Credential Harvesting Using Site Cloning
Objective
Learn how to clone a website and capture user credentials using a tool like SEToolkit. This demonstrates the dangers of phishing and reinforces the importance of cybersecurity awareness.
Prerequisites
- Kali Linux: This lab assumes you’re using Kali Linux, a penetration testing operating system.
- Tip: If you don’t have Kali Linux installed, you can download it from here or set it up in a virtual machine using software like VirtualBox or VMware.
- Insight: Kali Linux comes pre-installed with tools like SEToolkit, making it an ideal choice for beginners.
- Basic Network Knowledge:
- You should understand terms like IP address, DNS, and HTTP/HTTPS.
- Tip: If you’re unsure, review the basics of how websites work and how they are hosted on servers.
Step 1: Launching Kali Linux
- Start your Kali Linux environment. If using a virtual machine, ensure it has internet access.
- Tip: If you encounter network issues, check your VM’s network adapter settings. Set it to NAT for internet access.
- Open a terminal by clicking the terminal icon or pressing
Ctrl + Alt + T
.
Step 2: Updating the System
Before using any tool, ensure your system and tools are up-to-date.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
- Tip: Updating ensures you have the latest features and bug fixes. Older versions of tools might not work as expected.
Step 3: Launching SEToolkit
- In the terminal, type:
sudo setoolkit
- Enter your password if prompted.
-
You’ll see a menu. SEToolkit is highly menu-driven, so navigate carefully.
- Insight: SEToolkit stands for “Social Engineering Toolkit” and is used to simulate social engineering attacks like phishing.
Step 4: Selecting the Attack Type
- From the main menu, choose:
1) Social-Engineering Attacks
- Press
1
and hitEnter
.
- Press
- In the next menu, choose:
2) Website Attack Vectors
- Press
2
and hitEnter
.
- Press
Step 5: Selecting the Attack Method
- Choose the Credential Harvester Attack Method:
3) Credential Harvester Attack Method
-
Press
3
and hitEnter
. -
Insight: This method captures user credentials (like usernames and passwords) when they interact with the cloned site.
-
Step 6: Selecting the Site Cloning Option
- From the menu, choose:
2) Site Cloner
- Press
2
and hitEnter
.
- Press
Step 7: Setting Up the Server
- SEToolkit will ask for your IP address. Find it using the command:
ifconfig
- Look for your eth0 or wlan0 interface and note the
inet
value (e.g.,192.168.1.100
). -
Enter this IP when prompted.
- Tip: The IP address allows the cloned site to host locally. If testing on another device, ensure it can connect to this IP.
- Look for your eth0 or wlan0 interface and note the
- Enter the URL of the website you want to clone (e.g.,
http://example.com
).- Tip: For better results, choose a non-HTTPS site. Many HTTPS sites may not clone perfectly due to SSL restrictions.
- Insight: HTTPS (secure websites) make phishing harder but not impossible. Learning this helps you understand how attackers adapt.
Step 8: Running the Cloned Site
- Once SEToolkit sets up the cloned site, it starts a local server.
- The terminal will show that the server is running and waiting for connections.
- Test the cloned site by opening a browser on the same network and visiting your IP address (e.g.,
http://192.168.1.100
).-
Tip: Use a private/incognito window to avoid caching issues.
-
Insight: Observe how identical the cloned site looks. This is why phishing emails are effective—they rely on convincing replicas of real sites.
-
Step 9: Capturing Credentials
-
When someone interacts with the cloned site (e.g., enters a username and password), the credentials are captured and displayed in the terminal.
- Insight: You’ll see entries like:
POST DATA: username=admin&password=1234
- This demonstrates how attackers steal sensitive information.
- Insight: You’ll see entries like:
Step 10: Cleaning Up
- Stop the SEToolkit server by pressing
Ctrl + C
in the terminal. - Clear logs or data collected during the test:
rm -rf /var/www/html/*
- Tip: Always clean up to avoid leaving unnecessary files on your system.
Additional Tips and Insights
- Test in a Controlled Environment:
- Only use this on networks and systems you own or have permission to test. Unauthorized use is illegal.
- Insight: Ethical hackers must abide by strict legal and ethical guidelines.
- Phishing Awareness:
- Observe the cloned site critically. What gives it away as fake? Use these insights to educate others on spotting phishing attempts.
- Tip: Look for mismatched URLs, lack of HTTPS, and poor grammar in phishing emails.
- Understand the Risks:
- This exercise highlights how attackers exploit trust in well-known websites. Share your learnings to promote better cybersecurity practices.
- Keep Learning:
- Experiment with different websites, but always document your findings.
- Insight: This practice will enhance your technical skills and strengthen your understanding of attack vectors.
Key Takeaways
- Credential harvesting involves tricking users into providing sensitive information on a cloned site.
- Tools like SEToolkit make it easy to replicate this attack, highlighting the need for robust awareness and defenses.
- Ethical hacking involves not only understanding how attacks work but also helping others recognize and prevent them.