Yersinia vs Strace vs PoshC2: Which Software Reverse Engineering Tool tool is Best in 2025?

Yersinia is an open-source, robust framework for executing layer 2 (Data Link Layer) network attacks, designed to exploit vulnerabilities in various network protocols. Integrated into Kali Linux, Yersinia empowers cybersecurity professionals, penetration testers, and network administrators to analyze and test the security of deployed networks. Named after the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis, it targets protocols like STP, DHCP, CDP, and VLAN, enabling users to simulate attacks such as DHCP starvation, VLAN hopping, and spanning tree manipulation.

Strace is a powerful open-source diagnostic and debugging tool for Linux, available on Kali Linux at /usr/bin/strace, used to monitor and manipulate interactions between user-space processes and the Linux kernel. Developed initially by Paul Kranenburg for SunOS in 1991 and ported to Linux in 1992, Strace leverages the ptrace kernel feature to trace system calls, signals, and process state changes. Maintained by Dmitry Levin and released under the GNU Lesser General Public License 2.1, it’s a staple for cybersecurity professionals, system administrators, and developers for troubleshooting programs without source code.

PoshC2 is an open-source, proxy-aware command and control (C2) framework designed for penetration testing and red teaming, pre-installed on Kali Linux at /usr/share/poshc2. Primarily written in Python3, it offers a modular architecture that supports PowerShell, C#, C++, and Python3 implants, enabling post-exploitation and lateral movement across Windows, Linux, and macOS systems. Developed by Nettitude Labs, PoshC2 provides highly configurable payloads, extensive logging, and Docker support for cross-platform deployment.