Use when the user asks to perform security audits, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, OWASP Top 10 checks, or offensive security assessments. Covers static analysis, dependency scanning, secret detection, API security testing, and pen test report generation.
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Use when the user asks to perform security audits, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, OWASP Top 10 checks, or offensive security assessments. Covers static analysis, dependency scanning, secret detection, API security testing, and pen test report generation.
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Stars23,062
Forks3,139
LanguagePython
LicenseMIT
📦 Ships with claude-skills
</> SKILL.md
security-pen-testing.SKILL.md
---name: "security-pen-testing"
description: "Use when the user asks to perform security audits, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, OWASP Top 10 checks, or offensive security assessments. Covers static analysis, dependency scanning, secret detection, API security testing, and pen test report generation."
---# Security Penetration Testing
Hands-on offensive security testing skill for finding vulnerabilities before attackers do. This is NOT compliance checking (see senior-secops) or security policy writing (see senior-security) — this is about systematic vulnerability discovery through authorized testing.
---## Table of Contents
- [Overview](#overview)
- [OWASP Top 10 Systematic Audit](#owasp-top-10-systematic-audit)
- [Static Analysis](#static-analysis)
- [Dependency Vulnerability Scanning](#dependency-vulnerability-scanning)
- [Secret Scanning](#secret-scanning)
- [API Security Testing](#api-security-testing)
- [Web Vulnerability Testing](#web-vulnerability-testing)
- [Infrastructure Security](#infrastructure-security)
- [Pen Test Report Generation](#pen-test-report-generation)
- [Responsible Disclosure Workflow](#responsible-disclosure-workflow)
- [Workflows](#workflows)
- [Anti-Patterns](#anti-patterns)
- [Cross-References](#cross-references)
This skill provides the methodology, checklists, and automation for **offensive security testing** — actively probing systems to discover exploitable vulnerabilities. It covers web applications, APIs, infrastructure, and supply chain security.
All testing described here assumes **written authorization** from the system owner. Unauthorized testing is illegal under the CFAA and equivalent laws worldwide. Always obtain a signed scope-of-work or rules-of-engagement document before starting.
---
## OWASP Top 10 Systematic Audit
Use the vulnerability scanner tool for automated checklist generation:
```bash
# Generate OWASP checklist for a web application
python scripts/vulnerability_scanner.py --target web --scope full
# Quick API-focused scan
python scripts/vulnerability_scanner.py --target api --scope quick --json
See [owasp_top_10_checklist.md](references/owasp_top_10_checklist.md) for detailed test procedures, code patterns to detect, remediation steps, and CVSS scoring guidance for each category.
---
## Static Analysis
**Recommended tools:** CodeQL (custom queries for project-specific patterns), Semgrep (rule-based scanning with auto-fix), ESLint security plugins (`eslint-plugin-security`, `eslint-plugin-no-unsanitized`).
Key patterns to detect: SQL injection via string concatenation, hardcoded JWT secrets, unsafe YAML/pickle deserialization, missing security middleware (e.g., Express without Helmet).
See [attack_patterns.md](references/attack_patterns.md) for code patterns and detection payloads across injection types.
**Tools:** TruffleHog (git history + filesystem), Gitleaks (regex-based with custom rules).
```bash
# Scan git history for verified secrets
trufflehog git file://. --only-verified --json
# Scan filesystem
trufflehog filesystem . --json
```
**Integration points:** Pre-commit hooks (gitleaks, trufflehog), CI/CD gates (GitHub Actions with `trufflesecurity/trufflehog@main`). Configure `.gitleaks.toml` for custom rules (AWS keys, API keys, private key headers) and allowlists for test fixtures.
See [attack_patterns.md](references/attack_patterns.md) for complete test payloads (XSS filter bypasses, context-specific XSS, SQL injection per database engine, SSRF bypass techniques, and DOM-based XSS source/sink pairs).
---
## Infrastructure Security
**Key checks:**
- **Cloud storage:** S3 bucket public access (`aws s3 ls s3://bucket --no-sign-request`), bucket policies, ACLs
4. **Findings Table**: Sorted by severity with CVSS scores
5. **Detailed Findings**: Each with description, evidence, impact, remediation
6. **Remediation Priority Matrix**: Effort vs. impact for each fix
7. **Appendix**: Raw tool output, full payload lists
---
## Responsible Disclosure Workflow
Responsible disclosure is **mandatory** for any vulnerability found during authorized testing. Standard timeline: report on day 1, follow up at day 7, status update at day 30, public disclosure at day 90.
**Key principles:** Never exploit beyond proof of concept, encrypt all communications, do not access real user data, document everything with timestamps.
See [responsible_disclosure.md](references/responsible_disclosure.md) for full disclosure timelines (standard 90-day, accelerated 30-day, extended 120-day), communication templates, legal considerations, bug bounty program integration, and CVE request process.
---
## Workflows
### Workflow 1: Quick Security Check (15 Minutes)
For pre-merge reviews or quick health checks:
```bash
# 1. Generate OWASP checklist
python scripts/vulnerability_scanner.py --target web --scope quick
# 2. Scan dependencies
python scripts/dependency_auditor.py --file package.json --severity high
# 3. Check for secrets in recent commits
# (Use gitleaks or trufflehog as described in Secret Scanning section)
