Think back to the first time you installed Kali Linux. It was probably one of those moments where you realized just how many cybersecurity tools existed. Your applications menu was packed with hundreds of tools covering everything from recon and vulnerability scanning to exploitation, password attacks, wireless security and much more.
At first, it was exciting. But most beginners spend hours clicking through the menus wondering what every tool does and when they should actually use it. Unfortunately, the sheer number of applications quickly becomes overwhelming. Even if you dedicate time to learning them, chances are youβll forget many of their names simply because there are so many available. On top of that, documentation isnβt always beginner-friendly. Some projects have excellent documentation, while others assume you already know exactly what the tool is supposed to do before you even start reading.
The good news is that you donβt have to memorize hundreds of commands or remember every tool available. Instead, you can build your own arsenal of references that helps you quickly find the right tool.
In this article, weβre going to build exactly that. Weβll explore two resources called Arsenal-NG and Arsenal, both of which are designed to make finding offensive security tools, payloads, commands much faster.
Arsenal-NG
The first tool weβll look at is Arsenal-NG. The name pretty much explains what it does. Arsenal-NG is essentially a searchable collection of offensive security tools, commands, and predefined workflows. Whether youβre doing reconnaissance, exploiting a service, generating payloads, Arsenal-NG can help you find the right tool for the job.
Letβs install it.
kali > git clone https://github.com/halilkirazkaya/arsenal-ng.git
kali > cd arsenal-ng
kali > make build
Once compilation finishes, you can launch the program directly. For convenience, you may also want to move the binary into one of the directories listed in your PATH environment variable. Doing so allows you to start Arsenal-NG from any directory.Β
kali > arsenal-ng
When it starts, youβll immediately notice a large collection of tools organized inside the interface. Each tool includes predefined presets for different kinds of operations.Β
To display the complete list of available tools, simply run tools
If you already know what kind of task youβre trying to accomplish but donβt remember what tool can do it, you can use the built-in search feature. Searching by keywords makes it easy to discover them.
Once youβve found the tool you need, selecting one of its presets walks you through the required parameters. There you simply provide the requested information and let it generate the command for you.
If you need additional information about the application itself, run help.
Arsenal
Unlike Arsenal-NG, Arsenal focuses primarily on web exploitation and can be used directly from your browser. There is no installation process, making it convenient when you simply need a quick reference.
One thing worth mentioning is that the website supports multiple languages. If the interface isnβt already in English, simply switch the language using the selector in the upper-right corner. Once inside, youβll notice that the content is organized into several different sections, each designed to help with a different phase of a web penetration test.
One of them is Payloads.
This area contains a huge collection of payloads covering many different types of web vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques. Whether youβre working with command injection, SQL injection, XSS, SSTI, XXE, deserialization, or other common web vulnerabilities, chances are youβll find useful examples here.
Another valuable section is Attack Chains.
Rather than simply providing payloads, Attack Chains guide you through the overall exploitation process. They outline the sequence of steps typically required to compromise a target.
The Commands section is another good reference.
You can build the command you need by selecting the appropriate options.
Then we have Wordlists.
There are numerous wordlists organized into logical categories, making it much easier to find exactly what youβre looking for. Each category often contains several different wordlists optimized for different situations.Β
Youβll also find a large collection of Scripts.
These scripts cover a wide variety of purposes, including reconnaissance, AI-related security checks, subdomain takeovers, automation and more.
Of course, weβve only scratched the surface. Arsenal contains more additional sections that are worth exploring on your own. Spend some time clicking through the different categories and seeing what they have.
Summary
Building your own cybersecurity arsenal isnβt about memorizing every command ever written. In fact, no experienced pentester or hacker remembers every tool, every option or every payload. There are simply too many of them, and new ones are being developed all the time. Arsenal-NG and Arsenal can help you organize knowledge. They are valuable when youβre getting started and they remain just as useful years later when youβre experienced.
Since many of these tools fall into different categories, such as network pentesting, web pentesting, bug bounty hunting, and more, the best way to develop your skills is through our Member Gold subscription. It gives you access to a wide variety of training courses covering different areas.
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