Skip to content

Enum4linux Cheat Sheet

enum4linux is a Perl tool used to enumerate SMB (Samba/Windows) information from remote hosts. It is widely used during network reconnaissance and Active Directory assessments.


Basic Usage

enum4linux <target_ip>

Full Enumeration

enum4linux -a <target_ip>

Performs: - OS discovery - User enumeration - Group enumeration - Share listing - Password policy checks


Enumerate Users

enum4linux -U <target_ip>

Enumerate Groups

enum4linux -G <target_ip>

Enumerate Shares

enum4linux -S <target_ip>

Password Policy

enum4linux -P <target_ip>

RID Cycling

enum4linux -r <target_ip>

Discovers users via RID brute forcing.


Use Credentials

enum4linux -u username -p password <target_ip>

Improves results when anonymous access is restricted.


Null Session Check

enum4linux -n <target_ip>

Typical Workflow

nmap -p 445 <target_ip>
enum4linux -a <target_ip>
smbclient -L //<target_ip>

Common Findings

  • Valid usernames
  • Writable shares
  • Weak password policies
  • Legacy SMB configurations

Common Issues

No SMB services found
  • SMB port closed or filtered
  • SMBv1 disabled
Access denied
  • Anonymous enumeration disabled
  • Try with credentials

Alternatives

  • enum4linux-ng
  • smbmap
  • crackmapexec
  • rpcclient

Use Cases

  • Initial network reconnaissance
  • Active Directory enumeration
  • Lateral movement preparation

Danger

Enumerate SMB services only on authorized systems.