Here you will find a list of various networking, security, and pentesting tools with links to their downloads. Most are free.
Packet Capture
Wireshark – network protocol analyzer commonly used by network administrators and security
professionals to capture and analyze network traffic in real-time.
Terminal Emulators
Network Simulator/Emulators
Packet Tracer – A network simulation tool from Cisco®. With Packet Tracer you can create and configure
virtual labs. Packet Tracer works well to practice for the Cisco CCNA certification. The link
to Packet Tracer will take you to the site where you can take free courses and download
Packet Tracker.
GNS3 – network simulator that allows you to create virtual networks and test network configurations
and security defenses
Eve-NG – network emulation software that allows users to create virtual networks and test network
configurations in a safe, isolated environment. This has both a free and pay for option.
CML – network modeling and simulation tool that allows network engineers and administrators to
create virtual networks and test network configurations in a safe and isolated environment. This
tool is not free but does provide the various Cisco operating systems.
Pen and Security Testing
Parrot OS – Linux distribution based on Debian. It is primarily designed for penetration testing, digital
forensics, and privacy/anonymity research.
Nmap – Network exploration and security auditing tool that allows you to scan and map networks and
identify hosts and services on them.
Metasploit – Tool that allows you to simulate real-world attacks and test the security of your own
systems. It’s an open-source platform that provides a framework for developing and
executing exploit code against a target system. Free and pay for versions.
Kali Linux – Linux distribution that is designed for penetration testing and other cybersecurity-related
tasks.
Security Onion – Linux distribution that is designed for network security monitoring, intrusion
detection, and log management.
OWASP ZAP – Tool for web application security testing. It can be used to identify vulnerabilities in web
applications and web services.