Kismet – Complete Guide

Introduction

Kismet is a powerful wireless network detector, sniffer, and intrusion detection system. It allows you to capture and analyze wireless packets from networks, detect hidden networks, and monitor wireless traffic in real-time.

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Installation

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install kismet -y

macOS (Homebrew)

brew install kismet

Windows

Windows installation can be done via Cygwin, but it is not officially supported.

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Main Features

1. Network Detection

Kismet can detect and list nearby wireless networks, even those that are hidden (non-broadcast SSID networks).

kismet

Explanation: Launches Kismet’s interactive interface to start monitoring networks.

2. Packet Sniffing

Kismet captures packets from all networks it detects. You can save these packets for later analysis.

kismet -t capturefile.pcap

Explanation: Saves the captured data to a .pcap file, which can be analyzed using tools like Wireshark.

3. WEP and WPA Cracking Integration

Kismet can work with Aircrack-ng and other tools to perform WEP/WPA cracking. It helps in capturing the necessary packets for further analysis.

4. Signal and Client Monitoring

You can monitor the signal strength, channel usage, and connected clients for each network detected.

kismet -c wlan0mon

Explanation: -c specifies the wireless interface in monitor mode.

5. Intrusion Detection

Kismet can detect certain types of network attacks, such as deauthentication attacks or unauthorized access points. It will alert you to any unusual activity.

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References

• Official Website
• Project GitHub