10 Pentesting Tools to Know in 2025

Key Features of Penetration Testing Tools 

Attack Simulation

Penetration testing tools utilize attack simulation to replicate real-world cyber threats, enabling security professionals to assess an organization's defenses. These simulations range from network intrusion attempts to web application exploits, mimicking techniques used by malicious actors. By leveraging automated scripts and configurable attack scenarios, these tools provide insights into system vulnerabilities without causing actual harm.

Advanced tools incorporate machine learning to adapt attacks dynamically, enhancing the realism of the simulation. These capabilities allow security teams to refine defense mechanisms, patch vulnerabilities, and improve incident response strategies based on simulated attack findings.

Platform Compatibility

Platform compatibility refers to a penetration testing tool's ability to function across various operating systems and environments. This ensures that tools are versatile and can integrate with the diverse technological ecosystems deployed by modern organizations. With different operating systems in use, a compatible tool offers the flexibility needed to test security on multiple platforms without significant configuration adjustments.

A tool that performs well across platforms ensures consistent testing results, reducing potential discrepancies that might arise from using multiple tools for different systems. It also means that teams can simplify operations by relying on one set of familiar tools, minimizing training requirements and error risks.

Scalability

As organizations grow, their infrastructure becomes more intricate, requiring tools that can handle increased data and larger environments efficiently. High scalability ensures that the tool can manage diverse scenarios, from small networks to sprawling, multilayered systems without performance degradation.

Scalable tools enable organizations to conduct tests without excessive resource consumption. Efficient resource utilization means companies do not need to invest in additional hardware or software when their operational scope expands.

Reporting Capabilities

These tools should generate detailed, customizable reports that cater to different stakeholders, ranging from technical teams needing granular data to executives requiring high-level summaries. Effective reporting aids in transparent communication of risks and assists in decision-making processes regarding future security investments or strategies.

Reports from these tools should present data in a clear and easily interpretable format. This allows organizations to quickly grasp the severity and implications of identified vulnerabilities and track the progress of remediation efforts over time.

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Learn more in our detailed guide to pentesting report.

Regular Updates and Community Support

Regular updates in penetration testing tools are essential to address new security vulnerabilities and threats that emerge constantly. These updates ensure that tools remain effective in identifying the latest risks and that their databases are current with signature files necessary for spotting novel exploits. Community support also aids in improving a tool's utility.

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Active user communities contribute to an ongoing exchange of tips, experiences, and best practices, which enriches the knowledge base surrounding the tool's use. This collective knowledge helps users troubleshoot issues, craft more effective testing strategies, and adapt to new challenges.

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10 Notable Penetration Testing Tools 

1. Pynt

Pynt is an API security testing solution that offers automated API Pentesting reports in a click.

Key features include: 

• Contextual Analysis for Business Logic Vulnerabilities: One of Pynt's key strengths is its ability to perform contextual analysis of APIs within the specific business logic they operate in. Unlike DAST, which often lacks the depth to understand API-specific nuances, Pynt excels in identifying complex business logic vulnerabilities that may not manifest in straightforward operational scenarios. By harnessing the power of the existing functional tests Pynt dynamic security engine comprehends the underlying logic and ensures the security of APIs within their intended business context.
• Early Integration in SDLC: Pynt promotes a "shift left" approach to API security, integrating seamlessly into the early stages of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This early integration reduces development delays and associated costs. By identifying security weaknesses at the outset, Pynt empowers developers to address vulnerabilities more efficiently, ensuring cost-effective security.
• Comprehensive Code Coverage: Pynt offers comprehensive code coverage by analyzing response payloads. It goes beyond the limitations of DAST, which lacks access to source code. Pynt's ability to review the entire application ensures that even modules not executed at runtime or indirectly linked to the user interface are thoroughly examined.
• Integration with Development and CI/CD Tools: Pynt seamlessly integrates with existing development and CI/CD tools, making it a valuable addition to the DevSecOps pipeline. This integration ensures that security becomes an integral part of the development process, enhancing overall efficiency and reliability.

Pynt's specialization in API security testing bridges the gaps, offering contextual analysis, early integration, comprehensive coverage, and seamless integration, Pynt is tailored to meet the evolving challenges of API security in modern development environments. It differentiates itself by providing a holistic approach that addresses not just general vulnerabilities but also severe business context issues within which APIs operate.

2. Kali Linux

Kali Linux is an open-source penetration testing platform for security professionals. Built on Debian, it provides a suite of tools for penetration testing, security research, computer forensics, and reverse engineering. Its primary focus is to simplify the process of setting up a secure testing environment, enabling users to concentrate on the task at hand. 

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License: GNU GPL

Repo: https://www.kali.org/docs/general-use/kali-linux-sources-list-repositories/

Key features include:

• Pre-installed tools: Offers tools for tasks such as information gathering, vulnerability analysis, exploitation, and final reporting.
• Multi-platform availability: Supports multiple platforms, including mobile devices (via Kali NetHunter), ARM-based devices, cloud environments, virtual machines, and Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).
• Customizability: Allows users to tailor the platform to their needs through metapackages and an ISO customization process.
• Kali everywhere: Provides various deployment options, such as Live USBs, pre-built virtual machine images, and bare-metal installations.
• Undercover mode: Enables discreet use in public or sensitive environments by mimicking a standard desktop interface.

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3. Burp Suite

‍Burp Suite is a security assessment and penetration testing tool for web applications. Developed by PortSwigger, it is used by cybersecurity professionals for identifying and addressing vulnerabilities in web-based systems. Available in Community, Professional, and Enterprise editions, Burp Suite offers a range of features tailored to varying levels of testing needs. License: CommercialKey features include:‍

• Burp proxy and interceptor: Acts as a proxy server, allowing penetration testers to intercept and modify HTTP requests and responses.
• Burp site map: Automatically or manually crawls target URLs to create a structured map of web application endpoints.
• Burp logger and HTTP history: Logs HTTP requests and responses during web crawling, enabling testers to analyze captured traffic for vulnerabilities.
• Burp scanner: (Professional and Enterprise Editions) Automates vulnerability scanning, identifying weaknesses like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS).
• Burp repeater: Allows testers to send repeated HTTP requests with customizable modifications.

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Source: PortSwigger

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‍4. Wireshark

Wireshark is a free and open-source packet analyzer used for network security assessments, troubleshooting, and penetration testing. Initially launched as Ethereal, it was renamed Wireshark in 2006. The tool excels at capturing and analyzing live network traffic to help security professionals uncover vulnerabilities in systems and applications.License: GPL-2.0Repo: https://github.com/wireshark/wiresharkGitHub stars: 7K+Contributors: 1K+Key features include:‍

• Packet capture: Allows real-time capture of network traffic from Ethernet, Wi-Fi (802.11), PPP, and other network types.
• Promiscuous and monitor modes: Supports promiscuous mode to capture all traffic visible to a network interface and monitor mode for wireless networks.
• Protocol analysis: Understands and parses hundreds of networking protocols, displaying their encapsulation and field structures in an easy-to-read format.
• Filtering and display options: Provides filtering capabilities to isolate specified traffic types.
• TShark: A terminal-based version of Wireshark, offering similar functionalities in a command-line environment.

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5. John the Ripper

John the Ripper is a password-cracking tool to test the strength of password security. Initially developed for Unix-based systems, it now runs on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and others. It helps penetration testers to identify weak or easily guessable passwords. It supports a range of password hash types, including DES, MD5, Blowfish, Kerberos AFS, and Windows LM hashes.License: GNU GPLRepo: https://github.com/openwall/johnGitHub stars: 10K+Contributors: 100+Key features include:‍

• Multi-platform support: Compatible with a range of operating systems and architectures.
• Password hash detection: Automatically identifies the type of hash used in encrypted passwords.
• Dictionary attack: Uses wordlists containing dictionary words or previously cracked passwords, encrypting them with the same algorithm as the target hash and comparing outputs.
• Incremental mode (brute force): Tries every possible plaintext combination, prioritizing common character sequences based on frequency tables.
• Single crack mode: Leverages user-related data such as usernames, full names, and home directory names to generate likely password candidates.

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Source: OpenWall

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Invicti is an application security testing solution to discover, assess, and resolve web application vulnerabilities. It leverages a combination of dynamic (DAST) and interactive (IAST) application security testing, ensuring more coverage and fewer missed vulnerabilities. By integrating security checks directly into the software development lifecycle (SDLC), Invicti helps teams identify and mitigate risks earlier in the development process.License: CommercialKey features include:‍

• Discovery and crawling: Identifies and scans all web assets, including undocumented or unauthorized ones.
• Risk assessment: Uses AI-backed Predictive Risk Scoring to prioritize the most at-risk assets.
• Detection: Combines DAST and IAST techniques to detect more vulnerabilities.
• Resolution: Reduces manual effort with automation, assigning confirmed vulnerabilities to developers, and providing detailed documentation to expedite fixes.
• Integration: Embeds security into the development workflow with tools that provide immediate feedback to developers.

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Source:

6. New Relic Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)

New Relic offers a platform for application monitoring and security testing, integrating visibility, vulnerability detection, and remediation directly into the development process, helping teams identify and mitigate vulnerabilities before they become critical issues.License: CommercialKey features include:‍

• Visibility: Provides full visibility into protected and unprotected applications, uncovering hidden threats and monitoring remediation status.
• Accurate vulnerability detection: Pinpoints vulnerabilities in real time across the application stack, eliminating false positives through automated validation.
• Proactive security: Tests and verifies vulnerabilities with proof of exploit, enabling developers to secure applications against both known and unknown threats during development.
• Accelerated remediation: Offers guided remediation steps and built-in guardrails, making it easy for developers to fix vulnerabilities while keeping development on track.
• Integrated context: Combines observability and security data, enabling enhanced context for identifying and addressing high-risk vulnerabilities.

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Source: New Relic

7. Hashcat

Hashcat is a password recovery tool used for penetration testing to assess and strengthen password security. Available on Linux, macOS, and Windows, Hashcat supports both CPU and GPU processing, enabling it to handle a range of password-cracking tasks efficiently. It works with numerous hashing algorithms, including MD5, SHA-family, Unix Crypt, and specialized formats like those used in MySQL and Cisco PIX.License: MITRepo: https://github.com/hashcat/hashcatGitHub stars: 21K+Contributors: 100+Key features include:‍

• Algorithm support: Handles a broad spectrum of hash types, including LM, MD4, MD5, SHA, bcrypt, and more.
• Multi-platform capability: Supports both CPU and GPU processing using OpenCL.
• Flexible attack modes: Offers multiple attack modes such as brute-force, dictionary, hybrid, mask, and rule-based attacks.
• Optimized performance: Uses advanced optimizations, such as single-hash and single-salt kernels, to maximize cracking speed while minimizing resource usage.
• Customizable workflows: Provides configuration options, including mask definitions, rule customization, and adjustable workload levels.

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Source: Hashcat

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‍8. Nmap

Nmap (Network Mapper) is a network scanning tool to discover hosts, services, and vulnerabilities in computer networks. By sending packets and analyzing the responses, Nmap helps penetration testers assess the security of devices and identify potential weaknesses. It supports a range of scanning capabilities, including host discovery, port scanning, and OS fingerprinting, and can adapt to network conditions like latency and congestion.License: Nmap Public Source License Version 0.95Repo: https://github.com/nmap/nmapGitHub stars: 10K+Contributors: <10Key features include:‍

• Host discovery: Identifies active devices on a network by checking their responses to TCP, ICMP, or specific port probes.
• Port scanning: Enumerates open ports on target hosts to determine accessible services and potential entry points.
• Version detection: Determines application names and version details for services running on open ports.
• OS fingerprinting: Uses TCP/IP stack analysis to detect the operating system and hardware details of network devices.
• Scripting engine: Allows interactions with targets using the Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) and Lua.

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Source: Nmap 

‍9. Nessus

Nessus, developed by Tenable, is a tool for vulnerability assessment in penetration testing. It automates the identification of vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and missing patches across various operating systems, devices, and applications.License: CommercialKey features include:‍

• Vulnerability scanning: Detects software flaws, malware, and misconfigurations across IT environments.
• Scoring systems: Prioritizes vulnerabilities using CVSS v4, EPSS, and Tenable’s Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR).
• Customizable reports: Generates detailed and configurable reports to meet the needs of different stakeholders.
• Pre-built templates: Offers pre-configured policies and scan templates to simplify setup and save time.
• Cross-platform deployment: Supports deployment on various platforms, including cloud environments, on-premises systems, and even Raspberry Pi.

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Source: Tenable

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‍Conclusion

Penetration testing tools play a pivotal role in strengthening cybersecurity by identifying vulnerabilities and providing actionable insights to mitigate risks. By simulating real-world attacks, these tools help organizations proactively address security gaps and enhance their overall defense strategies. Regular use of these tools ensures that security measures remain effective against evolving threats, helping organizations protect their systems, data, and users.