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SSH Brute-force

The SSH brute-force module attempts to gain unauthorized access to SSH servers by testing multiple username and password combinations. This is crucial for assessing the security of SSH services.

Here are the different ways to use the SSH brute-force module:

With username and password file​

This command attempts SSH authentication using a specified username and a list of passwords from a file. The tool will systematically try each password in the list until a successful authentication is found or the list is exhausted. This method is particularly useful when testing against a known username.

python ./NexScan.py ssh -T 127.0.0.1 -u username -P password_list.txt

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With userfile and password​

This command allows you to test multiple usernames from a file against a single specified password. This approach is useful when you have a list of potential usernames and want to check them against a known or commonly used password. The usernames are read sequentially from the specified file, and each is tested with the provided password.

python ./NexScan.py ssh -T 127.0.0.1 -U user_list.txt -p password

With userfile and password file​

This command performs the most comprehensive SSH brute-force attempt by using both a list of usernames and a list of passwords from separate files. The tool will systematically test each username-password combination, making it an effective method for thorough security testing. However, use this option carefully as it may generate significant network traffic and could trigger security alerts.

python ./NexScan.py ssh -T 127.0.0.1 -U user_list.txt -P password_list.txt

Optional arguments for SSH brute-force:

  • -T, --target: Specifies the target for the scan.
  • -p, --password: Specify single password
  • -P, --passwordfile: Specify password list file
  • -u, --user: Specify target username
  • -U, --userfile: Specify file containing list of usernames
  • -s, --stop: Stop on first successful login
  • -v, --verbose: Enable verbose output
  • -port: Specify target port (by default 22)