Wireshark vs Kismet vs John the Ripper vs Wifiphisher: Which Image Upscaler tool is Best in 2025?

Wireshark is an open-source, free network protocol analyzer widely regarded as the industry standard for capturing and analyzing network traffic in real time. Used by network administrators, cybersecurity professionals, and ethical hackers, Wireshark enables deep packet inspection, troubleshooting, and protocol analysis across various network types, including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Its robust feature set and user-friendly interface make it an essential tool for monitoring network performance, detecting vulnerabilities, and ensuring robust network security.

Kismet is a powerful open-source wireless network monitoring tool for ethical hacking integrated into Kali Linux (version 2023.07.R2). As a wireless intrusion detection system for cybersecurity, it detects Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and SDR-based devices, making it a top wireless packet sniffer for penetration testing. With a lightweight 23 KB size and support for tools like kismet_cap_linux_wifi and kismetdb_to_pcap, Kismet empowers security professionals to audit networks effectively.

John the Ripper is a premier open-source password cracker pre-installed in Kali Linux (version 1.9.0), tailored for security administrators and penetration testers. This password-cracking tool for cybersecurity audits targets weak credentials using wordlists, brute-force, and rule-based attacks, making it a leading password security testing tool for ethical hacking. With a 77.63 MB footprint and support for hashes like SHA512crypt and MD5, John empowers users to strengthen system security through efficient password audits.

Wifiphisher is a sophisticated open-source wireless network auditing framework for ethical hacking, integrated into Kali Linux (version 2024.06.R1). As a rogue access point phishing tool for cybersecurity, it deploys fake Wi-Fi networks to perform social engineering attacks, making it a top wireless credential harvesting tool for penetration testing. Built-in Python with a 29.1 MB size, it leverages Evil Twin, KARMA, and Known Beacons attacks to capture WPA/WPA2 passphrases or third-party credentials without brute-forcing.