Building Your Technical Skills

BASICSTECHNICAL SKILLS

Pixl8d3d

12/11/20232 min read

"Certifications and degrees will only take you so far, but real hands-on experience is far more valuable than a piece of paper. Tailor your own path, like tailoring your won tools and scripts. So just get out there and start hacking!"

The Key to Hacking

You’ve mastered the fundamentals. Read all about phishing, SQL injections, and buffer overflows. Set up your home lab with Kali Linux ready to go. When it comes to actually developing those ninja hacker skills though, where do you start? What technical abilities will serve as your trusty tools and weapons as you dive into the world of ethical hacking?

Mastering a few key technical skill sets paves the way for effective hacking down the road. Consider developing proficiency in these areas:

Linux Terminal: More Than Just Fancy Typing

While fancy Hollywood hacking depicts furiously fast keyboard smashing, the Linux terminal is so much more than that. Understanding the Linux command line provides the foundations for administering systems, scripting custom programs, and launching attacks.

Start by learning basic Linux terminal navigation, file manipulation commands, user permissions, and networking tools. Master redirecting input/output, chaining commands with pipes, and writing simple bash scripts. As you advance, explore network scanning tools like Nmap and hostname lookups with Dig.

With Linux skills, you can control your hacking environment and customize scripts for ethical breaches. The Linux terminal may not look flashy, but it’s an incredibly powerful tool for hacking. Some of the most adept hacking masters out there could perform assessments without ever needing a GUI desktop, if necessary. You won’t live in the terminal, but you should be comfortable in one.

Python & PowerShell Scripting: Automate All The Things

What if you could automate your hacking processes? Enter Python and PowerShell scripting. These languages allow you to program custom tools for ethical hacking tasks:

  • Extract metadata from files

  • Crawl web applications

  • Brute force login pages

  • Scrape data from APIs

  • Conduct SQL injections

  • Deploy exploits like buffer overflows

The possibilities are endless. While coding may seem intimidating as a new skill, start small with basic scripts and work upwards. Learn how to import libraries, manipulate strings, leverage conditional logic, handle errors, and more.

With practice, you’ll be cranking out hacker tools tailored to your unique needs. Custom scripts provide flexibility to hack smarter rather than harder. Combined with Bash scripting to work streamline Linux tasks, and maybe another language like Rust or Golang, and you’ll be on your way to creating even more complex tools and programs on your hacking journey.

Must-Have Hacking Tools: Nessus, Metasploit, Hashcat and More
  • Beyond programming your own scripts, get familiar with go-to hacker tools like Nessus, Metasploit, and Hashcat. These tools form your trusty utility belt:

  • Nessus – As one of the most popular vulnerability scanners, use Nessus to scan networks and systems for security flaws. It launches exploits to reveal holes ranging from missed system updates to poor configuration policies. Learn to customize scans and interpret the detailed reports.

  • Metasploit – This framework contains hundreds of exploits for penetration testing. Use the Metasploit payloads and encoders to compromise target systems. From remote code execution to bypassing anti-virus, Metasploit helps ethically demonstrate vulnerabilities.

  • Hashcat – The premier password cracking tool, Hashcat can crack hashes by brute force, dictionary attacks, mask attacks, and more. Supporting over 200 hash types, it leverages the GPU for faster cracking.

Other Tools:
  • Wireshark – Inspect network traffic for malicious activity with deep packet analysis.

  • Aircrack-ng – Bruteforce passwords hashed files and use wordlists.

  • sqlmap – Probe for SQL injection flaws in web apps.

  • nmap – Flexibly scan and enumerate networks/hosts.

Expand Your Skills: MITM, OSINT, Git, Shodan, Virtualization

Round out your technical abilities with these additional skills:

  • MITM Framework – Execute “man-in-the-middle” attacks by intercepting communications between parties. Useful for session hijacking, analysis, and demonstrating flaws.

  • OSINT Framework – Conduct open source intelligence gathering to collect data from public sources during reconnaissance. Apply tools like Maltego.

  • Git – Master version control with Git for managing hacking code and scripts. Store your projects securely using GitHub or GitLab.

  • Shodan – Scour the internet for vulnerable devices and servers with this search engine. Uncover publicly facing systems and pinpoint targets.

  • PimEyes – Conduct facial recognition queries on this database to demonstrate privacy concerns regarding biometrics.

  • NIST Framework – Understand security frameworks like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for vulnerability assessments and governance models.

  • Virtualization – Set up virtual test environments with VMware Workstation, VirtualBox or QEMU to simulate networks and safely execute attacks.

Level Up Your Hacking

With foundational knowledge formed, it’s time to cement technical skills for effective hacking. Master the Linux terminal, write custom scripts, wield hacking tools, and expand your abilities through MITM attacks, OSINT gathering, Git version control, Shodan queries, facial recognition, security frameworks, and virtualization. Construct your personal hacker toolkit through hands-on practice as you pursue ethical hacking mastery!

Many will tell you that the key to your success will be found with formal training, certifications, or starting with a support role to move your way up. And this plan has worked for several decades. But, and this is my personal opinion, I say dive in and get your hands dirty. Certifications and degrees will only take you so far, but real hands-on experience is far more valuable than a piece of paper. No one plan is for everyone, so you have to tailor one for your own experiences, like tailoring your own tools and scripts. So just get out there and start hacking!

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