Penetration Testing Tools
Penetration testing and security assessment tools used by authorized engineers to inspect traffic, validate vulnerabilities, and test authorization boundaries.
Software in Penetration Testing Tools
21 toolsNo tools in this category match the selected filters.
| Tool | License | Platforms | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arjun HTTP parameter discovery suite that finds hidden query and POST parameters on web endpoints. | AGPL-3.0-only | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| BeEF Browser exploitation framework for the assessment of web client and social-engineering security controls through hooked browser sessions. | GPL-2.0-only (with custom clarifications in doc/COPYING) | Linux, macOS | Free / Commercial |
| Caido Lightweight web security auditing proxy offering HTTP traffic interception and workflow automation. | Proprietary | Linux, macOS, Windows | Free / Commercial |
| Chisel TCP and UDP tunnel over HTTP secured with SSH, shipped as a single Go executable. | MIT | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| Evil-WinRM WinRM shell for Linux and Windows that supports authorized remote management, file transfers, and PowerShell execution during security reviews. | LGPL-3.0-only | Linux, Windows | Open Source |
| ffuf Fast web fuzzer written in Go for recursive directory discovery, content enumeration, and brute force scans of HTTP request parameters at scale. | MIT | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| gobuster Fast Go-based directory, DNS, and virtual host brute forcer with multiple modes for web application attack surface discovery. | Apache-2.0 | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| Impacket Python library of classes and example tools for the construction, parsing, and interaction with Windows and Active Directory network protocols. | Modified Apache-1.1 (custom; see repo LICENSE) | Linux, macOS, Windows | Free |
| Ligolo-ng Tunneling and pivoting tool that creates reverse TUN interfaces without SOCKS or port forwarding. | GPL-3.0-or-later | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| Masscan Asynchronous TCP port scanner, rated by its author at up to 10 million packets per second, for large-scale asset and network discovery in authorized environments. | AGPL-3.0-only | Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD | Open Source |
| Metasploit Framework Penetration testing framework used to verify vulnerabilities, manage security assessments, and generate payloads. | BSD-3-Clause | Linux, macOS, Windows | Free / Commercial |
| mitmproxy Interactive HTTPS proxy for intercepting, inspecting, modifying, and replaying HTTP traffic. | MIT | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| NetExec Network service assessment tool for automating authentication checks, credential sprays, and Active Directory evaluations. | BSD-2-Clause | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| Nmap Network discovery scanner and port auditor for discovering live hosts, open ports, running services, and OS fingerprints. | NPSL-0.95 (Nmap Public Source License, not OSI-approved) | Linux, macOS, Windows | Free / Commercial |
| PEASS-ng LinPEAS, WinPEAS, and macPEAS scripts that audit Linux, Windows, and macOS systems for privilege escalation paths and exposed credentials. | GPL-2.0-or-later with custom clarifications (see LICENSE) | Linux, Windows, macOS | Free / Commercial |
| Responder LLMNR, NBT-NS, and mDNS poisoner that captures network credentials and runs rogue authentication servers during authorized internal assessments. | GPL-3.0-or-later | Linux, macOS | Open Source |
| RustScan Modern Rust-based port scanner that maps open ports quickly and feeds results into Nmap for detailed follow-up service enumeration. | GPL-3.0-only | Linux, macOS | Open Source |
| SearchSploit Command-line search tool for the Exploit Database that searches a local copy of exploits, shellcodes, and papers for disclosed vulnerabilities. | GPL-2.0-or-later | Linux, macOS | Open Source |
| SecLists The security tester's wordlist collection: usernames, passwords, fuzzing payloads, and discovery lists. | MIT | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
| sqlmap Automated penetration testing tool that detects and exploits SQL injection flaws to assess database security configurations. | GPL-2.0-or-later (with sqlmap clarifications and exceptions) | Linux, macOS, Windows | Free / Commercial |
| wafw00f Web application firewall fingerprinting tool that identifies WAF products protecting a target. | BSD-3-Clause | Linux, macOS, Windows | Open Source |
About Penetration Testing Tools
Penetration testing tools help authorized security engineers validate vulnerabilities, test authorization boundaries, and verify defensive controls. The category includes intercepting HTTP proxies like Burp Suite, ZAP, and Caido that sit between a browser and web server to inspect and modify requests during web application testing. Exploitation frameworks like Metasploit provide exploit modules for validating vulnerabilities in controlled conditions. Port and service discovery tools like Nmap, Masscan, and RustScan enumerate open ports and running services across target networks. Web fuzzing and scanning tools like ffuf, Nuclei, and Dalfox probe web applications for hidden content, XSS, and misconfigurations. Post-exploitation tools like Cobalt Strike, Mythic, Sliver, and NetExec help testers simulate adversary behavior after initial access, testing detection coverage and response playbooks. The category is broad because penetration testing spans the full attack lifecycle: reconnaissance, initial access, privilege escalation, lateral movement, and data exfiltration. Tools in this category are used only against systems where the tester has written authorization, and the defensive value comes from identifying and fixing vulnerabilities before real attackers exploit them.
Covered Topics
In This Catalog
- This category lists 21 tools: 14 open source, 6 free / commercial, and 1 free.
- By platform, 21 run on Linux, 17 on Windows, and 20 on macOS.
- The most common license among the open-source tools is MIT (4 tools).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Penetration Testing Tools?→
Penetration testing and security assessment tools used by authorized engineers to inspect traffic, validate vulnerabilities, and test authorization boundaries.
What topics does the Penetration Testing Tools category cover?→
Intercepting HTTP Proxies, Network Exploitation Frameworks, Port & Service Discovery, Web Application Fuzzing, Post-Exploitation Simulation
Which Penetration Testing tools are open source?→
14 of the 21 tools in this category are open source: Arjun, Chisel, Evil-WinRM, ffuf, gobuster, Ligolo-ng, Masscan, mitmproxy, NetExec, and Responder, and 4 more.