Test whether a set of credentials grants access to systems in an Active Directory network during an authorized assessment.
Enumerate users, shares, and services across a Windows network from Linux during a penetration test.
Check for common Active Directory misconfigurations across a domain in an authorized security engagement.
Continue the CrackMapExec workflow with full community visibility since everything is in one public repository.
| pennyw0rth/netexec | apeworx/web3.py | trustedsec/ptf | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | 5,511 | 5,512 | 5,512 |
| Language | Python | Python | Python |
| Setup difficulty | moderate | moderate | moderate |
| Complexity | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Audience | ops devops | developer | ops devops |
Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.
Requires Python 3.10 or newer, install with pipx on Linux. Only use against networks you have explicit written permission to test.
NetExec (also called nxc) is a Python tool used by penetration testers to assess and interact with Windows networks and Active Directory environments. Active Directory is Microsoft's system for managing users, computers, and permissions across a corporate network, and it is a common target during authorized security assessments because misconfigurations there can give an attacker broad access. Tools like NetExec let testers check what access a given set of credentials has, enumerate users and systems, and test for common weaknesses. The project started in 2015 under the name CrackMapExec, built by a developer known as byt3bl33d3r. A later maintainer took it over in 2019 and added significant features before stepping back in September 2023. Rather than let the project stall, the most active contributors decided to continue it as a fully open-source community effort under the new name NetExec. The rename also addressed a practical problem: the original project was split between a private and a public repository, creating a six-to-eight-month gap between what maintainers were working on and what the public could access. With NetExec, everything lives in one public repository, making community contributions straightforward. NetExec is installed on Linux using pipx, a tool that installs Python applications in isolated environments. It requires Python 3.10 or newer. The project has a wiki for documentation and usage examples, along with a Discord server for community support. The README is brief and points to the wiki for detailed instructions. This is a tool intended for authorized security testing. Using it against networks or systems you do not have explicit permission to assess is illegal.
NetExec is a Python tool for authorized penetration testers to assess Windows networks and Active Directory environments, testing credentials, enumerating users and systems, and identifying common misconfigurations.
Mainly Python. The stack also includes Python, Linux.
Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.
Mainly ops devops.
This repo across BitVibe Labs
Verify against the repo before relying on details.