What is Hping3 Tool? Features, Installation, Commands & Use Cases Explained

Table of Contents

• What is Hping3 Tool?
• Why is Hping3 Important in Cybersecurity?
• Key Features of Hping3 Tool
• How Does Hping3 Work?
•  Common Use Cases of Hping3
• Advantages of Using Hping3
• Hping3 vs Nmap: What’s the Difference?
• Installing Hping3
• Real-World Applications of Hping3
• Best Practices for Using Hping3
• How Hping3 Works (Blog Diagram)
• When Not to Use Hping3
•  Conclusion
•  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Hping3 Tool?

Hping3 is an advanced open-source packet crafting tool used by cybersecurity professionals, penetration testers, and network administrators for security auditing, firewall testing, network scanning, and advanced reconnaissance. It allows users to send custom TCP/IP packets and analyze network responses in detail. Built as a command-line utility for Unix-like systems, Hping3 has evolved into a powerful tool resembling ping but with full TCP/IP control.

Why is Hping3 Important in Cybersecurity?

Hping3 is widely used in ethical hacking, penetration testing, and network diagnostics. Unlike simple ping tools that use only ICMP, Hping3 can send TCP, UDP, and RAW-IP packets with customizable flags and payloads. This enables detailed analysis of target systems, firewall behavior, packet filtering, and network path detection.

Key Features of Hping3 Tool

• ✅ TCP, UDP, ICMP, RAW-IP Support

  
  

• ✅ Firewall Evasion Techniques

• ✅ Port Scanning & Banner Grabbing

• ✅ Network Path Discovery (Traceroute-like)

• ✅ Idle Scan Capabilities

• ✅ Packet Fragmentation and Spoofing

  
  

• ✅ Advanced Payload Injection

• ✅ Scripting and Automation Support

How Does Hping3 Work?

Hping3 lets users customize every layer of the TCP/IP packet, including:

• Source & destination ports

• Sequence & acknowledgment numbers

• TCP flags (SYN, ACK, RST, PSH, URG, FIN)

• TTL (Time To Live)

• IP fragmentation

• Custom data payloads

The tool sends crafted packets and monitors the response from the target to infer port status, network filtering, or system configuration.

Common Use Cases of Hping3

1. Port Scanning

hping3 -S -p 80 -c 1 192.168.1.1

SYN flag scan on port 80 to check if it's open.

2. Firewall Testing

hping3 -S -p 22 --flood 192.168.1.1

Floods target with SYN packets on port 22 to test firewall resilience.

3. Traceroute using TCP

hping3 --traceroute -V -S -p 80 www.example.com

Helps map the network path using TCP packets instead of ICMP.

4. Idle Scanning

hping3 -S -p 80 -s 0 --spoof 192.168.1.10 192.168.1.1

Performs spoofed scanning using a zombie host.

5. Banner Grabbing

hping3 -S -p 21 -c 1 192.168.1.100

Connects to FTP service to get server details.

Advantages of Using Hping3

• Provides deeper packet control than traditional tools.

• Useful for firewall bypass and IDS/IPS testing.

• Works even when ICMP is blocked (unlike ping).

• Open-source and compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows (via Cygwin).

Hping3 vs Nmap: What’s the Difference?

Installing Hping3

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install hping3

On Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S hping

On macOS (using Homebrew):

brew install hping

Real-World Applications of Hping3

• Red Team Engagements: Stealthy reconnaissance and scanning.

• Security Audits: Assessing firewall and IDS/IPS configurations.

• DoS Simulation: Testing server resilience using packet floods.

• Education: Demonstrating TCP/IP behavior and packet flows.

Best Practices for Using Hping3

• Always run as root for full packet crafting.

• Use responsibly within authorized penetration tests.

• Combine with Wireshark to inspect packet-level responses.

• Avoid flooding unless necessary—can lead to detection or blocking.

 How Hping3 Works (Blog Diagram)

┌────────────┐          ┌────────────┐
│  Attacker  │────SYN──▶│ Target Host│
│ (Hping3)   │◀─RST/ACK─│ (Firewall) │
└────────────┘          └────────────┘
     ▲                        ▲
     │----Custom Flags--------│
     │----Payload Injection---│
     │----Spoofed Source------│

This diagram shows how Hping3 can send customized TCP packets (e.g., SYN) and receive responses like RST/ACK from the target.

When Not to Use Hping3

• In unapproved environments (can be flagged as malicious).

• Without proper understanding (can accidentally trigger IDS alerts).

• For OS fingerprinting (better tools like Nmap exist for that).

Conclusion

Hping3 remains a vital tool for ethical hackers and network security professionals. With its power to craft low-level packets, analyze responses, test firewall configurations, and simulate attacks, it continues to be one of the most versatile and powerful tools in a penetration tester’s arsenal. Whether you’re testing internal networks, diagnosing firewall behavior, or learning how TCP/IP works—Hping3 is a must-have command-line companion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Hping3 used for?

Hping3 is a packet crafting tool used in ethical hacking to send custom TCP/IP packets for tasks like firewall testing, port scanning, and security auditing.

How is Hping3 different from ping?

Unlike ping, which uses ICMP only, Hping3 supports TCP, UDP, and RAW-IP protocols, making it more versatile for security testing.

Can Hping3 be used for port scanning?

Yes, Hping3 can perform SYN, FIN, and other types of port scans on target machines by crafting specific TCP packets.

Is Hping3 legal to use?

Hping3 is legal when used for authorized security testing and education, but unauthorized use can be considered illegal hacking.

How to install Hping3 on Linux?

Use sudo apt install hping3 on Debian/Ubuntu systems to install the tool.

What does the SYN flag mean in Hping3?

The SYN flag is used to initiate a TCP connection and is commonly used in SYN scanning to check for open ports.

How does Hping3 help in firewall testing?

Hping3 can bypass filters and send crafted packets to identify how a firewall responds to different protocols and flags.

What platforms support Hping3?

Hping3 is supported on Linux, macOS (via Homebrew), and Windows (through Cygwin or WSL).

Can Hping3 simulate DDoS attacks?

Yes, it can simulate flood attacks using crafted packets to test network or server resilience.

How to perform a SYN flood using Hping3?

Use hping3 -S --flood -p [port] [target IP] to send continuous SYN packets.

What is the difference between Hping3 and Nmap?

Nmap is better for service detection and host discovery, while Hping3 excels in packet-level customization and stealthy scanning.

Can Hping3 spoof IP addresses?

Yes, Hping3 supports IP spoofing using the --spoof flag.

What is a TCP ACK scan in Hping3?

An ACK scan checks if ports are filtered or unfiltered by sending ACK packets and analyzing the response.

What is the syntax for Hping3 traceroute?

Use hping3 --traceroute -S -p [port] [target] to perform a TCP-based traceroute.

Does Hping3 support scripting?

Yes, Hping3 can be scripted in bash to automate tasks and scans.

How to send a UDP packet with Hping3?

Use hping3 --udp -p [port] [target IP] to send UDP packets.

Is Hping3 included in Kali Linux?

Yes, Hping3 comes pre-installed in most Kali Linux distributions.

How to test IDS/IPS using Hping3?

You can use various packet combinations to trigger or bypass IDS/IPS systems and observe their behavior.

Can Hping3 be detected by firewalls?

Yes, depending on the scan method, Hping3 packets may be detected and blocked by security devices.

Is Hping3 useful for OS fingerprinting?

No, tools like Nmap are better suited for OS fingerprinting, although Hping3 helps in network-level probing.

What is idle scanning in Hping3?

Idle scanning uses a third-party “zombie” host to scan a target stealthily using spoofed packets.

What are TCP flags in Hping3?

TCP flags like SYN, ACK, FIN, PSH, and URG are used to control how TCP packets are interpreted and responded to.

How to perform FIN scan using Hping3?

Use hping3 -F -p [port] [target IP] to send FIN scan packets to the target.

Can Hping3 be used for banner grabbing?

Yes, it can help probe services like FTP or HTTP to grab banner information.

What is Hping3 spoofed scan command?

Use hping3 -S --spoof [fake IP] -p [port] [target IP] for spoofed scanning.

What layer of OSI does Hping3 operate on?

Hping3 operates on the network and transport layers, mainly dealing with IP, TCP, UDP, and ICMP.

What is the use of --flood flag in Hping3?

The --flood flag sends packets as fast as possible without waiting for a reply, simulating DoS attacks.

Is Hping3 still maintained?

Although not frequently updated, Hping3 remains stable and widely used in cybersecurity.

How to check open ports with Hping3?

Use hping3 -S -p [port] -c 1 [target IP] to send a single SYN and check if the port is open.

What protocols are supported by Hping3?

Hping3 supports TCP, UDP, ICMP, and RAW-IP protocols for comprehensive network testing.