“macchanger” is a Linux utility for manipulating (changing, setting, or spoofing) the MAC address of a network interface.
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network segment.
By using macchanger, a user can change the MAC address of a network interface to any arbitrary value or a randomly generated one. This can be useful for various reasons, such as:
- Hiding the true identity of a system
- Bypassing MAC address filters on a network
- Testing network security by simulating an attacker trying to evade detection
It’s important to note that changing a MAC address does not guarantee anonymity or security, and some systems may have limitations on changing MAC addresses.
If you encounter the below error while running the command macchanger:
macchanger: command not found
you may try installing the below package as per your choice of distribution:
| Distribution | Command |
|---|---|
| Debian | apt-get install macchanger |
| Ubuntu | apt-get install macchanger |
| Alpine | apk add macchanger |
| Arch Linux | pacman -S macchanger |
| Kali Linux | apt-get install macchanger |
| Fedora | dnf install macchanger |
| Raspbian | apt-get install macchanger |
macchanger Command Examples
1. View the current and permanent MAC addresses of a interface:
# macchanger --show interface
2. Set interface to a random MAC:
# macchanger --random interface
3. Set interface to a specific MAC:
# macchanger --mac XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX interface
4. Reset interface to its permanent hardware MAC:
# macchanger --permanent interface