Laboratory Setup
Nov 28, 2025
Set up laboratory environment for practice
Hypervisor or Virtual Machine Monitor
Kali Linux
Victim Machines
Network Setup in Virtual Box
Important Note
• It is illegal to perform any kind of hacking activity on
vulnerable machines on the Internet / Intranet that does
not belong to us.
• Learners of Ethical Hacking must not use any vulnerable
machines available on the internet.
• DISCLAIMER – Learners of this course must not use any
vulnerable machines available on the internet.
• If any LEGAL action is taken against them, then TCE will
not be responsible.
Nov 28, 2025
3
Requirements for Laboratory Setup
a) Hypervisor Software
• VMware, VirtualBox
b) Attacker System
• Kali Linux ISO, Parrot Security, Backbox, etc.
c) Victim System
• Windows XP, Windows 7
• Metasploitable machines (Metasploitable 2 and Metasploitable 3)
4
(a) Hypervisor or Virtual Machine Monitor
• Hypervisor is a software that creates and runs virtual machines (VMs).
• It allows one host computer to support multiple guest VMs (different
operating systems).
• By virtually sharing its resources, viz. memory, network interface, storage and
processing.
• Well-known hypervisor softwares: VMware, VirtualBox.
• In our demonstration shall use VirtualBox.
• We shall download and install the latest version of virtual
box from: [Link]
5
(b) Kali Linux
• Kali Linux is an open-source, Debian-based Linux distribution.
• It contains thousand of tools that can be used for practicing
penetration testing, security research, computer forensics and reverse
engineering.
• Some other OS, like Parrot Security, can also be used for same purpose.
However for the beginners we recommend to use Kali Linux.
• To install Kali Linux in Virtual box, the disk image file can be
downloaded from: [Link]
6
(c) Victim Machines
• Metasploitable Machines: These are intentionally vulnerable (i.e.
insecure and hackable) virtual machines designed for training, exploit
testing, and general target practice.
• Metasploitable 2: vulnerable Linux based virtual machine.
• Metasploitable 3: vulnerable Windows based virtual machine.
• We can also install some older machines such as Windows XP for
practice.
7
Network Setup in Virtual Box
• By default virtual box uses Network Address Translation (NAT).
• In NAT mode the Virtual OS is separated from outside (i.e., HOST
system).
• The virtual box itself allocates virtual IP’s to systems installed inside it.
• We can check that all OS installed in VM have the same IP address.
• We can connect to the Internet in this mode.
• To establish connection between host as well as other systems
installed inside virtual box, the best option is to enable Bridge
Adapter mode.
8
Alternatives
• Software setup in virtual box demands high RAM and storage.
• Minimum 4GB RAM, 30-40 GB storage.
• If we do not have such system, then we can use Live Kali Linux.
• Kali Linux in flash/pen drive.
• If we do not have windows system, then alternatively we can install
tools available in Kali such as NMAP, Metaexploit etc. in Unix/Linux
based system.
10
System Hacking
Nov 28, 2025
System Hacking
• What?
– Compromise of computer systems and
software
• Why?
– To access a target computer and steal / misuse
information stored therein
• How?
– Password cracking
Nov 28, 2025
11
Session Outcomes
Analyze the possibilities of launching password
attacks on any information system.
Nov 28, 2025
12
Topics to be covered
Password Cracking -Methods
Demonstration of Dictionary Attack
John The Ripper
Hydra
Nov 28, 2025
13
Password Cracking
• Set of techniques used to recover passwords from
computer systems.
• Attackers use this techniques to gain unauthorized access
to the vulnerable system.
• Most of these techniques are successful due to weak or
easily guessable passwords.
Nov 28, 2025
14
Some statistics..
A new cyberattack occurs every 44 seconds.
Roughly 2000 cyber attacks per day.
Four out of Five breaches are somehow related
to passwords.
Courtesy: [Link]
Research Study: University of North Georgia
Nov 28, 2025
15
Password Authentication - Basics
• Are passwords stored in our computers/web servers?
• How are the passwords stored???
User Name Password
admin admin
student student
Scott tiger
User Name H(password)
admin 8c6976e5b5410415bde908bd4dee15dfb167a9c87
3fc4bb8a81f6f2ab448a918
student 264c8c381bf16c982a4e59b0dd4c6f7808c51a05f6
4c35db42cc78a2a72875bb
Scott f15c16b99f82d8201767d3a841ff40849c8a1b812ffb
fd2e393d2b6aa6682a6e
Nov 28, 2025
16
Password Authentication - Basics
• User password stored as h(password)
• Hash function h : strings -> strings
– Given h(password), hard to find password
• When user enters password
– System computes h(password)
– Compares with entry in password file
– No passwords stored on disk
Nov 28, 2025
17
Password Files
Unix Systems
file\etc\password
Windows
C:\Windows\System32\config\SAM
Nov 28, 2025
18
Password Cracking Methods
• Shoulder Surfing
• Social Engineering
• Rule Based Attacks
• Brute-Force Attack
• Dictionary Attack
• Password Guessing
Nov 28, 2025
19
Password Cracking Methods
• Default passwords
• Trojan / Key logger
• Wire sniffing
• Rainbow Table
Nov 28, 2025
20
Shoulder Surfing
Looking at the user's keyboard or screen while he/she is logging in.
In May 2023, a shoulder surf victim in the UK lost 70,000 pounds. It constituted
his personal and business funds after he visited a busy pub.
In France, a gang was arrested for stealing over 153,000 euros after peering over
victims’ shoulders and watching them type in PIN codes at cashpoint machines.
Info Courtesy: [Link]
Nov 28, 2025
21
Social Engineering
Nov 28, 2025
22
Bruteforce Attacks
Nov 28, 2025
23
Dictionary Attacks
Nov 28, 2025
24
Dictionary Attacks
Create a dictionary of commonly used passwords.
Compute the hash of each of the password and store it in a
table 1(pwd, h(pwd))
Get the password file (user, h(pwd))
Compare table 1 and password file. If there is a match, the
corresponding pwd in Table 1 is the password.
Nov 28, 2025
25
Demonstration
Nov 28, 2025
Demonstration using John the Ripper
Nov 28, 2025
27
Demonstration using Hydra
Nov 28, 2025
28
Demonstration using Hydra
Nov 28, 2025
29
Nov 28, 2025
Nov 28, 2025