Contents Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction What it Takes to Become a Good Hacker Chapter 2 - An Overview of Hacking Chapter 3 – Attack Types and Famous Viruses 1. Code Red 2. Sasser 3. Zeus 4. The I Love You Attack 5. Melissa 6. The Conficker Worm 7. MyDoom 8. Stuxnet 9. Crypto Locker 10. Flashback In Summary Chapter 4 – Ethical Considerations and Warnings Chapter 5 – Networking Fundamentals Understanding the OSI Model and Networking Terminology IP Addressing Essentials Subnet Masks Two Special Network Addresses MAC Addresses ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) Ports and Firewalls In Summary Chapter 6 - The Hacker’s Tool Belt Vulnerability Scanners Port Scanners Layer 4 Scanners Packet Sniffers Password Cracking Utilities Chapter 7 – Utilizing VMWare Chapter 8 – Introduction to Ping Sweeps, Port Scanning, and NMAP Ping Sweeps Operating System Identification Port Scanning NMAP Footprinting Procedures: Installing NMAP NMAP Footprinting Procedures: Ping Sweeps NMAP Footprinting Procedures: Port Scanning NMAP Footprinting Procedures: Operating System Identification In Summary Chapter 9 – Using Metasploit to Hack Devices Basic Metasploit Commands Chapter 10 – Wireless Password Hacking VMWare Wireless Password Cracking Caveats Docker Demonstration Using Reaver to Crack Passwords In Summary Chapter 11 – Web-Based Vulnerabilities SQL and SQLi Attacks Cross-Site Scripting Techniques (XSS) XSS Details and Web Browsers Ways to Prevent SQLi and XSS In Summary Chapter 12 – OpenVAS Installing OpenVAS User and Port Configuration Chapter 13 – Social Engineering Types of Social Engineering Attacks An Email from a Trusted Party A False Request for Help Baiting Targets How to Protect Yourself from Social Engineering Chapter 14 – Man-In-The-Middle Attacks How to Perform a Man-In-The-Middle Attack Chapter 15: Cracking Passwords Password Cracking Password Cracking Utilities John the Ripper Ophcrack L0phtcrack Cain & Abel In Summary Chapter 16 – Protecting Yourself from Hackers Software Updates Change Default Usernames and Passwords Use Strong Passwords Properly Configure Your Firewalls Antivirus and Antimalware Software Solutions Using VPNs Backing Up Your Data Web Browser Security Final Thoughts How to Hack Computers A Guide to Hacking Computers for Beginners Joel Tope Copyright © 2015 Joel Tope All rights reserved. Chapter 1 – Introduction The general public usually has two competing viewpoints of hackers. Some people revere them as brilliantly minded individuals while others look down on them as petty criminals. While both perceptions could be true for many expert hackers, the public’s perception has been twisted and contorted by what they see on television dramas and in the movies. Because your average user doesn’t understand how a computer or the Internet works from a technical perspective, they can’t hope to begin to understand what hackers actually do. In fact, the term ‘hacker’ usually carries a negative connotation to it. Ask any non-technical person what a hacker is, and they’ll give you a response such as, “They’re the bad guys that steal people’s credit cards, listen to my phone calls, and work with terrorist organizations.” For some reason – likely accredited to entertainment media – hackers get a bad rap and most people would instantly assume that their behaviors are illegal. These stigmas couldn’t be further from the truth, because the reality is that there are many types of hackers. Some of them are good, some of them are bad, and some lie somewhere in between. There is no single motivation that drives every hacker and no blanket statement that you can use to accurately describe every hacker in the world. Also consider that hacking isn’t an inherently evil practice and you can do it legally. Some people even like to do it for a hobby. More practically, however, some people get paid big bucks as consultants to try to hack into a corporate network in an effort to find security holes. Be forewarned, though. If you start abusing your knowledge it is a slippery slope to the dark side, and nothing good ever happens once you’re there. If your curiosity has gotten the better of you, if you just want to be able to understand what’s going on in the movies and the news, or you have a goal of becoming a competent hacker, I want to personally introduce you to hacking and guide you to achieving your goals. The problem most people have when they want to start hacking is that they find material that isn’t written for novitiates. Once you get the basics under your belt and you can actually apply the knowledge you will learn in this book, you’ll find that you are much more educated than your peers and that technology is actually pretty exciting. As the tools hackers use have changed over the last couple decades, people that take an interest and develop a passion for hacking have changed as well. Though technology is only getting more complex with each passing year, the tools hackers utilize are becoming more sophisticated – making the learning curve much less steep for newbies. In this guide, I am going to teach you a lot of valuable information about hacking such as: -What hacking is and what hacking isn’t. -Hacking terminology and hacker culture. -Types of attacks and the most famous hacks of all time. -Ethical considerations and fair warnings about becoming a hacker. -Fundamental concepts that will serve as a foundation to build hacking skills. -How to install Linux operating systems using VMWare to setup hacking tools. -Step-by-step guides for ping sweeps and port scanning. -How to map network topologies and perform reconnaissance techniques. -How to use advanced software to find security holes. This is designed to be an all-inclusive guide that will not only give you an understanding of the basic technical concepts you will need to become a hacker, but also introduce you to some fascinating software and show you step-by-step how to use it. I’m sure most of you want to get started hacking right away, but I urge you to spend time learning the basics before moving on to some of the more challenging attacks discussed in this book.