50 Tools Used by Hired Hackers and Their Costs

In the constantly evolving world of cyber threats, hackers for hire deploy a myriad of tools to compromise systems, exfiltrate data, and create havoc. Some of these tools are legitimate and designed for ethical hacking, while others are maliciously used. This comprehensive list will introduce you to 50 such tools and their associated costs, though it’s essential to note that using these tools for illegal purposes can result in severe legal consequences.

Open-source/Free Tools:

1. Nmap (Network Mapper): A versatile tool for network discovery and security auditing. It can be used to detect devices running on a network and find open ports along with various attributes of the network.
2. Wireshark: A powerful network protocol analyzer, this tool lets users capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network.
3. Metasploit: With its vast collection of exploits, Metasploit is invaluable for penetration testers. The community version is free, but there are paid versions available with additional functionalities.
4. John the Ripper: This password cracking tool is often used to identify weak passwords. The community version is free, but the pro version, offering more features, comes at a cost.
5. Hydra: A fast and flexible password-cracking tool that supports many protocols.
6. OWASP ZAP: A free, open-source web application security scanner for finding vulnerabilities in web apps.
7. SQLmap: A tool that automates detecting and exploiting SQL injection flaws, and taking over database servers.
8. Kali Linux: A penetration testing and ethical hacking Linux distribution that comes preloaded with a plethora of tools.
9. Aircrack-ng: A suite of tools to assess Wi-Fi network security, particularly useful for WEP/WPA/WPA2 cracking.
10. Burp Suite Community Edition: A popular tool for web security testing. The pro version, with advanced capabilities, is priced upwards.

Paid Tools:

11. Burp Suite Professional: An advanced version of Burp Suite, offering enhanced web vulnerability scanning and other features. It can cost around $399/year.
12. Nessus: A widely used vulnerability scanner. The professional version can cost about $2,390/year.
13. Acunetix: A web vulnerability scanner, its price can range from $4,500 upwards depending on the version.
14. Hashcat Pro: A powerful password recovery tool with advanced features. Its price starts at around $100.
15. Cobalt Strike: A threat emulation software, often misused by hackers, priced at $3,500/year.
16. NetSparker: A web application security solution, its licenses can start from $4,995/year.
17. IDM UltraCompare: While mainly used for text comparison, it’s also used in hash comparisons in hacking. Pricing starts around $80.

Tools with Variable Pricing:

18. Shodan: Known as the “hacker’s search engine,” it finds devices connected to the internet. While there’s a free version, memberships with additional capabilities can start from $59.
19. Maltego: A forensic tool that offers data mining and information gathering. Prices can vary based on editions, starting from around $1,000/year.
20. Canvas: A penetration tool that allows for the easy discovery of vulnerabilities. Its pricing depends on the modules selected.

Hardware Tools:

21. Wi-Fi Pineapple: Designed for wireless penetration testing, it can range from $100 to $200 based on the model.
22. Rubber Ducky: A USB device that acts as a keyboard and can inject malware, priced around $45.
23. LAN Turtle: A discreet hardware tool offering stealthy remote access, costing around $50.
24. Proxmark3: A device for RFID and NFC card reading. Depending on the model, it can cost from $100 to $300.
25. USBKill: A device that tests power surges and kills devices, priced around $13.

Darkweb Tools:

Prices can be highly variable, and availability can be ephemeral. Examples include:

26. RATs (Remote Access Trojans): Prices can range from $5 to over $50.
27. Crypters: Used to hide malware, they can cost from $10 to $150.
28. Exploit Kits: These can cost anywhere from $80 to thousands of dollars.
29. DDoS Services: Depending on the scale and duration, prices can range from $10 to $200 per hour.
30. Bulletproof Hosting: Hosting resistant to takedown requests. Pricing is highly variable, depending on requirements.

Specialty Tools:

31. Mimikatz: Used to extract plaintexts passwords, hashes, and Kerberos tickets from memory.
32. Cain & Abel: A password recovery tool for Windows.
33. BitWhisper: Exploits air-gapped computers.
34. Gh0st RAT: A remote access tool used for targeted attacks.
35. FOCA: Gathers public info to find potential security risks in an organization’s network.

Evasive Tools:

36. Tor Browser: Facilitates anonymous communication on the Internet.
37. Tails: A live OS focused on privacy and anonymity.
38. I2P: An anonymous network layer.
39. PsExec: Enables execution of processes on other systems.
40. Sub7: A Windows backdoor trojan horse.

Emerging Tools:

41. BloodHound: Uses graph theory to reveal hidden relationships in an Active Directory environment.
42. PowerShell Empire: A post-exploitation framework that leverages the PowerShell language.
43. Cuckoo Sandbox: An open-source software for automated dynamic malware analysis.
44. MobSF: A mobile security framework for pen-testing and malware analysis.
45. Inferno: A stress testing tool.

Old But Gold:

46. LOIC (Low Orbit Ion Cannon): A popular tool for launching DoS and DDoS attacks.
47. RCS (Remote Control System): A malware toolkit.
48. Stuxnet: A malicious worm.
49. DarkComet: A remote access trojan.
50. Angry IP Scanner: An open-source tool for quickly scanning IP addresses and ports.

Conclusion:

While this list provides an overview of tools commonly used by hackers, it barely scratches the surface of the vast cybersecurity ecosystem. It’s crucial to stay informed and vigilant as new tools emerge and threats evolve. Remember, knowledge is the best defense.