Essential Hacking Tools for the Modern Hacker: Editors, Version Control, Dot Files, Backups and Automation

Many professionals utilize hacking tools for testing network security, automating tasks, managing software projects, and more. Let's explore some essential tools in the world of ethical hacking and system management.

Editors: Command Line and Graphical Interfaces

Command Line: Vim
Vim is a highly customizable text editor designed to make text editing efficient. It is an upgraded version of the vi editor found in most UNIX systems. Vim is popular among programmers due to its ability to handle the intricate demands of coding directly from the command line.

Modes in Vim: Vim operates in several modes, primarily:
- Normal Mode: for navigating within files and making edits.
- Insert Mode: for inserting text.
- Visual Mode: for selecting blocks of text.

Here's how you can move and edit within Vim without using the mouse:

h       # Move left
j       # Move down
k       # Move up
l       # Move right
i       # Switch to insert mode
Esc     # Return to normal mode
dd      # Delete a line
yy      # Copy a line
p       # Paste a line

Graphical Interfaces:

Sublime Text: Known for its fast performance and user-friendly interface, it also provides a wide range of plugins.
Atom: A customizable text editor developed by GitHub, supporting many plugins and themes.

Version Control: Git and Beyond

What is Version Control?
Version control systems are tools that help manage changes to source code over time. They keep track of modifications in a special kind of database. If a mistake is made, developers can go back to earlier versions of the code to help fix the mistake while minimizing disruption to all team members.

Popular Systems:

Git
Mercurial
SVN

Key Concepts:

Commits: Snapshots of your entire repository at specific times.
Branches: Allows for branching off from the main development line to work independently without impacting the main line.
Remotes: Versions of your project hosted on the Internet or network.
Merge Conflicts: Occurs when two branches have made edits to the same line of a file or when one file has been deleted while the other has been edited.

Git Commands:

git status              # Check the status of changes
git add .               # Stage all changes
git commit -m "Message" # Commit changes
git commit --amend      # Amend the previous commit
git checkout branch_name # Switch branches

Dot Files: Customizing Your Setup

What are Dot Files?
Dot files are hidden files in Unix-like systems that are used to store user-specific settings. They are called "dot files" because they typically start with a dot, for example, .bashrc or .gitconfig. Dot files were created as a way for Unix systems to keep user configuration files uncluttered and out of the way in the home directory listings, focusing on user files instead.

Advantages of Dot Files:
-Personalization: Personalize your system environment.
-Consistency: Maintain consistent settings across multiple machines by versioning these files and pushing them to a Git repository.

Security:Dot files can improve security by consolidating system configuration, enabling strict version control, backup, and review, thus preventing misconfigurations that could lead to security vulnerabilities.

Backups: Ensuring Data Integrity

3-2-1 Backup Rule:

Have at least three total copies of your data.
Store the copies on two different media.
Keep one backup copy offsite.

Considerations:

Avoid storing all backup data in the same place.
Ensure backups cannot be deleted from a single source.

Using Borg for Backup:
Borg is a backup program that can remove duplicate data while also offering compression and authenticated encryption. Its key features include the efficient storage of multiple versions of large folders and files across various locations, making it an ideal option for backing up substantial amounts of data with minimal storage needs.

Regarding Cloud Storage: Platforms such as Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox immediately reflect changes. Consequently, if data is accidentally or maliciously deleted, it may be lost from all synced locations. These services are not recommended for secure, long-term backups.

Automation: Efficiency at its Best

What is Automation?
Automation refers to the process of making a system operate automatically without the need for human intervention.

Advantages:

Reduces the likelihood of human error.
Saves time and increases productivity.

Using Cron for Automation:
Cron is a time-based job scheduler in Unix-like computer operating systems. It enables users to schedule jobs (commands or scripts) to run periodically at fixed times, dates, or intervals.

0 5 * * * /path/to/script.sh # Runs script.sh at 5:00 AM every day

Conclusion

For hackers, be it ethical or security experts, the right tools not only define efficiency but also ensure the security and integrity of their work environments.