Description:
HackersPlaybook is a comprehensive, open-source guide tailored for ethical hackers, penetration testers, and cybersecurity professionals. It delves into critical topics such as operational security (OPSEC), vulnerability scanning, exploit development, network security, secure communications, and ethical hacking techniques. This repository equips you with in-depth knowledge and hands-on methods to sharpen your cybersecurity skills—unfiltered, straightforward, and without any holds barred, so you can truly understand threats and build defenses.
⚠️ Direct Warning: These tools and insights are strictly for authorized, ethical testing only. Any unauthorized misuse—like hacking without permission, data theft, or system disruption—carries severe legal consequences, including hefty fines or prison time. We bear no responsibility for misuse; it's all on you.
- Introduction
- Getting Started
- Key Concepts
- Techniques & Tools
- Penetration Testing Phases
- Ethical Considerations
- Contributing
- License
- Additional Resources
- Updates & Changes
Welcome to HackersPlaybook! 🚀
In a world where cyber threats mutate like viruses every day, this repository is your ultimate playbook for ethical hacking and cybersecurity dominance. Whether you're a newbie just learning reconnaissance or a seasoned hacker fine-tuning advanced evasion tactics, you'll find everything here: from no-BS practical guides to real-world hack examples.
Our mission? To build a community of responsible hackers who strengthen the digital world—not tear it down. Dive in, experiment (safely, of course), and remember: Knowledge is power, but ethics is the bedrock. No censorship or restrictions—we lay it all out plain and simple: Hacking without permission is a heavy crime, but mastering it can save the world.
Why HackersPlaybook?
- Curated Content: Proven techniques drawn from industry standards like OWASP, NIST, and real bug bounty experiences.
- Practical Focus: Real examples, no fluff—straight to the point.
- Community-Driven: Open for contributions to keep it fresh.
- No Limits: We explain every technique openly, even the "sensitive" ones, so you can exploit and defend effectively.
Jump in with these simple steps. No prerequisites beyond a basic dev setup.
git clone https://github.com/Arash-Mansourpour/HackersPlaybook.git
cd HackersPlaybookKick off with the Key Concepts section to nail down OPSEC and secure comms basics. Then hit the Vulnerability Guide for a deep dive into common attack vectors.
- OS Recommendation: Go with privacy-focused distros like Tails, Whonix, or Kali Linux.
- Essential Tools: Install via package managers (e.g.,
apt install nmap burpsuite metasploit-framework). - Virtualization: Run it all in a VM (VirtualBox or VMware) to isolate your test lab.
- Dependencies: Ensure Python 3+, Git, and Docker are good to go for custom scripts and containers.
Pro Tip: Test first in controlled labs like TryHackMe or HackTheBox—jumping to real systems without prep is a recipe for trouble.
OPSEC is the backbone of ethical hacking—shielding your identity and ops from adversaries. Follow these 10 no-holds-barred best practices to stay ghosted and secure:
- Anonymity First: Build a throwaway persona (fake name, email, address). Route all traffic through VPN + Tor—never leak your real IP.
- Encrypted Channels: Use Signal, Wire, or ProtonMail for comms; Wickr for self-destructing messages.
- Darknet Navigation: Enter via trusted VPNs; stick to Monero/Zcash for crypto txns—Bitcoin's traceable as hell.
- No Real Footprints: Steer clear of personal details; boot Tails or Qubes OS in a VM.
- Full Encryption: Lock down disks with LUKS/VeraCrypt and enable 2FA everywhere.
- Password Mastery: KeePassXC for unique 20+ char passphrases—weak ones mean game over.
- DNS & Firewall: Switch to Quad9/Cloudflare DNS; fire up UFW or pfSense for traffic lockdown.
- Anonymity Layers: Dive into I2P or Freenet for hidden services.
- Evasion Plays: Chain VPNs, hop IPs, and obfuscate traffic like a pro.
- Vigilance Loop: Monitor with Wireshark; deploy honeypots; audit logs relentlessly—assume nothing's safe.
Fortify your ops base with these 10 steps—raw and unfiltered:
- Secure Foundation: Install Tails or Whonix for amnesic, air-gapped work.
- VPN Lockdown: Pick no-log providers like Mullvad or IVPN—others log and sell you out.
- Data Vault: Encrypt drives with VeraCrypt; shred sensitives post-use.
- Comms Shield: Signal for E2EE; ditch SMS/email for ops—they're traceable.
- Browser Armor: Tor or Brave with uBlock Origin and HTTPS Everywhere.
- Risk Radar: Avoid public Wi-Fi; ClamAV-scan all downloads.
- Auth Arsenal: 2FA via Authy or hardware keys (YubiKey).
- Patch Patrol: Automate updates with
unattended-upgrades. - Stealth Search: DuckDuckGo or Startpage—no tracking bullshit.
- Paranoia Mode: Always assume you're compromised; air-gap high-stakes machines.
Explore field-tested techniques integrated with tools. Each section packs usage examples and extras.
Map the battlefield before striking.
| Tool | Description | Example Command | Key Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nmap | All-purpose port scanner & service enum | nmap -sV -A -T4 target.com |
Host discovery & vuln probing |
| Masscan | High-speed banner grabber | masscan -p80,443 10.0.0.0/8 |
Massive IP sweeps |
Pinpoint web flaws with surgical precision.
| Tool | Description | Example Command | Key Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burp Suite | Proxy & scanner for web vulns | Intercept via FoxyProxy | SQLi/XSS hunting |
| OWASP ZAP | Open-source web app scanner | zap.sh -cmd -quickurl target |
Automated crawling |
Forge and deploy payloads ethically—but effectively.
| Tool | Description | Example Command | Key Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metasploit | Exploit framework | msfconsole; use exploit/multi/http |
Payload crafting |
| Exploit-DB | Public exploit archive | Search via searchsploit |
PoC testing |
Lock down your intel tight.
- PGP/GPG: Encrypt files/emails:
gpg --encrypt --recipient keyfile.txt. - ProtonMail: E2EE email with zero-knowledge—no one peeks.
- Signal: Quantum-resistant E2EE messaging with vanishing messages.
- Extras: OTR for off-the-record chats; Noise Protocol for custom setups.
A handpicked arsenal of common vectors. For each, we break down definition, impact, detection, and mitigation—unvarnished, so you can exploit to learn and defend. (Drawn from OWASP Top 10 and real bug bounties—we spill it all.)
Bug bounties pay researchers to hunt vulns, turning flaws into fixes. Why it matters: Responsible disclosure patches holes—platforms like HackerOne/Bugcrowd have shelled out millions. Blunt truth: Great side hustle for ethical hacks, but the competition's brutal.
- XXE (XML External Entity) Injection: Inject rogue XML to slurp files or SSRF. Impact: Sensitive data leaks. Detection: Parse XML payloads. Mitigation: Disable external entities in parsers—or hackers feast.
- Command Injection: Slip OS commands via unsanitized inputs. Impact: Full RCE. Tool: Burp Intruder fuzzing. Example:
; ls -lain a search field. - Log Forgery (Coloration): Tamper logs to ghost tracks or fool probes. Mitigation: Immutable logging—but most setups suck.
- JWT Attacks: Forge tokens for auth skips or data dumps. Detection: None/weak algos. Fix: RS256 + full validation—no shortcuts.
- CSRM (Cross-Site Request Manipulation): Twist user requests for unauthorized moves. Mitigation: Ironclad CORS—but it's always leaky.
- DOM-based XSS (DUMXSS): Client-side script injection. Impact: Session theft. Detection: Sink tracking. Tool: DOMPurify sanitize. Example:
document.location = 'javascript:alert(1)'. - Uploader Vulns: Upload malware for RCE/data exposure. Mitigation: MIME validation—or webshells slide right in.
- HTTP Request Smuggling: Warp HTTP requests for breaches/access. Detection: CL.TE mismatches. Impact: WAF bypasses.
- Open Redirect: Funnel users to phishing/malware URLs. Fix: Domain whitelists—blacklists fail hard.
- Basic Auth Web Server: Weak auth exposes creds. Mitigation: HTTP/2 + MFA—basic auth's an open door.
- DUM Base: DB misconfigs (exposed schemas). Tool: sqlmap auto. Impact: Total DB dump.
- Insecure Serialization: Chain gadgets for RCE. Fix: Safe deserializers—but Java/PHP's riddled with bugs.
- SQL Injection: Inject bad SQL to twist queries. Impact: Data dumps or table wipes. Detection:
' OR 1=1--. Tool: sqlmap--dbs. Mitigation: Prepared statements—lazy devs skip 'em. - XSS (Cross-Site Scripting): Inject scripts for session hijacks/keylogs. Types: Reflected/Stored/DOM. Example:
<script>alert(document.cookie)</script>. Fix: CSP + escaping. - RCE (Remote Code Execution): Run arbitrary code on vuln systems. Tool: Metasploit modules. Impact: Server takeover.
- SSRF (Server-Side Request Forgery): Forge requests to internal/external services. Mitigation: URL whitelists—but internals leak easy.
- Clickjacking: Trick clicks on hidden UIs. Fix: X-Frame-Options: DENY. Impact: Fake button presses.
- SPF Issues: Email spoofs via DKIM/DMARC holes. Detection: Header checks. Impact: Killer phishing.
- Session Fixation: Lock session IDs for hijacks. Mitigation: Regenerate on login—but sessions go stateless.
- XST (Cross-Site Tracing): Exploit TRACE/DEBUG via XSS for leaks. Fix: Disable TRACE.
- XML Injection: Twist app logic with bad XML. Like XXE, but simpler.
- Directory Traversal:
../paths to snag unauthorized files. Detection: Path norm fails. Example:../../../etc/passwd. Mitigation: Canonicalize paths.
- Conventional: Vuln exploits, manual pentests (OWASP-style)—step-by-step, no rush.
- Unconventional: Zero-days (hunt unknowns), advanced social engineering (OSINT pretexting)—like impersonating a CEO for cred leaks. Harsh fact: Social eng wins 80% of hacks, not code.
Beyond basics: Nikto for web scans, sqlmap for DB assaults, John the Ripper/Hashcat for hash cracking (GPU-boosted). Evasion: Proxychains + Tor.
- Secure Coding: Input validation, least privilege—never trust user input.
- Audits: Auto (SonarQube) + manual—weekly.
- Responsible Disclosure: Report to owners first; stick to CVD.
- Bounties: Start with VDPs; chase high-impact reports—pays well.
Structured like a pro engagement—no shortcuts:
- Anonymity: VPN + Tor stack.
- Comms: ProtonMail setup.
- Wallet: Monero for op funding.
- Persona: Burner IDs.
- Markets: Scout ethical analogs (e.g., Dread forums)—but darknet's scam central.
- Services: OnionScan for .onion intel.
- Forums: Engage smart—gather without spilling.
- DBs: Exploit-DB hunts.
- Scanning: Nmap sweeps.
- Web: ZAP fuzzing.
- Fuzzing: AFL++ for binaries.
- Exploits: Custom Metasploit RC scripts.
- Execution: Payload drops.
- Persistence: Meterpreter sessions.
- Exfil: Encrypted tunnels (SSH).
- Cleanup: Timestomp artifacts—leave no trace.
- Reporting: Detail impacts, PoCs, fix recs.
- Remediation: Aid patching—ethics kicks in here.
⚖️ Ethics Above All: This repo's for defensive, authorized use only. Unauthorized access breaks laws like CFAA (US) or global equivalents—bluntly: Millions in fines or long jail stints.
- Get Consent: Always snag written permission (MoU)—sans it, you're a criminal.
- Responsible Disclosure: Findings to owners first; CVE if fits.
- No Harm: Skip DoS, data nukes, or critical infra hits—even in tests.
- Community Good: Give back; mentor noobs.
Doubtful? Hit up lawyers or certs like OSCP/CEH—we provide tools, choices are yours.
Love PRs! Fork, branch, submit via GitHub. Nail accuracy, clarity, ethics. Check CONTRIBUTING.md for deets. Ideas: Add fresh techniques, code samples, or vuln updates.
This project rocks the Apache License 2.0—peek LICENSE for the fine print. Switched from MIT for better IP protection and enterprise compat; allows use/mod/dist but mandates attribution and patent disclaimers.
- Books: "Hacking: The Art of Exploitation," "The Web Application Hacker's Handbook."
- Courses: OSCP, eJPT, PortSwigger Academy (free).
- Communities: Reddit r/netsec, ethical hack Discords, DEF CON talks (YouTube vids).
- Extra Tools: Wireshark for packets, Ghidra for RE, BloodHound for AD attacks.
- October 14, 2025: License to Apache 2.0; vuln sections beefed up; pentest phases fleshed out; resources added.
- Future Versions: Monthly drops for new vulns (e.g., Log4Shell sequels).
Thanks for joining the HackersPlaybook crew! 🔒 Hack bold, but smart—make the digital world tougher. Got Qs? Drop an issue or hop on Discord.
Last Updated: October 14, 2025