# Kali Linux Course #546: Social Engineering Toolkit (SET)
## Section 1: Introduction to the Social Engineering Toolkit (SET)
The Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) is an essential tool for penetration testers and cybersecurity professionals who want to simulate advanced social engineering attacks. Developed by TrustedSec, SET is specifically designed for penetration testing and is integrated with Kali Linux, which provides a robust environment for security professionals. In this section, we will cover the installation and configuration of SET on Kali Linux, step-by-step usage, real-world use cases, and detailed technical explanations to help you master this powerful tool.
### Installation and Configuration on Kali Linux
Installing SET on Kali Linux is straightforward since it comes pre-installed in the latest versions of Kali. However, it is crucial to ensure that you have the latest version and that it is properly configured.
#### Step 1: Update Your Kali Linux System
Before installing or configuring any tool, it is a good practice to update your Kali Linux system. Open a terminal and execute the following commands:
"`bash
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
"`
#### Step 2: Verify SET Installation
To check if SET is already installed, you can run:
"`bash
setoolkit
"`
If it launches, you have SET installed. If not, you can install it using the following command:
"`bash
sudo apt install set
"`
#### Step 3: Launching SET
To run SET, simply type the following command in your terminal:
"`bash
sudo setoolkit
"`
You will be greeted by an interactive menu, which is the starting point for using all the features of SET.
### Step-by-Step Usage
SET offers various attack vectors, such as phishing, credential harvesting, and more. We’ll go through a typical usage scenario: creating a phishing attack.
#### Step 1: Selecting an Attack Vector
Once you have launched SET, you’ll be presented with a menu. For a phishing attack, select option `1` for "Social-Engineering Attacks".
"`plaintext
1) Social-Engineering Attacks
2) Penetration Testing
3) Third Party Modules
4) Update the Social-Engineering Toolkit
5) Exit
"`
#### Step 2: Choose the Phishing Attack Option
After selecting option `1`, you will see several sub-options. Choose option `2` for "Website Attack Vectors".
"`plaintext
1) Website Attack Vectors
2) Credential Harvester Attack
3) Mass Mailer Attack
4) Exit
"`
Select option `2`, which will allow you to create a credential harvester.
#### Step 3: Set Up Your Phishing Page
You’ll need to define where to get the phishing page from. SET provides predefined templates or allows you to create a custom one. For this example, let’s use a predefined template.
Set a location for the phishing page when prompted. The default location is typically `http://your IP address` followed by the page name.
#### Step 4: Start the Attack
Once everything is set up, SET will provide you with a link to the phishing page. Share this link with your target. The moment they enter their credentials, you will capture that information.
#### Step 5: Testing and Exploitation
To verify the effectiveness of your phishing page, you can use various tools to ensure your simulated attack does not trigger any alerts. Take note of how the captured credentials are logged.
### Real-World Use Cases
#### Use Case 1: Phishing Simulation for Employee Training
Many organizations deploy phishing simulations to educate employees about security awareness. By using SET, you can create realistic phishing scenarios that allow employees to experience and recognize phishing attempts.
#### Use Case 2: Testing Web Application Security
SET can be utilized to test the robustness of web applications against social engineering attacks. This helps in identifying weaknesses in authentication systems and improving overall security posture.
### Detailed Technical Explanations
SET operates by leveraging several techniques to simulate social engineering attacks. Understanding these techniques is crucial for executing effective penetration tests. Here are a few key concepts:
1. **Phishing:** The act of pretending to be a trustworthy entity to obtain sensitive information. SET simplifies the creation of phishing pages that mimic legitimate sites.
2. **Credential Harvesting:** The process in which captured data (like usernames and passwords) is stored securely for analysis.
3. **Payloads:** SET includes various payloads that can be used after a successful social engineering attack. For instance, reverse shells can be deployed post-access.
### External Reference Links
– [SET Official Documentation](https://github.com/trustedsec/social-engineer-toolkit)
– [Kali Linux Documentation](https://www.kali.org/docs/)
– [Phishing Best Practices](https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/security/email-security/what-is-phishing.html)
– [OWASP Top Ten: A2 – Broken Authentication](https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/)
### Code Examples
To help you further, here are some example commands and configurations you might find useful when working with SET:
#### Launching SET
"`bash
sudo setoolkit
"`
#### Selecting Phishing Options
"`plaintext
1) Social-Engineering Attacks
2) Website Attack Vectors
"`
#### Accessing Logs for Harvested Credentials
The captured credentials are typically stored in a text file in the `~/set/` directory. Access them using:
"`bash
cat ~/set/last_credentials.txt
"`
### Conclusion
The Social Engineering Toolkit is a powerful resource in the ethical hacker's toolkit. By learning how to effectively use SET, you can simulate real-world attacks, providing invaluable insights into security vulnerabilities. This section has provided you with the foundational knowledge to get started with SET, and in the following sections, we will dive deeper into more advanced techniques and configurations to further enhance your skills in penetration testing.
—
Made by pablo rotem / פבלו רותם