cupp

cupp [MODE_OPTION] [OTHER_OPTIONS]
cupp -i
cupp -d
cupp -w <URL>
cupp -c <WORDLIST_PATH>

-i
    Run in interactive mode, prompting the user for personal information to generate a highly targeted wordlist.

-d
    Use default mode to generate wordlists based on pre-defined datasets, often for common passwords or patterns.

-w <URL>
    Engage web-spider mode, extracting keywords and potential password candidates directly from the specified URL.

-c <WORDLIST_PATH>
    Activate convert mode, allowing the conversion or transformation of an existing wordlist (e.g., adding leetspeak, numbers).

-a
    Append all common patterns, numbers, special characters, and leetspeak variations to the generated words.

-f <FILE>
    Specify the output file path where the generated wordlist will be saved. Default is 'result.txt'.

-e <FILE>
    Extend wordlist by appending content from an external file, useful for incorporating custom lists or themes.

-v
    Enable verbose output, providing more detailed information during the wordlist generation process.

-h
    Display the help message and exit.

cupp (Common User Passwords Profiler) is a powerful and versatile wordlist generator primarily used in penetration testing and ethical hacking for creating customized password dictionaries. Unlike generic wordlists, cupp specializes in generating highly targeted password lists based on personal information about the target, such as their name, nickname, date of birth, partner's name, pet's name, company, and hobbies. This approach significantly increases the chances of cracking passwords, as many users tend to use easily memorable personal data.

The tool offers several modes of operation, including an interactive mode (-i) that prompts the user for various details, a predefined mode (-d) for using existing databases, and a web-spider mode (-w) to extract keywords from a target website. It also supports appending common numbers, special characters, and leetspeak variations, further enhancing the generated wordlists' effectiveness. cupp is a crucial utility for security professionals seeking to test password strength and identify potential vulnerabilities in systems.

cupp is a powerful tool designed for ethical security testing and educational purposes. Misuse, such as generating wordlists for unauthorized access to systems, is illegal and unethical. The effectiveness of generated wordlists depends heavily on the accuracy and completeness of the provided target information, and they are not guaranteed to crack all passwords, especially strong, random ones. Generating very large wordlists can consume significant disk space and memory.

It is crucial to emphasize that cupp must only be used for legitimate purposes, such as auditing your own systems, testing the security of systems with explicit permission from the owner, or for educational purposes in a controlled environment. Unauthorized use against any system is illegal and can lead to severe penalties.

The wordlists generated by cupp are plain text files, with each potential password candidate listed on a new line. This format is universally compatible and can be directly fed into various password cracking tools like John the Ripper or Hashcat.

cupp was created by 'The-Z' (Mohamed Abdelbaset) with the aim of generating highly targeted password lists based on personal information, a common flaw in user password choices. Its development marked a shift from brute-force wordlist generation to a more intelligent, information-driven approach. It quickly gained traction within the cybersecurity community and is now a staple in many penetration testing distributions like Kali Linux, valued for its effectiveness in social engineering-aware security assessments.

crunch(1), cewl(1), hashcat(1), john(1)