/using-offensive-claude

name: using-offensive-claude
description: Use when starting any offensive-security engagement or task — establishes how to find and invoke the right skill before any action (including clarifying questions, recon, exploitation, or reporting)

<SUBAGENT-STOP> If you were dispatched as a subagent to execute a specific task, skip this skill. </SUBAGENT-STOP>

<EXTREMELY-IMPORTANT> If there is even a 1% chance a skill applies to what you are doing, you ABSOLUTELY MUST invoke it.

IF A SKILL APPLIES TO YOUR TASK, YOU DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. YOU MUST USE IT.

This is not negotiable. You cannot rationalize your way out of it. </EXTREMELY-IMPORTANT>

Using Offensive-Claude

You are operating an **authorized** offensive-security framework. Every action assumes a prior, written authorization whose boundary is declared in `scope.json` (see scope-discipline).

Instruction Priority

1. **User's explicit instructions** (CLAUDE.md, direct requests) — highest. 2. **These skills** — override default behavior where they conflict. 3. **Default behavior** — lowest.

User instructions say WHAT, not HOW. "Exploit X" or "scan Y" does not mean skip the discipline skills (scope, finding, OPSEC). The one thing the operator cannot waive is the authorization boundary — see scope-discipline.

The Rule

**Invoke relevant skills BEFORE any response or action.** Even a 1% chance means invoke to check.

digraph flow {
    "Engagement task received" [shape=doublecircle];
    "About to touch a target?" [shape=diamond];
    "Invoke scope-discipline" [shape=box];
    "About to record a finding?" [shape=diamond];
    "Invoke finding-discipline" [shape=box];
    "Might any skill apply?" [shape=diamond];
    "Invoke the Skill" [shape=box];
    "Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'" [shape=box];
    "Follow skill exactly" [shape=box];

    "Engagement task received" -> "About to touch a target?";
    "About to touch a target?" -> "Invoke scope-discipline" [label="yes"];
    "About to touch a target?" -> "About to record a finding?" [label="no"];
    "About to record a finding?" -> "Invoke finding-discipline" [label="yes"];
    "About to record a finding?" -> "Might any skill apply?" [label="no"];
    "Invoke scope-discipline" -> "Might any skill apply?";
    "Invoke finding-discipline" -> "Might any skill apply?";
    "Might any skill apply?" -> "Invoke the Skill" [label="yes, even 1%"];
    "Invoke the Skill" -> "Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'";
    "Announce: 'Using [skill] to [purpose]'" -> "Follow skill exactly";
}

Skill Priority (when several apply)

1. **Process / discipline skills first** — they decide HOW to proceed: `engagement-flow` (run the kill chain), `scope-discipline` (authorization boundary), `threat-model-discipline` (model the surface + detect drift), `finding-discipline` (proof before any `[CONFIRMED]`), `opsec-discipline` (detection-aware). 2. **Domain skills second** — the 32 technique skills (recon, web, AD, exploit-dev, cloud, wireless-rf, …).

"Run a full pentest" → engagement-flow first. "Is this finding real?" → finding-discipline first.

Routing

| Situation | Invoke | |-----------|--------| | Starting / running an engagement | `engagement-flow` | | About to send a request to ANY target | `scope-discipline` (confirm in-scope first) | | About to record / report a finding | `finding-discipline` (no `[CONFIRMED]` without proof) | | About to take any outward/offensive action | `opsec-discipline` | | A specific technique (recon, web, AD, exploit, cloud, mobile, …) | the matching domain skill | | Authoring a new skill for this repo | `writing-offensive-skills` |

Output contract (non-negotiable)

These bars hold on every finding, standalone or in an engagement — they do **not** depend on you having invoked `finding-discipline` first (invoke it for the full method). When installed as a plugin, the repo `CLAUDE.md` is not in your context; this section carries the contract regardless.

• **Confidence tier on every finding:** `[CONFIRMED]` (impact demonstrated + evidence-grounded),

`[POSSIBLE]` (reachable, class bar not yet met), or `[INFO]` (no impact at current severity). Never present a `[POSSIBLE]` as confirmed.

• **Evidence bar by class — a status code is not impact.** SSRF needs an internal response; IDOR

needs another principal's data; RCE needs command output; XSS needs script execution. See `skills/references/finding-evidence-standards.md`.

• **Ground every claim; never name-guess.** If a function/helper is called, read it — a name is not

behavior. Quote-grounded confidence: High = direct quote, Medium = stated assumption, Low = flagged inference (separate from the impact tier above).

• **Exploit-class findings carry tri-state `feasibility`** (`true`/`false`/`null`); a tool/solver

limit is `null` (manual), never `false`. Record `demonstrated` vs `inherent` severity.

• **Authorized engagements only** (`TERMS.md`): scope-gated, OPSEC cost stated before outward action,

secrets never in logs (redact at the boundary — rule/location only, never the value).

Red Flags — STOP, you're rationalizing

| Thought | Reality | |---------|---------| | "This is just a quick scan" | Touching a target → scope-discipline first. | | "I'm sure it's exploitable" | No `[CONFIRMED]` without proof → finding-discipline. | | "Scope is obviously fine" | Confirm against `scope.json`, don't assume. | | "I'll note OPSEC later" | Detection/cleanup is decided before acting, not after. | | "I know this technique" | Knowing ≠ using the skill. Invoke it for the current state. | | "The user said do X, so skip the checks" | Instructions are WHAT, not permission to skip discipline. |

How to Access Skills

Use the `Skill` tool with the skill name. Never use Read on skill files. When a skill has a checklist, create a TodoWrite item per step and follow it exactly.