---
name: "cewl"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "cewl"
version: "6.2.1-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cewl"
---

# cewl(1)

custom word list generator

## NAME

**cewl** - custom word list generator

## SYNOPSIS

```
cewl [OPTION] ... URL
```

## DESCRIPTION

CeWL (Custom Word List generator) is a ruby app which spiders a given *URL*, up to a specified depth, and returns a list of words which can then be used for password crackers such as John the Ripper. Optionally, CeWL can follow external links.

CeWL can also create a list of email addresses found in mailto links. These email addresses can be used as usernames in brute force actions.

CeWL is pronounced "cool".

## OPTIONS

General options

- **-h, --help**

  Show help.

- **-k, --keep**

  Keep the downloaded file.

- **-d \<x\>, --depth \<x\>**

  Depth to spider to, default 2.

- **-m, --min\_word\_length**

  Minimum word length, default 3.

- **-o, --offsite**

  Let the spider visit other sites.

- **--exclude**

  A file containing a list of paths to exclude.

- **--allowed**

  A regex pattern that path must match to be followed.

- **-w, --write**

  Write the output to the file.

- **-u, --ua \<agent\>**

  User agent to send.

- **-n, --no-words**

  Don't output the wordlist.

- **-g \<x\>, --groups \<x\>**

  Return groups of words as well.

- **--lowercase**

  Lowercase all parsed words.

- **--with-numbers**

  Accept words with numbers in as well as just letters.

- **--convert-umlauts**

  Convert common ISO-8859-1 (Latin-1) umlauts (ä-ae, ö-oe, ü-ue, ß-ss).

- **-a, --meta**

  Include meta data.

- **--meta\_file file**

  Output file for meta data.

- **-e, --email**

  Include email addresses.

- **--email\_file \<file\>**

  Output file for email addresses.

- **--meta-temp-dir \<dir\>**

  The temporary directory used by exiftool when parsing files, default /tmp.

- **-c, --count**

  Show the count for each word found.

- **-v, --verbose**

  Verbose.

- **--debug**

  Extra debug information.

Authentication

- **--auth\_type**

  Digest or basic.

- **--auth\_user**

  Authentication username.

- **--auth\_pass**

  Authentication password.

Proxy Support

- **--proxy\_host**

  Proxy host.

- **--proxy\_port**

  Proxy port, default 8080.

- **--proxy\_username**

  Username for proxy, if required.

- **--proxy\_password**

  Password for proxy, if required.

Headers

- **--header, -H**

  In format name:value - can pass multiple.

- **\<url\>**

  The site to spider.

## TIP

Sometimes, CeWL will return nothing. Use **-v** option to see the issue causing no output. E.g.: if '$ **cewl** http://example.org' is redirected to https://example.org, **cewl** will keep a silent.

## BUGS

Someone has reported that the spider misses some pages which are have querystrings on them. This issue isn't confirmed.

## SEE ALSO

fab-[**cewl**(1)](/cewl/1.md)

## AUTHOR

The CeWL was written by Robin Wood \<robin@digi.ninja\>.

This manual page was written by Joao Eriberto Mota Filho \<eriberto@debian.org\> for the Debian project (but may be used by others).