Collaborative penetration-testing and analysis toolkit (CPAT)

Abstract

Penetration testing (or "pentesting") is critical to both maintaining and increasing the reliability of computer networks while lessening their vulnerability. The number, importance and value of these networks has been growing over the past decade, and their capabilities and respective uses have been integrated into many aspects of our lives. Without penetration testing, our networks can fall victim to a myriad of malicious mayhem which has the potential for serious, large-scale ramifications, and when these networks are not operating as expected it is often individuals who suffer. However, penetration testing poses its own new and diverse set of problems to security analysts. Due to the abstract nature of performing a pentest, the near complete lack of design geared toward effective collaboration and teamwork in many widely used penetration testing tools can create a notable hindrance for security teams.This paper describes a software project surrounding network penetration testing from a collaborative standpoint and the problems associated with team-based efforts utilizing present network analysis tools and technologies.