Tag: forensics

  • HackBrowserData: Extract and Decrypt Browser Data Like a Pro

    What is HackBrowserData?

    HackBrowserData is an incredibly useful command-line tool that allows users to decrypt and export sensitive browser data, including passwords, cookies, bookmarks, history, credit cards, download history, localStorage, and extensions. Developed in Go, it’s compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, supporting a broad array of modern browsers.

    This tool is a game-changer for cybersecurity researchers, penetration testers, and forensic analysts. Its ability to automatically extract and format critical browsing data makes it a must-have in many investigative toolkits.

    Real-World Use Cases

    • Digital Forensics: Analyze browser activity during incident response investigations.
    • Security Audits: Test browser data protection and encryption handling.
    • Password Recovery: Retrieve stored credentials from various browsers (within ethical/legal bounds).
    • Red Teaming: Simulate post-exploitation data extraction scenarios.

    Supported Browsers

    HackBrowserData supports almost every major browser, including:

    • Google Chrome (including Beta and Chromium)
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Brave, Opera, OperaGX, Vivaldi
    • Firefox (all editions)
    • Yandex, QQ, 360 Speed, CocCoc
    • Safari (not supported)

    Browser compatibility is available across Windows, macOS, and Linux, although macOS requires a user password due to Apple’s security model.

    Installation and Setup

    Getting started is easy:

    1. Download the latest binary from the official release page.
    2. Run the binary directly-no installation needed.

    If Windows Defender flags the binary, consider compiling it yourself:

    git clone https://github.com/moonD4rk/HackBrowserData
    cd HackBrowserData/cmd/hack-browser-data
    go build

    You can also cross-compile for other systems using GOOS and GOARCH.

    Using HackBrowserData

    Basic usage is straightforward:

    hack-browser-data -b all -f json --dir results --zip

    This command scans all installed browsers, outputs the decrypted data in JSON format, and compresses it into a ZIP file inside the results directory.

    You can also specify a browser profile path with:

    hack-browser-data -b chrome -p "C:\Users\User\AppData\..."

    Key Command Line Options

    • -b – Specify browser (e.g., chrome, firefox, all)
    • -f – Output format (json or csv)
    • --dir – Export directory
    • --zip – Compress results
    • -p – Custom profile path
    • --full – Export all browsing data

    Security Considerations

    • Permission Required: You must have access to the system’s browser data files.
    • macOS Restrictions: Decryption on macOS often requires the current user password due to Keychain restrictions.
    • Antivirus Flags: Some security software may flag the binary as malicious. This is a false positive due to its capabilities.
    • Responsible Use: Always use this tool within legal and ethical boundaries. It is intended strictly for security research.

    Final Thoughts

    HackBrowserData is an impressive open-source utility that bridges the gap between browser data and security insights. With multi-platform support, an easy-to-use interface, and strong browser compatibility, it’s ideal for professionals looking to extract and audit browser data responsibly.

    Be sure to check out the project on GitHub and consider contributing to its development!