberry Pi-Hole. 3D printers can even help you out in a bind when something breaks, and it's impossible to get the part, since you can just print one out yourself.
How To: Program an ESP8266 or ESP32 Microcontroller Over Wi-Fi with MicroPython
The only thing better than programming MicroPython is programming MicroPython over Wi-Fi. So once you set up MicroPython on a microcontroller and have it on its own power source, you won't need to use a data cable to connect to it whenever you need to interact with it, program it, upload files, or grab data.
How To: Write Your Own Bash Script to Automate Recon
Automation has been a buzz word for quite some time now, but the principles behind it are as strong as ever. For a hacker or pentester, Bash scripting is one form of automation that cannot be ignored. Virtually any command that can be run from the terminal can be scripted — and should be, in many cases — to save valuable time and effort. And a Bash script just happens to be great for recon.
How To: Lock Down Your DNS with a Pi-Hole to Avoid Trackers, Phishing Sites & More
The Pi-hole project is a popular DNS-level ad blocker, but it can be much more than that. Its DNS-level filtering can also be used as a firewall of sorts to prevent malicious websites from resolving, as well as to keep privacy-killing trackers such as Google Analytics from ever loading in the browser. Let's take a look at setting a Pi-hole up and customizing a blacklist to suit your needs.
How To: Enable Offline Chat Communications Over Wi-Fi with an ESP32
PirateBox is a great way to communicate with others nearby when cellular and Wi-Fi networks aren't available. With it, you can anonymously share any kind of media or document and even talk to one another by voice — without being online. However, it needs a Raspberry Pi, which is more expensive than ESP32 boards, and if you only need a text-based chat, there's a much simpler option.
How To: Build an Off-Grid Wi-Fi Voice Communication System with Android & Raspberry Pi
When you don't have a steady cellular signal or immediate Wi-Fi access but need to communicate with others around you, you can set up an off-the-grid voice communications network using a Raspberry Pi and an Android app.
How To: Python 2 vs. Python 3 — Important Differences Every Hacker Should Know
Python is commonly touted as one of the best programming languages for beginners to learn, and its straightforward syntax and functionality makes that hard to argue with. But a lot of tutorials still use Python 2, which is outdated now. Python 3 introduces many new features, and it's important to be aware of them going forward, as well as the key differences between Python 3 and its predecessor.