Impacket

What it is

Impacket is a collection of Python classes for working with network protocols, originally created by SecureAuth and now maintained by Fortra’s Core Security. It focuses on low-level access to packets and higher-level implementations for protocols such as SMB, MSRPC, Kerberos and LDAP, and ships example scripts that security testers commonly use in authorised Active Directory and Windows assessments.

What it helps with

- Scripting and crafting protocol traffic for SMB, MSRPC, Kerberos, LDAP and related Windows services.
- Authenticating with passwords, hashes, tickets or keys where a test scope allows it.
- Running maintained example tools for tasks such as remote execution helpers, Kerberos ticket workflows, MSSQL clients and Active Directory enumeration scripts.
- Building custom assessment tooling on top of the library API rather than re-implementing protocol stacks.
- Working in lab and engagement environments via pipx/pip installs or the project’s Docker image.

Who it's for

Penetration testers, red teams and researchers who need protocol-level Windows and Active Directory tooling on engagements or labs they are authorised to use.

Worth knowing

The project disclaimer states Impacket is intended for research and educational purposes and is not meant as production infrastructure software. Use it only with explicit authorisation on in-scope systems. The library is free and open source under a slightly modified Apache 1.1-style licence that requires attribution to SecureAuth and Fortra. Example scripts are powerful offensive utilities; treat them as assessment tools, not as malware packaging. Attribution: README and LICENSE on github.com/fortra/impacket; brand logo from Core Security’s Impacket open-source page.