Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

pwncat VS tcpdump

Compare pwncat VS tcpdump and see what are their differences

pwncat logo pwncat

pwncat - netcat on steroids with Firewall, IDS/IPS evasion, bind and reverse shell, self-injecting shell and port forwarding magic - and its fully scriptable with Python (PSE)

tcpdump logo tcpdump

tcpdump is a common packet analyzer that runs under the command line.
  • pwncat Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-29
  • tcpdump Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-27

pwncat features and specs

  • Versatile
    Pwncat is a versatile tool that combines multiple functionalities like reverse shell handling, file transfer, and automated privilege escalation, making it a comprehensive tool for penetration testers.
  • Automation
    It automates many tasks that would otherwise require manual intervention, saving time and effort during penetration testing and post-exploitation operations.
  • Compatibility
    Pwncat works across different platforms and environments, providing a consistent experience regardless of the operating system being targeted.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source tool, pwncat allows for community contributions, transparency, and the ability to modify the code to fit specific needs.

Possible disadvantages of pwncat

  • Complexity
    The wide range of features can make pwncat complex to use for beginners who are not familiar with penetration testing tools.
  • Development Activity
    The activity level of the project's development can vary, which might affect the availability of updates or new features over time.
  • Security Risks
    Like any post-exploitation tool, improper use or vulnerabilities within the tool itself could potentially lead to security risks or unintentional exposure.
  • Dependencies
    Pwncat requires certain dependencies and configurations to be set up correctly, which may present a challenge to ensure compatibility and proper function.

tcpdump features and specs

  • Powerful packet capturing
    tcpdump offers comprehensive capabilities for capturing network packets, providing detailed insights into network traffic, which makes it a powerful tool for network diagnostics and analysis.
  • Wide compatibility
    Being a widely used tool, tcpdump is compatible with numerous operating systems, including Linux, Unix, and macOS, ensuring accessibility across different platforms.
  • Filter flexibility
    tcpdump supports a wide range of filtering options that allow users to capture specific types of traffic, ensuring efficient and targeted packet capture.
  • Command-line interface
    tcpdump is a command-line tool, which provides advanced users the ability to script and automate tasks, making it highly efficient for those familiar with command-line operations.
  • Free and open-source
    tcpdump is open-source software, which means it is freely available for use and can be modified and distributed by anyone, fostering a community of users and contributors.

Possible disadvantages of tcpdump

  • Steep learning curve
    For users unfamiliar with command-line interfaces and packet-level networking, tcpdump can be difficult to learn due to its complex commands and options.
  • Minimal graphical interface
    tcpdump lacks a graphical user interface (GUI), which can make it less accessible for users who prefer visual tools over text-based interfaces.
  • Limited analysis capability
    While tcpdump is excellent for capturing packets, it offers limited built-in analysis features, requiring additional tools for comprehensive analysis of captured data.
  • High resource usage
    Running tcpdump with extensive capture options or on high-traffic networks can result in significant CPU and memory usage, potentially impacting system performance.
  • Security risks
    tcpdump requires root or elevated privileges to capture packets, which could pose security risks if not managed correctly, especially on sensitive systems.

pwncat videos

pwncat make stable Shell

More videos:

  • Review - À la découverte de PWNCAT-CS 🔗

tcpdump videos

Tcpdump - Protocol Review 5 (TCP)

More videos:

  • Review - Tcpdump - Protocol Review 3 (UDP)
  • Review - Tcpdump - Protocol Review 4 (DNS) - Draft

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to pwncat and tcpdump)
Monitoring Tools
20 20%
80% 80
Log Management
21 21%
79% 79
Network & Admin
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
20 20%
80% 80

User comments

Share your experience with using pwncat and tcpdump. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare pwncat and tcpdump

pwncat Reviews

We have no reviews of pwncat yet.
Be the first one to post

tcpdump Reviews

6 Best Wireshark Alternatives for Windows and macOS
The quickness that you can have with tcpdump over Wireshark is awesome. It is one of those tools that many network administrators prefer whenever they need to take a look at the actual network packets that are being transmitted. The Tcpdump is not as feature rich as Wireshark but the output of its packet dump can be used as input by other programs. Moreover, It can be used...
Source: techwiser.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing pwncat and tcpdump, you can also consider the following products

Packet Sender - Packet Sender can send and receive UDP, TCP, and SSL on the ports of your choosing.

Wireshark - Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer for Unix and Windows. It lets you capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network.

socat - socat is a relay for bidirectional data transfer between two independent data channels.

Ettercap - Ettercap is a suite for man in the middle attacks on LAN.

PortMapper - Do you need to map a specific TCP or UDP port on your machine to another port on another machine?

SmartSniff - SmartSniff is a packet sniffer that capture TCP/IP packets and display them as sequence of conversations between clients and servers.