How to use the command 'kismet' (with examples)
Kismet is a powerful tool used to detect wireless networks and devices, analyze packets, perform wardriving, and function as a wireless intrusion detection system (WIDS). It offers a comprehensive set of features for monitoring and analyzing wireless communications.
Use case 1: Capture packets from a specific wireless interface
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0
Motivation: Capturing packets from a specific wireless interface is useful when you want to monitor the traffic and analyze the activity on a particular network. By specifying the interface, you can focus on a specific network or device.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0: Specifies the wireless interface (in this case, wlan0) to capture packets from.
Example output: The command starts capturing packets from the wlan0 interface and displays various details about the wireless networks and devices in the terminal.
Use case 2: Monitor multiple channels on a wireless interface
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0,wlan1 -m
Motivation: Monitoring multiple channels on a wireless interface allows you to capture packets from different networks simultaneously. This can be helpful in scenarios where you want to analyze and compare the activity of multiple networks or devices.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0,wlan1: Specifies multiple wireless interfaces (wlan0 and wlan1) to capture packets from.-m: Enables channel hopping, which allows the monitoring of multiple channels within a specific wireless interface.
Example output: The command starts capturing packets from both wlan0 and wlan1 interfaces, continuously hopping between different channels. The output displays details about the networks and devices detected on each channel.
Use case 3: Capture packets and save them to a specific directory
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0 -d path/to/output
Motivation: Saving captured packets to a specific directory is useful for later analysis or long-duration monitoring. By specifying the output directory, you can easily organize and access the captured data.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0: Specifies the wireless interface (wlan0) to capture packets from.-d path/to/output: Sets the output directory for saving the captured packets.
Example output: The command starts capturing packets from the wlan0 interface and saves them to the specified directory (e.g., “path/to/output”) in a format suitable for further analysis.
Use case 4: Start Kismet with a specific configuration file
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0 -f path/to/config.conf
Motivation: Using a specific configuration file allows you to customize Kismet’s behavior and settings according to your requirements. This includes defining specific channels, filters, or other parameters.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0: Specifies the wireless interface (wlan0) to capture packets from.-f path/to/config.conf: Specifies the path to a configuration file that defines custom settings for Kismet.
Example output: The command starts Kismet with the provided configuration file (e.g., “path/to/config.conf”), applying the defined settings for monitoring and capturing packets from the wlan0 interface.
Use case 5: Monitor and log data to an SQLite database
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0 --log-to-db
Motivation: Logging captured data to an SQLite database allows for efficient storage and easy querying and analysis of the collected information. This is particularly useful for long-term monitoring and tracking trends.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0: Specifies the wireless interface (wlan0) to capture packets from.--log-to-db: Enables logging of captured data to an SQLite database.
Example output: The command starts capturing packets from the wlan0 interface and simultaneously logs the data to an SQLite database. The output provides real-time updates on the captured networks and devices, as well as information about the database status.
Use case 6: Monitor using a specific data source
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0 --data-source=rtl433
Motivation: Using a specific data source allows you to capture and analyze wireless communications from different technologies or protocols. In this example, the rtl433 data source is used to monitor and interpret data transmitted by various wireless sensors and devices.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0: Specifies the wireless interface (wlan0) to capture packets from.--data-source=rtl433: Specifies the specific data source to use for monitoring (in this case, rtl433).
Example output: The command starts capturing packets from the wlan0 interface and interprets wireless sensor data received through the rtl433 data source. The output displays information about the decoded sensors’ readings and other device-specific details.
Use case 7: Enable alerts for specific events
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0 --enable-alert=new_ap
Motivation: Enabling alerts for specific events can help you stay informed about specific activities or anomalies related to wireless networks or devices. In this example, the “new_ap” alert is enabled, which will trigger a notification whenever a new access point is detected.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0: Specifies the wireless interface (wlan0) to capture packets from.--enable-alert=new_ap: Enables the “new_ap” alert, which triggers an alert whenever a new access point is detected.
Example output: The command starts capturing packets from the wlan0 interface and notifies the user whenever a new access point is detected. The output displays details about the newly detected access points and provides alerts for each occurrence.
Use case 8: Display detailed information about a specific AP’s packets
Code:
sudo kismet -c wlan0 --info BSSID
Motivation: Viewing detailed information about a specific access point’s packets allows you to analyze the communication and activity of a particular network. By specifying the BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier), you can focus on a specific access point of interest.
Explanation:
sudo: Runs the kismet command with root privileges.kismet: The command itself.-c wlan0: Specifies the wireless interface (wlan0) to capture packets from.--info BSSID: Specifies the BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier) of the access point for which detailed packet information is desired.
Example output: The command starts capturing packets from the wlan0 interface and provides detailed information about the packets transmitted by the specified access point (identified by the BSSID). The output includes details such as packet type, source and destination addresses, packet size, and other relevant information.
Conclusion:
Using the kismet command, you can capture wireless packets, monitor multiple channels, save captured data, customize configuration, log to a database, monitor specific data sources, enable alerts, and view detailed information about specific access points. These versatile use cases demonstrate the wide range of capabilities offered by Kismet as a wireless network and device detection tool.
