KisMAC is a

wireless network A wireless network is a computer network that uses wireless data connections between network nodes. Wireless networking is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and business installations avoid the costly process of introducing c ...

discovery tool for

Mac OS X macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. Within the market of ...

. It has a wide range of features, similar to those of Kismet (its

Linux Linux ( or ) is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged as a Linux distribution, which ...

BSD The Berkeley Software Distribution or Berkeley Standard Distribution (BSD) is a discontinued operating system based on Research Unix, developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group (CSRG) at the University of California, Berk ...

namesake). The program is geared toward network security professionals, and is not as novice-friendly as similar applications. Distributed under the

GNU General Public License The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or simply GPL) is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the Four Freedoms (Free software), four freedoms to run, study, share, and modify the software. The license was th ...

, KisMAC is

free software Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, no ...

. KisMAC will scan for networks passively on supported cards - including Apple's

AirPort An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...

, and

AirPort Extreme The AirPort Extreme is a residential gateway combining the functions of a router, network switch, wireless access point and NAS as well as varied other functions, and one of Apple's former AirPort products. The latest model, the 6th generatio ...

, and many third-party cards, and actively on any card supported by Mac OS X itself. Cracking of WEP and

WPA WPA may refer to: Computing *Wi-Fi Protected Access, a wireless encryption standard *Windows Product Activation, in Microsoft software licensing * Wireless Public Alerting (Alert Ready), emergency alerts over LTE in Canada * Windows Performance An ...

keys, both by brute force, and exploiting flaws such as weak scheduling and badly generated keys is supported when a card capable of monitor mode is used, and packet reinjection can be done with a supported card (

Prism2 Prism usually refers to: * Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light * Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron Prism may also refer to: Science and mathematics * Prism (geology), a type of sedimenta ...

and some

Ralink Ralink Technology, Corp. is a Wi-Fi chipset manufacturer mainly known for their IEEE 802.11 (Wireless LAN) chipsets. Ralink was founded in 2001 in Cupertino, California, then moved its headquarters to Hsinchu, Taiwan. On 5 May 2011, Ralink was ac ...

cards).

GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...

mapping can be performed when an NMEA compatible GPS receiver is attached. Kismac2 is a fork of the original software with a new GUI, new features and that works for OS X 10.7 - 10.10, 64-bit only. It is no longer maintained. Data can also be saved in pcap format and loaded into programs such as

Wireshark Wireshark is a free and open-source packet analyzer. It is used for network troubleshooting, analysis, software and communications protocol development, and education. Originally named Ethereal, the project was renamed Wireshark in May 2006 d ...

KisMAC Features

* Reveals hidden / cloaked / closed SSIDs * Shows logged in clients (with MAC Addresses, IP addresses and signal strengths) * Mapping and GPS support * Can draw area maps of network coverage * PCAP import and export * Support for 802.11b/g * Different attacks against encrypted networks * Deauthentication attacks * AppleScript-able * Kismet drone support (capture from a Kismet drone)

KisMAC and Germany

The project was created and led by Michael Rossberg until July 27, 2007, when he removed himself from the project due to changes in German law (specifically, StGB Section 202c) that "prohibits the production and distribution of security software". On this date, project lead was passed on to

Geoffrey Kruse Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to: People * Geoffrey (name), including a list of people with the name * Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name * Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1095–c. 1155), clergyman and one of the ...

, maintainer of KisMAC since 2003, and active developer since 2001. KisMAC is no longer being actively being developed. Primary development, and the relocated KisMAC web site were offline as of September 2016. As of August 6, 2007, the former homepage now denounces the new German law.
KisMac2
was project to continue development but is no longer maintained as well.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Binaries of latest versionsFormer homepageKisMAC SvnKisMAC2, a currently maintained fork of the original project
Free software programmed in Objective-C Wireless networking MacOS-only free software MacOS network-related software Network analyzers

KisMAC Features

KisMAC and Germany

See also

References

External links