Hacking Tools 2026
50 essential offensive and defensive tools — installation, core usage, performance optimisation, pitfalls and modern alternatives.
Recon-ng — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
Modular reconnaissance framework with workspaces, modules, and a database backend — the Metasploit of OSINT.
Hacking Tools 2026Hydra — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
Network login brute-forcer for 50+ protocols — SSH, RDP, FTP, SMB, HTTP forms, telnet.
Hacking Tools 2026Shodan CLI — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
Command-line client for Shodan, the search engine for internet-connected devices and exposed services.
Hacking Tools 2026Wireshark — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
The reference network protocol analyser — captures, dissects, and visualises traffic across 3000+ protocols.
Hacking Tools 2026Maltego — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
Visual link-analysis platform for OSINT — graph relationships between people, domains, IPs, and infrastructure.
Hacking Tools 2026tcpdump — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
Command-line packet capture — universally available, scriptable, and fast enough for 10Gbps interfaces.
Hacking Tools 2026Burp Suite — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
PortSwigger's industry-standard web application testing proxy — Pro is the bug-bounty hunter's default tool.
Hacking Tools 2026Responder — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
LLMNR/NBT-NS/mDNS poisoner — captures NTLMv2 hashes from Windows clients leaking name resolution requests.
Hacking Tools 2026OWASP ZAP — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
The free, open-source Burp alternative — full proxy + scanner + automation framework, maintained by OWASP/Checkmarx.
Hacking Tools 2026ffuf — Install, Use, Optimise (2026)
Fast Go-based web fuzzer — directory busting, parameter discovery, virtual host enumeration. Fastest in class.