Zapper is a powerful Linux tool designed to enhance privacy by concealing command-line options and processes from system monitoring tools like ps
.
It is particularly useful for developers, ethical hackers, or anyone who values discretion while running commands on a Linux system. This article explores Zapper’s functionality, installation, and how it works.
/proc/<PID>/environ
.ptrace()
to manipulate the ELF Auxiliary Table without relying on LD_PRELOAD
or libc.To download and install Zapper, execute the following commands:
curl -fL -o zapper https://github.com/hackerschoice/zapper/releases/latest/download/zapper-linux-$(uname -m) && \
chmod 755 zapper && \
./zapper -h
Alternatively, you can compile it from source:
git clone https://github.com/hackerschoice/zapper.git
cd zapper
make
./zapper nmap -sCV -F -Pn scanme.nmap.org
The above command will run nmap
while hiding the options (-sCV -F -Pn scanme.nmap.org
) from being displayed.
exec ./zapper -f -a'[kworker/1:2-cgroup_destroy]' tmux
This replaces the current shell with a hidden tmux
session and masks it as a kernel process.
Zapper leverages ptrace()
to manipulate the ELF Auxiliary Table during the execution of SYS_execve()
.
It moves command-line options to a new memory location and destroys the old one, effectively erasing them from the kernel’s perspective. The tool also tracks subsequent fork()
or execve()
calls to maintain privacy.
Additionally, Zapper can assign processes to specific PIDs using an innovative technique that iterates over all possible PIDs until the desired one is reached.
Zapper is an impressive tool for those who need to safeguard their command-line activities on Linux systems.
Its ability to hide processes and command-line options without root access makes it a versatile solution for enhancing privacy. However, users should exercise caution and ensure compliance with ethical guidelines when using such tools.
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