A free Windows security testing tool

Mimikatz was originally created to help prove that Microsoft Windows was vulnerable to various forms of attack. Mimikatz is now a very popular security tester and hacking tool.

Protect Windows networks

If you are tasked with protecting a Windows network, then you have to assume people are going to use Mimikatz, and so you yourself should use it to test your own security. Mimikatz is an open-source tool that allows you to save and view authentication credentials like Kerberos tickets.

Going beyond a virus checker

Virus checkers and the like are great for all-round attention, but networks require added layers of security through the anticipation of attacks and the safeguards you place against them. Attackers typically use Mimikatz to escalate privileges and steal credentials. Using Mimikatz yourself, you can see where people will escalate and steal, and cut them off before they get the chance to trigger your antivirus and security software.

A clever and frequently updated tool

It is true that Microsoft will always work against hackers, which often makes security tools like these obsolete, but that is rarely the case for Mimikatz. This is no doubt due to the frequent efforts of the hacking and development community.

Teach yourself hacking

If you are dedicated to security testing, then Mimikatz is a great tool. As it updates and as it moves forward, it elevates the hackers who use it. As new hacking methods are discovered and covered, the users of Mimikatz and the community that surrounds it become more advanced hackers.