Creating Phishing Websites Using Kali Linux: Ethical Hacking and Awareness

Introduction

Phishing is a form of cyberattack where attackers create fraudulent websites or communications that appear to be from legitimate sources, with the intent to deceive users into revealing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, credit card details, or other personal data. These phishing websites typically mimic the look and feel of trusted entities, like banks, social media platforms, or online stores, making it difficult for users to distinguish between real and fake sites.

While phishing attacks are illegal and unethical when used maliciously, they serve as important tools in penetration testing and ethical hacking. In this article, we will explore how Kali Linux can be used to create phishing websites for educational and ethical hacking purposes, allowing security professionals to simulate attacks, understand their mechanisms, and develop better defenses.

1. What is Phishing and How Does it Work?

Phishing attacks often rely on deception to manipulate victims into providing sensitive information. These attacks are typically delivered via email, social media messages, or direct messaging. The attacker impersonates a trusted entity, such as a bank, government institution, or social media platform, and sends the victim a message that urges them to visit a website.

The fraudulent website created in a phishing attack closely resembles the legitimate website, including logos, design, and even URLs that are similar to the original domain. Once the victim enters their login credentials or other personal details on the phishing site, the attacker gains access to this sensitive information.

Phishing websites can be designed for:

Credential theft: Obtaining usernames, passwords, or login credentials for online accounts.
Financial theft: Collecting payment card details or other financial information.
Data harvesting: Stealing personal information, such as Social Security numbers or email addresses.
Malware installation: Infecting the victim’s system with malicious software after they click on the phishing link.

2. Creating a Phishing Website with Kali Linux

Before proceeding with the creation of phishing websites, it is essential to highlight that this technique should only be used for ethical purposes, such as penetration testing or educational training, and with the explicit consent of all parties involved.

Kali Linux, a powerful penetration testing distribution, contains several tools and utilities that can help create and test phishing websites. Among these, the Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) is one of the most commonly used tools for simulating phishing attacks. SET allows users to quickly create fake websites that mimic legitimate ones, helping security professionals understand the methods used by attackers.

2.1 Installing the Social Engineering Toolkit (SET)

The Social Engineering Toolkit (SET) is pre-installed on Kali Linux, so there is no need for an additional installation. To access SET, simply open a terminal and type:

nginx

sudo setoolkit

Once SET loads, you will be presented with a menu of options. For the purpose of creating phishing websites, we will be focusing on the Website Attack Vectors section of SET.

2.2 Using SET for Phishing Website Creation

The steps to create a phishing website using SET are as follows:

Start the Social Engineering Toolkit: Open a terminal and type:
```
nginx

sudo setoolkit
```
Select Website Attack Vectors: From the main menu, choose option "1" for Website Attack Vectors.
Choose the Attack Type:
- After selecting the website attack vectors, SET will prompt you to choose the type of attack. For phishing websites, select “Create a malicious website” (Option 3).
Enter the URL to Clone:
- SET will ask for the URL of the website you wish to clone. You can use any legitimate website, such as a banking site, social media page, or email service, as your target for the phishing page.
- For example, if you want to clone a bank's login page, enter the URL of the bank's login page.
Choose a Web Template:
- SET will automatically generate a clone of the target website. The tool uses pre-existing templates for many popular sites like Gmail, Facebook, and PayPal, but you can also create a custom template for any website.
Set Up the Web Server:
- Once SET has cloned the website, it will generate the malicious page and set up a local web server to host the phishing site. This is done using Python’s simple HTTP server or other lightweight web servers.
- SET will ask if you want to use an IP address or domain name for hosting the website. If you're working on a local machine for testing purposes, you can use your local IP or public IP if you want to expose it to the internet.
Deliver the Phishing Link:
- After the phishing website is set up, SET will give you the URL of the malicious website. This link is what you would share with your target (for testing purposes).
- In a real phishing attack, this link might be sent via email, SMS, or through social media.
Capture Credentials:
- When a victim visits the phishing website and enters their credentials, SET will capture and log this information, which you can then view through the toolkit's interface.

2.3 Advanced Options for Phishing Attacks

SET also allows for more advanced phishing features:

SSL Encryption: SET can also clone websites with SSL encryption (HTTPS), making it harder for victims to identify the phishing attempt.
Customizing Phishing Pages: You can create custom phishing pages by modifying the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. This allows for tailored attacks that better match the targeted victim's expectations.

3. Other Tools for Phishing Websites in Kali Linux

Apart from the Social Engineering Toolkit, there are other tools available in Kali Linux for simulating phishing attacks or creating phishing websites:

3.1 Evilginx2

Evilginx2 is a powerful man-in-the-middle (MITM) tool that can be used for phishing attacks. Unlike traditional phishing, Evilginx2 can bypass two-factor authentication (2FA) systems by proxying credentials and session cookies. It intercepts traffic between the victim and the real website, capturing login credentials, session cookies, and other data without the victim realizing it.

Evilginx2 Installation:

bash

git clone https://github.com/evilgoinx/evilginx2.git
cd evilginx2
./install.sh

Setting Up Evilginx2: Once installed, Evilginx2 can be configured to act as a proxy between the victim and a legitimate website. It will provide an URL that looks identical to the legitimate site but is controlled by the attacker.

3.2 SocialFish

SocialFish is another phishing tool for Kali Linux that can create phishing pages for popular websites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. It is a more user-friendly option for creating phishing websites and capturing credentials.

Installation:

bash

git clone https://github.com/UndeadSec/SocialFish.git
cd SocialFish
python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt

Running SocialFish:
```
nginx

python3 SocialFish.py
```

SocialFish allows you to select different templates, choose the website to clone, and capture login credentials in real time.

4. Ethical Considerations and Legal Implications

It is crucial to emphasize that phishing attacks are illegal unless performed in an ethical and controlled environment. Ethical hacking, penetration testing, and security awareness training are essential for improving cybersecurity defenses. Always ensure that you have explicit consent from the target organization or individuals before conducting any phishing simulations.

Creating phishing websites for malicious purposes is a crime under various laws, including computer fraud and abuse acts, and can lead to severe legal consequences.

Key ethical considerations:

Obtain explicit permission: Before engaging in any penetration testing or phishing simulations, ensure you have written consent from the organization or individuals involved.
Limit the impact: Ensure that your activities do not harm or disrupt normal operations, steal data, or cause damage to the target systems.
Report findings responsibly: If vulnerabilities are discovered, report them in a responsible manner to help improve security, rather than exploiting them.

5. Defending Against Phishing Websites

Phishing remains one of the most common and effective attack vectors. Organizations and individuals must adopt proactive measures to defend against phishing attacks:

User Education: Regularly educate users on how to identify phishing websites and other social engineering tactics.
Anti-Phishing Software: Use web filtering and anti-phishing software to block known malicious websites.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA can significantly reduce the risk of phishing by requiring additional factors, such as a one-time password or biometrics.
DNS Filtering: DNS filtering tools can block access to known malicious websites, preventing users from falling victim to phishing attacks.

6. Conclusion

Phishing websites are a significant cybersecurity threat, but they also serve as valuable learning tools for ethical hackers and security professionals. By using Kali Linux tools like SET, Evilginx2, and SocialFish, penetration testers can simulate real-world phishing attacks, uncover vulnerabilities, and improve defenses.

However, it’s important to emphasize the ethical considerations and legal implications when creating phishing websites. Always perform these activities responsibly and only in environments where you have explicit permission.

By understanding the techniques used by attackers and the tools they employ, organizations can better prepare themselves to defend against phishing attacks, ultimately protecting sensitive information and ensuring cybersecurity.

Kali Linux