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bruteshark

v1.2.5 open-source

BruteShark is a Network Forensic Analysis Tool that processes PCAPPCAPA packet capture, recorded network packets that can be inspected later. Analysts use it to reconstruct communication and investigate protocol behavior or suspicious traffic. files to extract passwords, authentication hashes, and build network maps.

Summary

BruteShark is an open-source network forensic analysis tool, free to use, that inspects PCAP files or live network captures to reconstruct sessions, build a network map, and extract passwords and password hashes, converting the latter into Hashcat format for offline cracking. It ships as a Windows desktop GUIGUIA graphical user interface, controls such as windows, buttons and menus. It lets people use software visually rather than entering commands. or as a command-line tool for Windows and Linux, letting users pick the interface that fits their workflow. It's aimed at security researchers and network administrators auditing traffic for credential exposure and weak points an attacker could exploit. It sits in the network-forensics space alongside packet-analysis and credential-extraction utilities, distinguishing itself by combining both in one tool rather than requiring separate ones. Development began in 2020 with 10 releases logged since, though there have been no commits in the past year, worth weighing before adopting it.

BruteShark is a Network Forensic Analysis Tool that processes PCAP files to extract passwords, authentication hashes, and build network maps.

How bruteshark helps

Which credentials were sent in the clear on this network?

reconstructs the TCP sessions in the capture and pulls out plaintext passwords from protocols that carry them unencrypted, listing them alongside the session they came from

Which devices were talking to each other and how?

walks every packet in the capture to build a map of hosts and their connections, showing who spoke to whom over which protocol

Are any accounts on this network protected by weak, crackable passwords?

pulls password hashes out of the captured authentication exchanges and converts them into Hashcat format so they can be run through an offline cracking attempt

What did a captured conversation between two hosts actually contain?

reassembles the individual packets of a TCP stream back into the original session so its contents can be read as a whole rather than packet by packet

What domains were hosts on this network resolving?

pulls the DNS queries out of the capture and lists what names were being looked up during the session

all 10 features, with the evidence for each →

Languages

Not documented

Features

10 capabilities across 3 capability groups

Built from bruteshark's releases, docs, README and our own runs. “Seen” marks the month we first spotted a release the vendor didn't date. Group names and tags are our labels.

Compare with peers →

  • bruteshark covers 1 of the 34 network analysis capabilities we track.
  • bruteshark covers 1 of the 13 network discovery and scanning capabilities we track.
  • bruteshark covers 1 of the 5 network observation capabilities we track.

What bruteshark offers you

  • Command-line interface3
  • JSON data export1
Traffic statistics 1 feature Network analysis since 2020
Network Insights shipped Provides visualized network maps with details on sent/received data, domains, and logged-in users, including programmatic export capabilities. 2 releases · 3 other sources · first seen Dec 2020

Shared capability: Traffic statistics

release

  • Adds Sent data, Received data, Domains, and Domain users fields to the network map visualisation v1.2.5 · Sep 2021 · source · release history
  • Integrates parsed DNS data into the Network Map user window for visual correlation. v1.1.3 · Dec 2020 · source · release history

example

  • Programmatic analysis of the new network insights exported alongside node data Load `BruteShark Network Nodes Data.json` and access the `Sent data`, `Received data`, `Domains`, and `Domain users` keys for each node entry. v1.2.5 · Sep 2021 · source
  • Check if a host is part of specific domains or identify logged-in users via the map interface Inspect a node in the network map view to see `Domains` and `Domain users` fields v1.2.5 · Sep 2021 · source
  • Visualize DNS traffic correlations alongside other network flows in the GUI map view. In the main window, open the `Network Map` view. The new panel will display parsed DNS query data derived from the captured traffic profile. v1.1.3 · Dec 2020 · source
Attack surface inventory 1 feature Network discovery and scanning since 2021
Node Inspection shipped Displays detailed metadata including open ports, DNS records, and session counts for network nodes in the UI. 1 release · 1 other source · first seen Sep 2021

Shared capability: Attack surface inventory

release

  • Adds a node details control in the Network Map user interface that displays open ports, DNS records, and session count. v1.2.4 · Sep 2021 · source · release history

example

  • Inspect node metadata directly in the UI without exporting data. In BruteShark, go to Network Map and click a node to view its details (ports, DNS, sessions). v1.2.4 · Sep 2021 · source
Network traffic analysis 1 feature Network observation since 2020
PCAP and Live Capture Analysis shipped Extracts passwords, hashes, DNS queries, and network maps from PCAP files or live captures. 8 releases · 4 other sources · first seen Aug 2020

Shared capability: Network traffic analysis

Also counts toward: Command-line interface

release 8 total

  • Adds export of extracted VoIP calls to raw-audio files v1.2.1 · Apr 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds VoIP call extraction capability to BruteSharkDesktop and BruteSharkCli v1.2.1 · Apr 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds exporting of extracted files to BruteSharkCli v1.1.6 · Jan 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds pcapng format support to the capture and analysis pipeline v1.1.4 · Jan 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds new DNS module that enables parsing of DNS queries captured during network traffic analysis. v1.1.3 · Dec 2020 · source · release history
  • File extraction module now supports PDF and ZIP file formats. v1.1.2 · Dec 2020 · source · release history

docs

  • Network forensic analysis tool that extracts passwords, hashes, DNS queries, and network maps from PCAP files or live captures.

example

  • Use the GUI to locate and export VoIP traffic to raw audio. In the desktop interface, open a PCAP file, navigate to the VoIP section, select calls, and choose 'Export to raw-audio'. v1.2.1 · Apr 2021 · source
  • Load and analyze network captures saved in the newer pcapng container format within the GUI. File > Open and select a .pcapng file v1.1.4 · Jan 2021 · source
  • Enable UDP stream reconstruction in BruteShark via the UI. In the Configuration menu, enable the UDP session reconstruction button. v1.1.1 · Aug 2020 · source
Other / not yet classified 7 features Features we have not matched to a capability yet. A suggested match is marked.
Credential Extraction shipped Extracts credentials from various sources and exports hashes. 4 releases · 5 other sources · first seen Aug 2020

release

  • Implements Kerberos TGS-REP Etype 17 and 18 hashes parsing include Hashcat export. v1.2.2 · May 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds new hash type extraction for Kerberos AS-REP etype 23, enabling Hashcat integration with mode: 18200. v1.1.2 · Dec 2020 · source · release history
  • Adds extraction of Kerberos TGS-REP tickets alongside existing AS-REQ hash parsing v1.0.5 · Aug 2020 · source · release history
  • Adds new export option to format extracted hashes for Hashcat compatibility v1.0.5 · Aug 2020 · source · release history

example

  • Extract and export Kerberos TGS-REP Etype 17 and 18 hashes in Hashcat format from captured traffic for offline cracking. Open BruteShark GUI, load capture file, navigate to Kerberos section, select Etype 17/18 entries, and click 'Export' to save as Hashcat format. v1.2.2 · May 2021 · source
  • Crack TGS-REP hashes using Hashcat with the specific format added in this release. hashcat -m 13100 <bruteshark_output.txt> <wordlist> v1.0.5 · Aug 2020 · source
  • Crack AS-REQ authentication hashes extracted by BruteShark using Hashcat. hashcat -m 7500 <bruteshark_output.txt> <wordlist> v1.0.5 · Aug 2020 · source
  • Extract credentials and export hashes BruteSharkCli -m Credentials -d C:\Users\King\Desktop\Pcap_Examples -o C:\Users\King\Desktop\Results
  • Extract credentials from directory BruteSharkCli -m Credentials -d "C:\Users\King\Desktop\Pcap Files"
Software Updates shipped Manages application updates, including simplified upgrading and automatic version notifications. 6 releases · 2 other sources · first seen Aug 2020

release

  • Allows upgrading BruteSharkDesktop without manually removing the old version v1.2.5 · Sep 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds automatic notification for new released versions within the desktop application v1.2.5 · Sep 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds configuration capability for BPF filters in live capture mode v1.2.0 · Mar 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds support for enabling promiscuous mode during live capture v1.2.0 · Mar 2021 · source · release history
  • Converts BruteSharkCli into a single-executable file. v1.1.0 · Aug 2020 · source · release history
  • Migrates BruteSharkDesktop & BruteSharkCli to .Net Core for improved cross-platform support. v1.1.0 · Aug 2020 · source · release history

example

  • Force BruteShark to capture all traffic on the interface by enabling promiscuous mode. In the Live Capture settings, check the 'Promiscuous Mode' option before starting the capture. v1.2.0 · Mar 2021 · source
  • Apply a specific BPF filter to focus live capture on relevant traffic patterns. In the Live Capture settings, enable and enter your desired BPF filter string before starting. v1.2.0 · Mar 2021 · source
Live Capture Configuration shipped suggested Captures network traffic in real-time from an interface with configurable BPF filters and promiscuous mode. 4 releases · 1 other source · first seen Jan 2021

Suggested capability: Passive network discovery. This is our guess, not confirmed.

Also counts toward: Command-line interface

release

  • Adds UI option to list all available network interfaces v1.2.0 · Mar 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds the ability to capture network data live directly from a network interface v1.2.0 · Mar 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds shell mode to BruteSharkCli allowing individual step-by-step execution of analysis tasks. v1.1.5 · Jan 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds single command mode to BruteSharkCli to process parameters and print results to stdout or files in one step. v1.1.5 · Jan 2021 · source · release history

example

  • Start a live capture session to analyze traffic from an active network interface. In BruteShark, select the 'Live Capture' tab and choose your target network interface. v1.2.0 · Mar 2021 · source
Data Export shipped Exports network node data and associated fields to JSON format. 2 releases · 1 other source · first seen Sep 2021

Also counts toward: JSON data export

release

  • Includes the new network fields in the BruteShark Network Nodes Data.json export file v1.2.5 · Sep 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds export of BruteShark Network Nodes Data.json file containing all extracted nodes details. v1.2.4 · Sep 2021 · source · release history

example

  • Export node metadata to JSON for external analysis. In BruteShark, use the export function to save `BruteShark Network Nodes Data.json`. v1.2.4 · Sep 2021 · source
Session Management shipped Allows clearing results and managing capture sessions without restarting the application. 1 release · 1 other source · first seen Sep 2021

release

example

  • Reset the current capture session without restarting the application. Click the 'Clear Results' button in the toolbar v1.2.3 · Sep 2021 · source
CLI Operation Modes shipped Provides shell and single-command execution modes for automated or step-by-step analysis in BruteSharkCli. 2 releases · first seen Jan 2021

Also counts toward: Command-line interface

release

  • Adds shell mode to BruteSharkCli allowing individual step-by-step execution of analysis tasks. v1.1.5 · Jan 2021 · source · release history
  • Adds single command mode to BruteSharkCli to process parameters and print results to stdout or files in one step. v1.1.5 · Jan 2021 · source · release history
Batch Processing shipped Runs multiple analysis modules simultaneously and exports the combined results. 2 other sources

example

  • Run multiple modules and export results BruteSharkCli -m Credentials,NetworkMap,FileExtracting -d C:\Users\King\Desktop\Pcap_Examples -o C:\Users\King\Desktop\Results
  • Live capture with multiple modules BruteSharkCli -l Wi-Fi -m Credentials,NetworkMap,FileExtracting,DNS -o C:\Users\King\Desktop\Test Export

Lines in monospace are the tool's own words: help text parsed from its source, or an endpoint from its API document. Under release, a line is our summary of a dated release. Under docs, it is quoted from the tool's own documentation or website. Each links back to the source it came from.

Score card

  1. Shipping velocity releases a month, last 12 months
  2. Documentation quality release-notes rubric, 0–100
  3. Breaking-change discipline how rarely a release breaks users, and notice given
  4. Maintenance risk quiet time against its own cadence, maintainers
  5. Innovation & surface new capabilities, API and MCP surface
  6. Community health
  7. Contributor trend distinct committers, this year against last
  8. Maintainer concentration bus factor now against a year ago
  9. Issue backlog trend issues closed per issue opened, 12 months
  10. Responsiveness median time to a maintainer’s first reply

Nine scores for bruteshark, each built from the releases, notes and API history this site tracks — and, on Researcher and Business, where it stands among every measured tool in its category and how that has moved.

Score cards are part of every paid plan.

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Each score is 0–100 on a published rubric, derived from data this site already shows. A dimension we cannot measure says so — it is never scored 0 and never enters a rank.

How this is scored
  • Shipping velocity — releases a month over the last 12 months, on a log scale where 16 a month scores 100. Needs 3 releases in the window.
  • Documentation quality — the release-notes rubric published on the analytics page, unchanged.
  • Breaking-change discipline — the share of releases carrying a breaking change (none scores 100, half or more scores 0). Only projects that label breaking changes are measured: a clean record cannot be told from an unlabelled one.
  • Maintenance risk — quiet time measured against the tool's own release cadence (quiet longer than 90 days and three typical gaps scores 0), plus the number of active maintainers and whether contributors are growing, where known. Higher is lower risk.
  • Innovation & surface — new capabilities in the feature ledger this year, API and MCP operations added, and the share of commits that are features: the mean of whichever we hold.
  • Community health (open-source tools only) — each is a direction, not a size: contributors this year against last, the bus factor now against a year ago, and issues closed per issue opened, where steady scores 50, doubled 100 and halved 0; plus the median time to a maintainer's first reply (an hour scores about 100, a month or more 0). A commercial card has no repository and carries none of the four.
  • Documented delivery (commercial tools) — when a vendor's documented new capabilities have slowed against its own baseline, that counts against the overall standing as heavily as two low dimensions. Steady delivery, or too little history to judge, leaves the standing alone; it is never a sixth score.
  • Open-source tools are scored on repository signals; commercial tools on their published changelog. Ranks compare tools within one category and one profile and need at least five measured peers; the overall standing needs three ranked dimensions. Best-in-breed or consolidator is a shape, not a quality, and is never scored.

Release-note detail over time

See how much detail bruteshark puts in its release notes, quarter by quarter, and compare it with tracked tools in the same category. This history uses up to ten retained, reviewed notes per tool; sparse or blank older quarters may reflect that limit.

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Releases

14 entries

  1. September 20213
  2. May 20211
  3. April 20211
  4. March 20211
  5. January 20213
  6. December 20202
  7. August 20203

    14 entries

    Project health

    Issue, contributor and maintainer activity in odedshimon/BruteShark, 2023-10 – 2026-09, as of 2026-09-25. Twelve-month figures first; the trend lines run the whole window.

    1. Contributors 0 ±0 vs prior 12 months
    2. Maintainers 0 +0 joined · −0 left, last 12 months
    3. Bus factor 0 committers behind half the commits
    4. Community-filed 100% of issues opened, last 12 months
    5. Median time to close 39 days first maintainer reply 39 days
    6. Open backlog 32 of 71 issues ever filed
    1. Issues opened / month 0 · 0 communitymaintainers
    2. Open backlog 32
    3. Contributors / month 0
    4. Commits / month 0
    5. Stars 3,396
    Issue themes, last 12 months
    • other 100%

    Counts from the project's public repository and git history; no individuals are identified. Maintainers are the committers covering 80% of the last year's commits. how we measure this

    Libraries its release ships

    What its latest release locks, checked against known advisories.

    None of its release's images build from a lockfile we can read.

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