security-pen-testing

Overview of security-pen-testing skill

What security-pen-testing is built to do

The security-pen-testing skill is an offensive security workflow for authorized vulnerability discovery across web apps, APIs, source code, dependencies, secrets, and infrastructure-facing attack surfaces. It is useful when you want an AI agent to move beyond “give me a security checklist” and instead structure a penetration testing engagement: scope, test categories, evidence collection, severity, remediation, and report output.

Best-fit users and projects

This security-pen-testing skill fits security engineers, product engineers, startup teams, and consultants who need practical penetration testing support without starting from a blank prompt. It is especially relevant for repositories with web/API code, package manifests, authentication flows, admin features, upload endpoints, or public-facing services. It also helps teams preparing for a third-party assessment by pre-finding obvious OWASP Top 10 and dependency issues.

What differentiates it from a generic prompt

The repository includes more than prompt guidance: it has references for OWASP Top 10 testing, safe attack patterns, and responsible disclosure, plus Python helper scripts for source scanning, dependency auditing, and report generation. That makes the skill stronger for repeatable testing than a one-off chat request, provided you supply the agent with scope, authorization boundaries, target type, and evidence requirements.

Important adoption constraints

Use this skill only for systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test. The references include attack payloads and probing methods, so the quality and safety of outputs depend heavily on clear scope. It is not a replacement for commercial scanners, exploit verification by a qualified tester, or legal review of disclosure obligations. It is best treated as a guided methodology and reporting accelerator.

How to Use security-pen-testing skill

security-pen-testing install and repository path

Install with:

npx skills add alirezarezvani/claude-skills --skill security-pen-testing

The upstream skill lives at engineering-team/skills/security-pen-testing in alirezarezvani/claude-skills. After installing, read SKILL.md first for the overall workflow. Then review references/owasp_top_10_checklist.md, references/attack_patterns.md, and references/responsible_disclosure.md before using the skill on real targets. Inspect scripts/ if you want local automation rather than prompt-only guidance.

Inputs the skill needs before testing

For reliable security-pen-testing usage, give the agent concrete engagement details:

• Target type: web, api, source, dependency, or mixed.
• Authorization: owner, allowed domains, allowed environments, and forbidden actions.
• Scope: URLs, repo paths, API specs, roles, test accounts, package manifests.
• Risk tolerance: non-destructive only, staging-only, rate limits, no brute force, no persistence.
• Output format: checklist, findings table, JSON findings, executive report, remediation plan.
• Evidence standard: screenshots, HTTP requests, file paths, line numbers, CVSS, reproduction steps.

A weak prompt is: “Test this app for vulnerabilities.”
A stronger prompt is: “Use the security-pen-testing skill for an authorized staging API review. Scope is https://staging.example.com/api, OpenAPI file openapi.yaml, roles are user/admin, no destructive tests or brute force. Prioritize OWASP Top 10, authz bypass, JWT handling, CORS, injection, and produce findings with severity, evidence, reproduction steps, and remediation.”

Practical workflow for a first assessment

Start with threat and scope clarification, then generate an OWASP checklist for the target. For source-backed reviews, run the relevant scripts locally and feed results back into the agent:

• scripts/vulnerability_scanner.py generates OWASP-style checklists and scans source for common patterns.
• scripts/dependency_auditor.py parses package.json, requirements.txt, go.mod, and Gemfile for vulnerable or risky dependency patterns.
• scripts/pentest_report_generator.py converts structured findings into Markdown or JSON reports.

Use the agent to triage script output, remove false positives, group duplicate findings, and convert raw observations into exploitability-focused findings.

Files to read before relying on outputs

Read references/owasp_top_10_checklist.md to understand the test procedures and severity framing. Use references/attack_patterns.md for safe, non-destructive payload ideas during authorized validation. Read references/responsible_disclosure.md if the testing involves a third party, coordinated disclosure, or external vendor reporting. The most valuable repository path is not just SKILL.md; the references explain how to turn broad security categories into specific checks.

security-pen-testing skill FAQ

Is security-pen-testing for Penetration Testing or secure code review?

It supports both, but its center of gravity is penetration testing: active, authorized probing and evidence-based vulnerability discovery. It can assist secure code review through static pattern checks and dependency auditing, but it is not mainly a secure architecture policy skill or compliance-mapping skill.

How is this better than asking an AI for an OWASP checklist?

A generic prompt may produce a plausible checklist but often misses scoping, evidence standards, disclosure handling, and report structure. The security-pen-testing skill anchors the workflow around OWASP categories, attack-pattern references, script-assisted scanning, and report generation. That improves repeatability and makes the output easier to validate.

Can beginners use this skill safely?

Beginners can use it for learning, CTFs, local labs, and authorized staging systems, but they should avoid testing third-party systems without written permission. The skill can suggest payloads and test procedures; misuse can cause legal, operational, or data-loss risk. Beginners should set strict constraints such as “non-destructive,” “staging only,” and “do not attempt authentication bypass beyond provided test accounts.”

When should I not install this skill?

Do not use it if your goal is compliance documentation only, security policy writing, malware analysis, exploit development, or unauthorized reconnaissance. Also avoid relying on it as the only control for high-stakes production testing. For regulated environments, pair its outputs with professional review, change management, logging, and legal authorization.

How to Improve security-pen-testing skill

Improve security-pen-testing results with better scope

Most poor results come from vague scope. Replace “check my app” with exact assets, roles, data sensitivity, excluded tests, and what counts as proof. Include architecture notes such as “React frontend, Node API, PostgreSQL, JWT auth, S3 uploads, Stripe webhooks.” This lets the skill prioritize realistic paths like access control, injection, insecure direct object references, upload validation, and secret exposure.

Reduce false positives and unsafe recommendations

Ask the agent to label each item as confirmed, suspected, or needs manual validation. Require file paths, line numbers, HTTP request/response evidence, vulnerable dependency names, affected versions, and remediation confidence. For active testing, specify: “Use safe payloads only, do not modify persistent data, do not run denial-of-service tests, and stop if a test could affect other tenants.”

Iterate from checklist to validated findings

A good workflow is: generate checklist, run scripts, manually validate high-risk items, then ask the skill to rewrite findings into a report. Feed back what passed, failed, or was not applicable. For example: “Access control tests 1, 2, and 4 failed for /api/admin/users; here are the requests and responses. Convert into one finding with CVSS estimate, impact, reproduction steps, and remediation.”

Customize reports for the real audience

Executives need risk, business impact, and remediation priority. Engineers need reproduction steps, affected components, code references, and fix guidance. When using pentest_report_generator.py or asking the agent to draft a report, specify the audience and format. The security-pen-testing guide performs best when raw findings are transformed into decision-ready evidence, not just a list of possible vulnerabilities.