Tools & Commands · Ethical Hacking Tools
Netcat
Connectivity · Intermediate
A small utility that reads and writes data across a network connection. In authorized administration it is often used to check whether a port accepts a connection and what banner it sends.
Think of it as a general-purpose network pipe. Administrators use it to see a service greeting. It should not be used to provide a remote control channel on a system you do not own.
Example: Connecting to port 22 on a lab server shows an SSH banner, confirming which service answered.
Git in the Zone explains security tools and attack terminology so you can recognize them and defend against them. Practice only on systems you own or have written permission to test. Nothing on this site runs a command or an exploit.
What it is for
Open a connection and exchange text or bytes with a service you are allowed to reach.
Authorized use: Use it only on systems you own or have written permission to test. Git in the Zone explains the tool; it does not launch it.
Operating systems: Common on Linux and macOS. Windows may have a compatible port or an alternative.
Language you will see
- banner
- listener
- client mode
How to read the options
- Client connection: Opens a connection to a host and port you are allowed to test and prints what comes back.
- Banner: The short greeting some services send first. It may reveal a product name that should be checked against inventory.
A service greeting
SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_9.6
The service identified itself as an SSH server. That confirms the protocol greeting, not that you have permission to log in.
Common misconception
- A banner is a clue, not a vulnerability report. The same utility can be abused as a backdoor, which is not its legitimate admin use.