{"id":25637396,"date":"2026-06-30T06:43:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T01:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/?p=25637396"},"modified":"2026-06-30T06:43:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T01:13:53","slug":"top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 Linux Commands Every Ethical Hacker Should Know (With Examples)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_79_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a43373ce3bdf\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a43373ce3bdf\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/#Introduction_Why_Linux_Matters_in_Security\" >Introduction: Why Linux Matters in Security?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/#At-a-glance_Cheat_Sheet\" >At-a-glance Cheat Sheet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/#Top_10_Linux_Commands_Every_Ethical_Hacker_Should_Know\" >Top 10 Linux Commands Every Ethical Hacker Should Know<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/#Real_Mini-Lab_Bringing_It_All_Together\" >Real Mini-Lab: Bringing It All Together<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/#Safety_and_Ethics\" >Safety and Ethics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Learning Linux tools is an inevitable part of learning for an ethical hacker. Many of these tools are essential for moving smoothly through their career projects. In this blog we will learn about the top 10 Linux commands every ethical hacker should know.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/course\/cyber-security-course-in-kerala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Learn cybersecurity from the best mentors in the industry! <\/strong><strong>Join the Entri cybersecurity course<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction_Why_Linux_Matters_in_Security\"><\/span><strong>Introduction: Why Linux Matters in Security?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Linux is the backbone of the modern internet. There are no arguments against this fact. Linus powers many things worldwide, such as:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left\">\n<li>Web servers<\/li>\n<li>Cloud infrastructure<\/li>\n<li>Enterprise databases<\/li>\n<li>Internet of things (IoT) devices<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Mastering the basics of the Linux operating system is a fundamental need, not an optional choice to make if you are planning to pursue a career as an ethical hacker, penetration tester, or any type of cybersecurity-related job.<\/p>\n<div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  style=\"display: block; margin: 0px auto;\"  id=\"_ytid_14126\"  width=\"480\" height=\"270\"  data-origwidth=\"480\" data-origheight=\"270\"  data-relstop=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tgJsXndHeCM?enablejsapi=1&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&rel=0&fs=0&playsinline=1&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"YouTube player\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The offensive environments, such as Kali Linux, Parrot Security OS, or BlackArch, as well as the target environments, have structures that are fundamentally built on Linux architecture. Therefore, the real power of a cybersecurity professional lies in understanding the Command-Line Interface (CLI). This doesn\u2019t mean graphical tools and automated scanners are unimportant. But the speed, precision, and ability to script complex, automated workflows on the fly offered by CLI are unmatched.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Other than that, mastering built-in Linux binaries allows cybersecurity professionals to operate with more stealth. The amount of forensic footprint left behind can be minimized if one relies on native tools like find, grep, or tar. This is far better than dropping custom malware or noisy executables onto a target. In this blog, we will learn about the top 10 Linux commands every ethical hacker should know and guide you on how to use them effectively to:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left\">\n<li>Navigate systems<\/li>\n<li>Manipulate files<\/li>\n<li>Analyze networks<\/li>\n<li>Conduct authorized assessments securely and effectively<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-25652093 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9SoCnyQmkzI.jpg\" alt=\"Linux Commands Every Ethical Hacker Should Know\" width=\"1080\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9SoCnyQmkzI.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9SoCnyQmkzI-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9SoCnyQmkzI-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9SoCnyQmkzI-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9SoCnyQmkzI-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9SoCnyQmkzI-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"At-a-glance_Cheat_Sheet\"><\/span><strong>At-a-glance Cheat Sheet <\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">We must learn about many things in this blog, including specifics of syntax, defensive evasion, and complex attack chains. But before going deeper, it is better to have a brief overview. We have provided below a cheat sheet table on the top 10 Linux commands every ethical hacker should know. Make use of this quick-reference guide when you need a revision or want to check out something fast during a Capture the Flag (CTF) event or when you are amid an active penetration testing assessment or even a late-night troubleshooting session.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Command<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>One-Line Purpose<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Practical Example<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>nmap<\/td>\n<td>Scans networks to find hosts and open ports.<\/td>\n<td>nmap -sV -p- 192.168.1.100<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>nc<\/td>\n<td>Reads\/writes network connections (the TCP\/IP Swiss Army knife).<\/td>\n<td>nc -lvnp 4444<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>find<\/td>\n<td>Searches the file system for specific files or permissions.<\/td>\n<td>find \/ -perm -4000 -type f 2&gt;\/dev\/null<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>grep<\/td>\n<td>Searches text data for matching string patterns or regex.<\/td>\n<td>grep -rN &#8220;password&#8221; \/var\/www\/html<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>curl<\/td>\n<td>Transfers data to or from a network server via URLs.<\/td>\n<td>curl -I [http:\/\/target.local](http:\/\/target.local)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>chmod<\/td>\n<td>Changes file access permissions.<\/td>\n<td>chmod +x payload.sh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>ssh<\/td>\n<td>Establishes secure, encrypted connections to remote systems.<\/td>\n<td>ssh -D 9050 user@10.0.0.5<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>ps<\/td>\n<td>Displays currently running processes and PIDs.<\/td>\n<td>ps aux | grep root<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>tar<\/td>\n<td>Archives multiple files into a single compressed package.<\/td>\n<td>tar -czvf exfil.tar.gz \/sensitive\/data<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>tcpdump<\/td>\n<td>Captures and analyzes network packet traffic in real-time.<\/td>\n<td>tcpdump -i eth0 -w capture.pcap<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Top_10_Linux_Commands_Every_Ethical_Hacker_Should_Know\"><\/span><strong>Top 10 Linux Commands Every Ethical Hacker Should Know<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The top 10 Linus commands every ethical hacker should know are discussed in this section.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>nmap (Network Mapper)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The nmap tool is basically network mapper. The table below discusses the attributes and usage of this tool along with examples.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Scans networks<\/li>\n<li>Finds active hosts<\/li>\n<li>Detects open ports &amp; services<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Reconnaissance phase<\/li>\n<li>Map network topology<\/li>\n<li>Identify attack surface<\/li>\n<li>Spot vulnerable service versions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ nmap -sV -p 22,80 192.168.1.50<\/p>\n<p>Starting Nmap 7.93<\/p>\n<p>PORT STATE SERVICE VERSION<\/p>\n<p>22\/tcp open ssh OpenSSH 8.2p1 Ubuntu 4ubuntu0.5<\/p>\n<p>80\/tcp open http Apache httpd 2.4.41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Masscan: ultra-fast scanning<\/li>\n<li>Rustscan: rapid sweeps<\/li>\n<li>Zenmap: GUI visualization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>IDS (e.g., Snort) flags sequential scans<\/li>\n<li>Default Nmap user-agent easily detected<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Aggressive scans (-T5, -A) may crash legacy<\/li>\n<li>OT\/IoT devices Always tune timing templates to environment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>nc (Netcat)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The nc is another that is important to learn if you are a ethical hacker. More details of the said tool are as provided below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Reads\/writes data across network connections<\/li>\n<li>Supports TCP &amp; UDP protocols<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Create reverse shells Bind shells to ports<\/li>\n<li>Quick banner grabbing<\/li>\n<li>Establish command-and-control communication<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ nc -lvnp 4444<\/p>\n<p>listening on [any] 4444 &#8230;<\/p>\n<p>connect to [192.168.1.10] from (UNKNOWN) [192.168.1.50] 53122<\/p>\n<p>root@target:~#<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>ncat: modern version with SSL<\/li>\n<li>socat: advanced bidirectional transfers<\/li>\n<li>pwncat: stabilizes raw shells<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Network monitors spot plaintext shells<\/li>\n<li>EDR flags \/bin\/sh or cmd.exe spawned by nc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Forgetting -n \u2192 DNS resolution hangs<\/li>\n<li>No encryption \u2192 traffic visible to sniffers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>find<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The find is another important tool that ethical hackers need to learn. Its specialities are as discussed below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Searches directory tree<\/li>\n<li>Matches files &amp; directories by criteria<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Post\u2011exploitation privilege escalation<\/li>\n<li>Hunt misconfigured SUID\/SGID binaries<\/li>\n<li>Locate hidden SSH keys<\/li>\n<li>Identify world\u2011writable files exploitable for root access<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ find \/ -perm -4000 -type f 2&gt;\/dev\/null<\/p>\n<p>\/usr\/bin\/passwd \/<\/p>\n<p>usr\/bin\/sudo \/<\/p>\n<p>usr\/local\/bin\/custom_backup_script<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>locate: faster, but may use outdated DB<\/li>\n<li>LinPEAS: automated privilege escalation checks (uses find internally)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Full root \/ searches cause high disk I\/O<\/li>\n<li>File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) may alert on aggressive crawling<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Omitting 2&gt;\/dev\/null floods output with \u201cPermission denied\u201d errors<\/li>\n<li>Results get buried under noise without suppression<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>grep<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Another important tool to learn is grep. All the specifics of said tools are mentioned below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Processes text line\u2011by\u2011line<\/li>\n<li>Prints lines matching strings or regex<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>Sift through config files<\/p>\n<p>Search source code directories<\/p>\n<p>Extract hardcoded credentials, API keys, or PII during enumeration<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ grep -rNi &#8220;password&#8221; \/var\/www\/html\/<\/p>\n<p>\/var\/www\/html\/config.php:22: $db_password = &#8220;SuperSecretDBPass123!&#8221;;<\/p>\n<p>\/var\/www\/html\/login.php:45: \/\/ Check if password matches<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>awk: complex text manipulation<\/li>\n<li>sed: formatting &amp; editing r<\/li>\n<li>ipgrep (rg): faster searches in large codebases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>grep is standard admin tool \u2192 rarely flagged<\/li>\n<li>DLP may catch sensitive file output piped to network sockets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Using generic terms (e.g., \u201cadmin\u201d): overwhelming output<\/li>\n<li>Not narrowing file types with \u2013include: freezes terminal with useless results<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>curl<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The curl tool is one of the basics that an ethical hacker has to learn when it comes to Linux commands. The details of the tool are as provided below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Transfers data to\/from servers<\/li>\n<li>Supports HTTP, HTTPS, FTP<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Interact with REST APIs Test web app vulnerabilities (Command Injection, SSRF)<\/li>\n<li>Inspect HTTP headers<\/li>\n<li>Download payloads directly into memory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ curl -I http:\/\/10.10.10.20<\/p>\n<p>HTTP\/1.1 200 OK<\/p>\n<p>Date: Wed, 10 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT<\/p>\n<p>Server: Apache\/2.4.41 (Ubuntu)<\/p>\n<p>X-Powered-By: PHP\/7.4.3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>wget: simple file downloads<\/li>\n<li>httpie: human\u2011readable syntax<\/li>\n<li>Burp Suite: full web proxying<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>WAFs detect default curl User\u2011Agent<\/li>\n<li>Endpoint protections trigger on downloads from malicious IPs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Forgetting -k\/&#8211;insecure \u2192 blocks self\u2011signed SSL connections<\/li>\n<li>Default behavior may fail against non\u2011trusted certs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>chmod \/ chown<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">chmod (change file permissions) and chown (change file ownership) are some of the other tools that needs to be mentioned in the list. The table below lists all the things one needs to know about the said tools.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>chmod: set read\/write\/execute rights<\/li>\n<li>chown: assign user\/group ownership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Make exploits\/payloads executable<\/li>\n<li>After root access, manipulate ownership for persistence or evasion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ chmod +x linpeas.sh<\/p>\n<p>$ ls -l linpeas.sh<\/p>\n<p>-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user 824K May 10 12:05 linpeas.sh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>chattr: make files immutable<\/li>\n<li>umask: set default permissions for new files<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Granting +x in \/tmp or \/dev\/shm is a strong IoC E<\/li>\n<li>DR monitors permission changes on critical binaries<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Using chmod 777 \u2192 noisy, insecure, poor OpSec<\/li>\n<li>Over\u2011permissive rights expose files to all users<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>ssh (Secure Shell)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Another important tool that needs to be included in our list is ssh. The detailed overview of the usage of the said tool along with examples and other specifics are provided below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Provides secure, encrypted remote login<\/li>\n<li>Executes commands over unsecured networks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Lateral movement Execute remote commands<\/li>\n<li>Set up port forwards &amp; dynamic tunnels (pivoting)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>bash\\n$ ssh -D 9050 -q -N user@10.0.0.5\\n#<\/p>\n<p>(No output, but port 9050 is now open locally to route traffic)\\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>chisel: advanced pivoting<\/li>\n<li>sshuttle: transparent proxying<\/li>\n<li>Proxychains: route tools through SSH tunnel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Defenders monitor for unusual SSH logins<\/li>\n<li>Alerts on failed brute\u2011force attempts (e.g., Fail2Ban)<\/li>\n<li>Suspicious connections from unexpected IPs flagged<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Typing exit inside nested SSH \u2192 drops lifeline to target<\/li>\n<li>Losing pivot tunnel unintentionally<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>ps \/ top<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Another important tool that needs to be in our list are ps (snapshot of running processes) and top (dynamic, real\u2011time process view). The reasons for why you should learn this tool are given below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Lists active processes<\/li>\n<li>Shows CPU\/memory usage<\/li>\n<li>Identifies process ownership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Enumerate target system<\/li>\n<li>Spot vulnerable services running as root<\/li>\n<li>Detect custom cron jobs<\/li>\n<li>Identify database processes with potential credentials<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ ps aux | grep root<\/p>\n<p>root 1 0.0 0.1 167908 11468 ? Ss 09:01 0:01 \/sbin\/init<\/p>\n<p>root 652 0.0 0.0 14564 5344 ? Ss 09:02 0:00 \/<\/p>\n<p>usr\/sbin\/sshd -D<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>htop: visual, color\u2011coded interactive viewer<\/li>\n<li>pspy: monitor processes\/cron jobs without root<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>ps\/top usage is normal admin behavior<\/li>\n<li>Security tools may flag suspicious piping of output to scripts or network streams<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Misinterpreting process ownership<\/li>\n<li>Assuming visibility = exploitability<\/li>\n<li>Must check user permissions &amp; network\/file interactions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>tar \/ zip<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">Some other tools that are also important enough to be added to this list are tar (archive &amp; compress files) and zip (package files into compressed archives). The details are as given below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Collect multiple files\/directories into one archive<\/li>\n<li>Compress to save space<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Data exfiltration<\/li>\n<li>Archive sensitive docs, DB dumps, source code<\/li>\n<li>Transfer loot quickly &amp; efficiently<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ tar -czvf loot.tar.gz \/var\/www\/html\/config \/etc\/shadow<\/p>\n<p>tar: Removing leading `\/&#8217; from member names \/<\/p>\n<p>var\/www\/html\/config\/<\/p>\n<p>\/var\/www\/html\/config\/db.php<\/p>\n<p>\/etc\/shadow<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>gzip: simple compression<\/li>\n<li>bzip2: higher compression ratio<\/li>\n<li>7z: versatile formats &amp; strong compression<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Large archives in \/tmp raise alerts<\/li>\n<li>CPU spikes + outbound transfers trigger<\/li>\n<li>DLP\/network monitoring<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Using absolute paths \u2192 preserves full directory structure<\/li>\n<li>Forgetting to delete .tar.gz \u2192 leaves forensic evidence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left\"><strong>tcpdump<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">The last tool we are going to discuss in our blog is tcpdump. The specifics of the said tool are as given below.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Attribute<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Details<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>What it Does<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Command\u2011line packet analyzer<\/li>\n<li>Captures &amp; displays network packets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Typical Pentesting Use-Case<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Network sniffing &amp; troubleshooting<\/li>\n<li>Capture plaintext credentials (FTP, Telnet)<\/li>\n<li>Monitor internal API traffic Verify reverse shell callbacks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Example Command<\/td>\n<td>$ tcpdump -i eth0 -w capture.pcap<\/p>\n<p>tcpdump: listening on eth0, link-type EN10MB (Ethernet), capture size 262144 bytes<\/p>\n<p>^C14 packets captured<\/p>\n<p>14 packets received by filter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Alternatives \/ Complementary Tools<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Wireshark: GUI packet inspection<\/li>\n<li>tshark: CLI packet inspection<\/li>\n<li>Responder: capture\/poison LLMNR &amp; NBT\u2011NS requests<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Defensive \/ Detection Notes<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Promiscuous mode generates system logs<\/li>\n<li>Admins monitor unauthorized interface state changes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Common Mistakes \/ Gotchas<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Running without filters on busy interfaces \u2192 fills disk &amp; crashes system<\/li>\n<li>Always use BPF filters to narrow capture scope<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Real_Mini-Lab_Bringing_It_All_Together\"><\/span><strong>Real Mini-Lab: Bringing It All Together<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">If you want to learn Linux commands in a way that you truly understand, then you have to chain them together in such a way that they form a logical workflow. In this sample real mini lab, we are to see a simulated scenario of how these tools connect during an assessment. This scenario will move from external reconnaissance to local enumeration and finally to data capture.<\/p>\n<table class=\" alignleft\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Phase<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Tool<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Example Command<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Result \/ Purpose<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Reconnaissance<\/td>\n<td>nmap<\/td>\n<td>$ nmap -sV -p 80 10.10.10.20<\/td>\n<td>Apache web server detected on port 80<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Interaction<\/td>\n<td>curl<\/td>\n<td>curl -i [http:\/\/10.10.10.20](http:\/\/10.10.10.20)<\/td>\n<td>Inspect headers &amp; HTML Vulnerable plugin version spotted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Exploitation &amp; Access<\/td>\n<td>nc (Netcat)<\/td>\n<td>$ nc -lvnp 4444<\/td>\n<td>Listener catches reverse shell Stable foothold established<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Enumeration<\/td>\n<td>ps \/ find<\/td>\n<td>$ ps aux | grep root $ find \/var\/www\/ -name &#8220;*.php&#8221; 2&gt;\/dev\/null<\/td>\n<td>Identify running processes Locate configuration files<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Credential Hunting<\/td>\n<td>grep<\/td>\n<td>$ grep -rNi &#8220;db_pass&#8221; \/var\/www\/html\/<\/td>\n<td>Extract hardcoded MySQL credentials<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Data Capture<\/td>\n<td>tar + ssh<\/td>\n<td>$ tar -czvf web_backup.tar.gz \/var\/www\/html\/configs\/<\/td>\n<td>Package sensitive configs Exfiltrate via SSH tunnel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Safety_and_Ethics\"><\/span><strong>Safety and Ethics<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">It is important to remember that the tools and techniques we have described in this blog should be used keeping laws and ethics in mind. What differentiates an ethical hacker from a malicious threat actor is authorization. You must never use tools like nmap, nc, or tcpdump against networks, servers, or applications that you do not own or do not have explicit, documented permission to test. Unauthorized access, scanning, or data extraction is illegal and violates computer fraud and abuse laws worldwide. Always ensure that you:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left\">\n<li>Are operating within a defined scope<\/li>\n<li>Have signed Rules of Engagement (RoE)<\/li>\n<li>Prioritize the stability and integrity of the systems you are assessing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">You should use these skills to defend, patch, and protect the systems.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/course\/cyber-security-course-in-kerala\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Join the Entri cybersecurity online course! Learn from the best in the industry!<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\">If we are talking about the ultimate workspace for cybersecurity professionals, then the answer is the Linux command line. Learning and mastering the tools discussed above will help you in not relying on automated &#8220;point-and-click&#8221; tools that you might otherwise have to use to understand how systems interact. Once you master the tools, the next step is to apply them. Like any other craft, in ethical hacking too, practical application of tools should be practiced to solidify knowledge. You can put your skills to the test by spinning up a virtual machine and joining platforms like Hack The Box, TryHackMe, etc. So, are you ready to level up? Join Entri&#8217;s online cybersecurity online course, bookmark this cheat sheet, set up your home lab, and start practicing these essential Linux commands today. Take the first step towards your dream career today!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learning Linux tools is an inevitable part of learning for an ethical hacker. Many of these tools are essential for moving smoothly through their career projects. In this blog we will learn about the top 10 Linux commands every ethical hacker should know. Learn cybersecurity from the best mentors in the industry! Join the Entri [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":90,"featured_media":25652099,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[802,2214,1904,1841],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25637396","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-cybersecurity","category-entri-elevate","category-entri-skilling"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Top 10 Linux Commands Every Ethical Hacker Should Know - Entri Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The top 10 Linux commands every ethical hacker should know are nmap, nc, find, grep, curl, chmod, ssh, ps, tar and tcpdump.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/entri.app\/blog\/top-linux-commands-ethical-hacker-should-know\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top 10 Linux Commands Every Ethical Hacker Should Know - 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