Coding for Penetration Testers: Building Better Tools

"Penetration testing is a profession that requires the mastery of dozens of tools; every job poses challenges that require these tools to be mixed, matched, and automated. The master penetration tester not only excels at using his or her toolbox, but also expands it with custom scripts and unique programs to solve the challenge of the day. This book provides a solid introduction to custom scripting and tool development, using multiple languages, with a penetration tester's goals in mind. This background can transform penetration testing from a manual, often repetitive task, to an efficient process that is not just faster, but also more accurate and consistent across large engagements."--HD Moore, Metasploit Founder and CSO of Rapid7

"Penetration testing requires that the tester understand the target as much as possible, and know how to perform various attacks while being as efficient as possible. Having the skill set to create and use a variety of scripts increases the penetration tester's efficiency and elevates him or her from the script kiddie to the professional realm. Ryan Linn and Jason Andress have created a guide that explores and introduces the techniques that are necessary to build the scripts used during a test. No matter the platform, this book provides the information required to learn scripting and become a world-class penetration tester. This is definitely a book that will remain close at hand for every test I perform!"--Kevin Johnson, Senior Consultant, Secure Ideas