Netcat (nc
) is a powerful networking tool available on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD. It can be used for port scanning, file transfers, simple servers, reverse shells, and debugging.
What Netcat Can Do
- Port Scanning: Check open ports
- File Transfer: Send files over a network
- Simple Web Server: Serve HTTP responses
- Reverse Shell: Remote access for debugging
Install
- Debian/Ubuntu:
sudo apt install netcat-openbsd
- Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -S openbsd-netcat
- Others: Nmap Ncat, OpenBSD Netcat
Example Commands
Port Scan
File Transfer
On receiver:
On sender:
Simple Web Server
Reverse Shell
On listener:
On target: