Kismet

What it is

A capture server with a browser-based interface that records nearby wireless devices and raises alerts on suspicious activity. With suitable radios it also reads Zigbee, ADS-B aircraft beacons, and some power and water meters.

What it helps with

- Building an inventory of nearby access points, clients, and Bluetooth devices
- Raising intrusion detection alerts on unusual wireless behavior
- Gathering data from remote sensors spread around a building into one server
- Saving packets, devices, and location data in a single SQLite-based log

Who it's for

Network defenders, wireless engineers, and security testers monitoring networks and airspace they own or are authorized to assess.

Worth knowing

It runs best on Linux, also runs on macOS, and supports Windows only for remote capture through WSL. Releases are named by date rather than number, and nightly packages track the current code.

Can scripts read its data?
Yes. A documented REST API lets scripts query and control the Kismet server.

What hardware does it need?
Each protocol needs a radio and driver that support capture, and the project keeps a list of devices that work well.