Powerful Linux Command-Line Tricks for Security Researchers

Advanced Linux Commands for Efficiency and Effective Penetration Testing

The Linux command line is a treasure trove for ethical hackers and cybersecurity professionals. Mastering advanced commands can streamline your workflow, automate tasks, and uncover hidden vulnerabilities in target systems. This article covers advanced Linux command-line tricks with detailed explanations to help you optimize your penetration testing and ethical hacking activities.

1. File and Directory Tricks

1.1 Quickly Find All Hidden Files

find / -type f -name ".*" 2>/dev/null

• Purpose: Lists all hidden files on the system, including configuration and sensitive data files.
• Explanation:
• -type f: Searches for files only.
• -name ".*": Matches files starting with a dot, which denotes hidden files in Linux.

1.2 Search for Sensitive Configuration Files

find / -type f \( -name "*.conf" -o -name "*.cfg" \) 2>/dev/null

• Purpose: Finds configuration files (.conf or .cfg) that might contain sensitive information.