Medusa vs Cowpatty: Which Kali Linux Tools tool is Best in 2025?

Medusa is a powerful open-source password cracker pre-installed in Kali Linux (version 2.3~rc1), crafted for cybersecurity professionals and penetration testers. This parallelized login brute-forcer for security audits targets numerous network services, making it a leading network password-cracking tool for ethical hacking. With an 803 KB footprint and a modular architecture, Medusa streamlines credential attacks, empowering testers to identify weak passwords and secure systems effectively.

Cowpatty is a robust open-source wireless network auditing tool for ethical hacking, seamlessly integrated into Kali Linux (version 2024.06.R1). As a WPA/WPA2-PSK dictionary attack tool for cybersecurity, it performs offline passphrase cracking using captured 4-way handshakes, making it a top choice for wireless password cracking in penetration testing. Developed by Joshua Wright, its 77 KB size and genpmk utility enable efficient attacks on pre-shared key (PSK) networks.