Kismet
Installation Linux MacOS Configuration Network Interface Card (NIC) Configuration GPS Adapter Wireless Adapter Logging Web UI Remote Capture Plugins Alerts Running Kismet Troubleshooting GPSD Error Linux MacOS USB Error Linux MacOS
How do I add an SDR as a data source in Kismet? Why is my GPS not providing accurate data to Kismet? Can I use Kismet for wardriving, and how? How can I improve the capture range of my SDR in Kismet? What is the best way to manage and analyze logs collected by Kismet? Can Kismet monitor Bluetooth devices, and how?
What Is Kismet
Kismet is a wireless network and device detector, sniffer, wardriving tool, and WIDS (wireless intrusion detection) framework.
Kismet works with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth interfaces, SDR (software-defined radio) hardware like the RTLSDR, and other specialized capture hardware.
Kismet works on Linux, OSX, and, to a degree, Windows 10 under the WSL framework. Linux works with most Wi-Fi cards, Bluetooth interfaces, and other hardware devices. On MacOS, it works with the built-in Wi-Fi interfaces, and on Windows 10, it will work with remote captures.[1] # Passive Monitoring Kismet operates almost entirely passively, with a few exceptions (such as Bluetooth scanning mode) noted in the documentation for those capture types.
Kismet is not an attack tool (generally) - to test your Wi-Fi security check out tools like Aircrack-NG or the Wi-Fi Pineapple.
Kismet is largely focused on collecting, collating, and sorting wireless data. The logs generated by Kismet can be fed into other tools (the pcap, handshakes, and other data) like hashcat, aircrack, and more.[2]
Installation
Linux
#remove kismet if on system
sudo apt autoremove kismet
= install dependencies for kismet =
sudo apt install -y build-essential git libwebsockets-dev pkg-config zlib1g-dev libnl-3-dev libnl-genl-3-dev libcap-dev libpcap-dev libnm-dev libdw-dev libsqlite3-dev libprotobuf-dev libprotobuf-c-dev protobuf-compiler protobuf-c-compiler libsensors4-dev libusb-1.0-0-dev python3 python3-setuptools python3-protobuf python3-requests python3-numpy python3-serial python3-usb python3-dev python3-websockets librtlsdr0 libubertooth-dev libbtbb-dev gpsd gpsd-clients
= git kismet =
git clone https://www.kismetwireless.net/git/kismet.git
cd kismet
./configure
#make using all available cores
make -j$(nproc)
MacOS
#install xcode if not installed
xcode-select -p 1>/dev/null || xcode-select --install
#Install brew if not installed
which -s brew
if [[ $? != 0 ]] ; then
# Install Homebrew
ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"
else
brew update
fi
= install dependencies for kismet =
brew install git pkg-config python3 libpcap protobuf protobuf-c pcre librtlsdr libbtbb ubertooth libusb openssl libwebsockets gpsd
= git kismet =
git clone https://www.kismetwireless.net/git/kismet.git
cd kismet
#configure kismet
./configure
# if you have issues with openssl paths, you can specify them manually
LDFLAGS=-L$(brew --prefix)/lib CPPFLAGS="-I$(brew --prefix)/include -I$(brew --prefix openssl)/include" ./configure
#make using all available cores
make -j$(nproc)
sudo usermod -aG kismet $USER
[3]
Configuration
Network Interface Card (NIC) Configuration
Kismet requires a wireless network interface card (NIC) to capture wireless data. The iwconfig command lists available wireless interfaces on your system. If you’re using a USB wireless adapter, you may need to plug it in and check the available interfaces again.
#list available wireless interfaces
iwconfig
#If you're using a USB wireless adapter, you may need to plug it in and check the available interfaces again.
For these configurations, you’ll edit the kismet.conf file in the kismet directory.
#navigate to the kismet directory
cd kismet
#edit the kismet.conf file
nano kismet.conf
GPS Adapter
#configure gps adapter
gps=true
gpsd=true
gpsd-host=localhost
gpsd-port=2947
Wireless Adapter
#configure wireless adapter
ncsource=wlan0
Logging
#configure logging
logtypes=pcapdump,netxml
logtemplate=%n-%d-%i.%l
Web UI
#configure web ui
web=true
webport=2501
Remote Capture
#configure remote capture
remote=true
remotesource=wlan0
Plugins
#configure plugins
plugins=alert_log,db-log,db-sqlite,db-geoip
#find more plugins here: https://github.com/topics/kismet-plugin
Alerts
#configure alerts
alerts=alert_log,alert_syslog,alert_screens,alert_webhook
Running Kismet
#run kismet, from the kismet directory
./kismet
== common options for kismet ==
= -c <config file> - specify a config file =
= -n - don't start the UI =
= -f <log file> - log to a file =
= -t <log type> - log to a specific type =
= -l <log level> - log at a specific level =
= -p <plugin> - load a specific plugin =
= -u <user> - run as a specific user =
= -w <work dir> - specify a working directory
=
Troubleshooting
GPSD Error
Linux
#install gpsd
sudo apt install gpsd gpsd-clients
#start gpsd
sudo systemctl start gpsd
MacOS
#install gpsd
brew install gpsd
#start gpsd
gpsd -N -D 2 /dev/ttyUSB0
USB Error
Linux
#add user to kismet group
sudo usermod -aG kismet $USER
MacOS
#add user to kismet group
sudo dseditgroup -o edit -a $USER -t user kismet
FAQs
How do I add an SDR as a data source in Kismet?
To add an SDR as a data source, you must ensure your SDR drivers (such as those for RTLSDR) are properly installed and recognized by your system. In Kismet, navigate to the data source configuration section and add your SDR using the appropriate driver. For RTLSDR, this would typically involve adding rtladsb for ADS-B capture, rtlamr for AMR capture, or rtl433 for general 433 MHz device capture.
Why is my GPS not providing accurate data to Kismet?
First, ensure your GPS device is correctly installed and recognized by your system, using tools like gpsd and cgps to verify its operation. GPS accuracy can degrade in buildings or areas with poor sky visibility. Placing the GPS receiver near a window or more open area might improve signal quality. Additionally, ensure Kismet is correctly configured to use GPS data by specifying the GPS source in its configuration.
Can I use Kismet for wardriving, and how?
Kismet is highly effective for wardriving due to its passive monitoring capabilities. For wardriving, ensure you have a portable power source, a laptop or a Raspberry Pi with Kismet installed, and one or more compatible wireless interfaces. Configure Kismet to log data to disk and, if desired, integrate with a GPS device for geolocation tagging. Use Kismet’s wardriving mode for optimized settings.
How can I improve the capture range of my SDR in Kismet?
Improving capture range involves both software configurations and hardware enhancements. Ensure your SDR’s gain settings are optimized within Kismet or the SDR’s driver settings. On the hardware side, using higher-quality antennas suited to your monitoring frequency bands can significantly improve range. Directional antennas can provide a greater range in a specific direction, while omnidirectional antennas offer broader coverage.
What is the best way to manage and analyze logs collected by Kismet?
Kismet generates logs in several formats, including the Kismetdb log format, which can be analyzed using Kismet’s tools or converted into more common formats like PCAP, CSV, or KML. Tools like Wireshark can analyze PCAP files for detailed packet inspection. For broader data analysis, including signal mapping and device tracking, converting logs to KML for use with geographic information systems (GIS) software or CSV for database and spreadsheet analysis can be effective.
Can Kismet monitor Bluetooth devices, and how?
Yes, Kismet can monitor Bluetooth devices by using compatible Bluetooth interfaces. Ensure your system’s Bluetooth interface is supported by Kismet and correctly configured as a data source. Kismet can capture Bluetooth device advertisements and connections, providing insight into the presence and behavior of Bluetooth devices in the vicinity.