Kismet in Kali Linux

Kismet is a WiFi network analysis tool. It is a powerful wireless network detector, sniffer, and intrusion detection system available in Kali Linux. It helps in analyzing wireless traffic, detecting hidden networks, and performing security assessments.

Install Kismet in Kali Linux

By default, Kismet comes pre-installed in Kali Linux. However, if it is missing, you can install it using:

$ sudo apt update && sudo apt install kismet -y

Start Kismet

Once installed, you can start Kismet using the following command:

$ sudo kismet

This will launch the Kismet server and web interface. You can access it via a web browser at http://localhost:2501

 

Configuring Kismet

Kismet requires a wireless network adapter in monitor mode. You can enable monitor mode with:

$ sudo airmon-ng start wlan0

Then, specify the interface for Kismet:

$ sudo kismet -c wlan0mon

Basic Kismet Commands

• sudo kismet -n – Run Kismet without logging.
• sudo kismet -t <logfile> – Specify a custom log file.
• sudo kismet -c wlan0mon -X – Run in headless mode.

Capturing Wireless Traffic

Kismet captures network packets and logs them in /var/log/kismet/. You can analyze these logs using Wireshark:

$ sudo wireshark -r /var/log/kismet/*.pcap

Detecting Hidden SSIDs

Kismet can detect hidden networks by analyzing network packets:

$ sudo kismet -c wlan0mon --enable-probes

 

Kismet is an essential tool for wireless network security assessments. Whether you’re analyzing network traffic, detecting hidden networks, or securing your own Wi-Fi, Kismet provides robust functionality.