Hey guys, it’s Rocky here!
If you’re serious about hacking—whether it’s bug bounty hunting, red teaming, penetration testing, or ethical hacking—you need the right tools, techniques, and resources to succeed.
In this guide, I’ll break down the best hacking tools, frameworks, and learning resources across different domains of cybersecurity. Plus, I’ll share some exclusive books (like our Linux Playbook for Hackers and Master Shell Scripting) that will take your skills to the next level.
Before we dive in, if you’re just starting out in bug bounty hunting, check out our Bug Bounty Beginner Editions—your ultimate guide to finding your first vulnerabilities and earning bounties!
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
- Reconnaissance & Enumeration
- Vulnerability Scanning & Exploitation
- Privilege Escalation & Post-Exploitation
- Web Application & API Hacking
- Red Teaming & Evasion Techniques
- Mobile & IoT Hacking
- Essential Books & Training Resources
- Final Thoughts & Where to Go Next
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1. Reconnaissance & Enumeration
Before you can hack, you need to know what to hack. Recon is the foundation of any successful attack.
Subdomain Enumeration
- Amass – The most powerful subdomain enumeration tool (passive + active modes).
- Sublist3r – Fast subdomain discovery using OSINT.
- AssetNote – Cloud-based attack surface mapping (great for bug bounties).
- Findomain – Fast subdomain finder with API integrations.
IP & Port Scanning
- Nmap – The gold standard for network scanning (
-sV, -A, --script vuln).
- Masscan – Ultra-fast port scanner (scans the entire internet in minutes).
- RustScan – Modern, blazing-fast alternative to Nmap.
OSINT & Data Gathering
- SpiderFoot – Automates OSINT across 100+ data sources.
- Maltego – Graphical link analysis for investigations.
- theHarvester – Email, domain, and employee discovery.
Historical Data & Wayback Machine
- Waybackurls – Extract URLs from Wayback Machine.
- Gau – Fetch known URLs from AlienVault & Common Crawl.
Cloud & API Recon
- CloudBrute – Find misconfigured cloud storage (AWS, Azure, GCP).
- GitDorker – Automated GitHub dorking for secrets.
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2. Vulnerability Scanning & Exploitation
Finding flaws is one thing—exploiting them is another.
Automated Scanners
- Nuclei – Fast, customizable vulnerability scanning with community templates.
- Burp Suite Pro – The best web app scanner (Active Scan, Intruder, Collaborator).
- Nikto – Classic web server vulnerability scanner.
Exploitation Frameworks
- Metasploit – The most popular penetration testing framework.
- Exploit-DB – Archive of public exploits (
searchsploit CLI tool).
- Sn1per – Automated pentesting framework for bug bounty hunters.
Web Exploitation Tools
- SQLmap – Automated SQL injection attacks (
--os-shell for RCE).
- XSStrike – Advanced XSS detection and exploitation.
- Commix – Automated command injection tool.
Password Attacks
- Hashcat – World’s fastest password cracker (GPU-accelerated).
- John the Ripper – Supports multiple hash formats.
- Hydra – Brute-force attacks on HTTP, SSH, FTP, etc.
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3. Privilege Escalation & Post-Exploitation
Got a foothold? Time to go deeper.
Linux Privilege Escalation
- LinPEAS – Automatic Linux privilege escalation checker.
- Linux Exploit Suggester – Finds kernel exploits.
- GTFOBins – Living Off the Land binaries for privesc.
Windows Privilege Escalation
- WinPEAS – Windows privilege escalation script.
- PowerUp.ps1 – PowerShell script for Windows privesc.
- Mimikatz – Dump plaintext passwords from memory.
Active Directory Attacks
- BloodHound – Visualize attack paths in AD.
- CrackMapExec – Swiss Army knife for AD exploitation.
- Impacket – Python toolkit for AD protocols (SMB, Kerberos, etc.).
Persistence & Lateral Movement
- Cobalt Strike – Advanced C2 framework for red teams.
- Sliver – Open-source alternative to Cobalt Strike.
- Chisel – Fast TCP tunneling for pivoting.
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4. Web Application & API Hacking
Web apps and APIs are goldmines for bug bounties.
Web App Testing
- Burp Suite Pro – Intercept, modify, and exploit HTTP requests.
- OWASP ZAP – Free alternative to Burp Suite.
- FFUF – Fast web fuzzing (
-w for wordlists).
API Security Testing
- Postman / Insomnia – Manual API testing.
- Arjun – Hidden parameter discovery.
- Kiterunner – Bruteforce API endpoints.
Common Web Vulnerabilities
- SQL Injection (SQLmap, manual testing)
- XSS (XSStrike, manual payloads)
- SSRF (Gopherus, Collaborator)
- JWT Attacks (jwt_tool)
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5. Red Teaming & Evasion Techniques
Bypassing defenses requires stealth and creativity.
Command & Control (C2) Frameworks
- Cobalt Strike – Industry standard for red teaming.
- Sliver – Open-source, customizable C2.
- Mythic – Modular post-exploitation framework.
AV & EDR Evasion
- Veil-Framework – Generate undetectable payloads.
- ScareCrow – EDR evasion for Windows.
- Shellter – Dynamic shellcode injection.
Lateral Movement & Exfiltration
- Chisel – Fast tunneling over HTTP.
- DNSCat2 – C2 over DNS.
- Rubeus – Kerberos exploitation.
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6. Mobile & IoT Hacking
Mobile apps and embedded devices are often overlooked.
Mobile App Testing
- Frida – Dynamic instrumentation for runtime manipulation.
- MobSF – Mobile Security Framework (static + dynamic analysis).
- Objection – Runtime mobile exploitation toolkit.
IoT & Hardware Hacking
- JTAGulator – Identify UART/JTAG pins.
- Binwalk – Firmware analysis tool.
- RouterSploit – Exploit embedded devices.
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7. Essential Books & Training Resources
Tools alone won’t make you a hacker—knowledge will.
Must-Read Books
Online Learning Platforms
- Hack The Box – Hands-on labs for pentesting.
- TryHackMe – Beginner-friendly cybersecurity training.
- Offensive Security (OSCP) – Gold standard for ethical hacking certs.
- Codelivly - Blog To Read
Bug Bounty Programs
- HackerOne
- Bugcrowd
- Intigriti
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8. Final Thoughts & Where to Go Next
Hacking is a continuous learning process. The best hackers:
✅ Stay updated with new vulnerabilities and exploits.
✅ Practice legally (only hack systems you own or have permission to test).
✅ Automate repetitive tasks (Shell scripting, Python, etc.).
Want More?
Happy Hacking! 🚀
- Rocky
What’s your favorite hacking tool? Drop a comment below! 👇
